New Server Purchase Help - Upgrading to 2003 R2

[SLF74]

I am needing some input here. I took over an IT position that was normally outsourced. The server is running SBS 2003 Premium - no SP1 installed. It's mainly used for email and files. Small company - maybe 30 users total.

The server is quite old and really needs replaced. Plus the company that set it up really messed things up. The owner has decided to purchase a new server with SBS 2003 Premium R2.

My question is how I go about getting the old data off? I am mainly concerned with the exchange folders. I am not worried about the transfer of all the other files..I can figure that out.

Also, the owner is wanting a more uniform name scheme. We have users that log in via just their first name and others who log in via first initial and last name. If I change those users who log in via first name how will that affect my exchange?

Just looking for some input on how to go about this the best way.

Thanks!
Sarah

 

[pagy]

Exmerge is your friend here;

http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2004/11/25/20803.aspx

Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[Daveyd123]

Any different then going into System Manager and drilling down to the Mailboxes folder..selecting all mailboxes then choosing Exchange Tasks/Move?

 

[scottew]

Yes, that is entirely different. Exmerge basically exports all of the Exchange mailboxes into a PST file. Then once you have set up your new server, you import all the PST files.

You mentioned that you want to change the naming sheme. I'm not 100% sure, but if you use Exmerge and you have changed the name for a user, you need to rename the PST file to match the new username before you import it back into Exchange.

 

[Daveyd123]

Isn't the end result the same? You have your mailboxes on your new server. That's the way I did it when moving from a single Exchange server to a clustered one

 

[scottew]

I think the problem will be that you have 2 SBS boxes. Again, not 100% sure on this one, but I don't think you can hook up 2 SBS boxes and move mailboxes from one to the other.

I believe that is why pagy recommended Exmerge.

 

[pagy]

This is SBS though, you can only have one SBS server in a domain and it has to be the forest root, so you would not be able to add the second SBS to the domain in order to move the mailboxes to it.

Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[porkchopexpress]

I think you can have two SBS boxes on the domain for a shourt time for the purpose of migration. Take a look at this link.

http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsServer2003/sbs/upgrade/default.mspx

 

[SLF74]

Our only issue is the inability to install the SP1. The outsourcing company did a clean install of SBS 4.5, upgraded to SBS 2000 and then upgraded to SBS 2003. I have no CDs, software, documentation, etc... I can't even order replacement CDs without proof of purchase (which I don't have and can't get - long story) Without the software I don't want to install the SP1. I can't even do a restore at this point if something happens to the server.

So...how can I do a migration from SBS 2003 to SBS 2003 R2 without the SP1?

 

[pagy]

Personally I'd do this as it is only 30 users;

Build the new server with a new domain name
create user account on the new domain
exmerge out the mailboxes from the old
use exmerge to put mailboxes onto the new server
change a couple of PCs domain memberships to test
if happy then move all PCs into new domain

Might be a little more long winded than a migration but it will leave both servers, domains and exchange setups intact so you could roll back if you had to.
The only thing with having both servers on the LAN is DHCP, you might want to configure DHCP on your new server but disable it in the short term so you don't get IP conflicts where each server is dishing out the same addresses (or setup a different address range than the current server perhaps)

You could also take a look at the SBS Swing migration

http://www.sbsmigration.com/

Paul
MCSE


"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[SLF74]

Thank you Paul! I do appreciate the help. I will check into the Swing Migration.

Sarah

 

[58sniper]

Swing migration doesn't clean up the naming structure. It merely moves your SBS to new hardware.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[SLF74]

Thank you so much for all the input! I do appreciate it.

As for cleaning up the naming scheme. Do any of you know for sure if renaming the .pst file will work? I have one user who is going from user ID Mark to user ID msmith. His inbox now is quite full so I want to make sure he still can access all that information.

 

[58sniper]

Yes. Renaming .pst files works fine.

Keep in mind that .pst files cannot exceed 2GB.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP