Primary Exchange Server

[overcast32]

I am currently attempting to put another Exchange 2000 server in our organization.

Currently, we have 2 exchange servers running - let's call them Server1, Server2, and Server3

All three servers are up and running just fine. Transmitting mail, etc..

The issue I have is that I want to take Server1 out of the mix now - move all mailboxes on Server1 to Server2 and have Server2 assume the role that Server1 is currently filling.

Right now - Server1 recieves all internet mail, and houses most public folders. I've re-homed most public folders to server2 now, so I think I can handle those ok. They haven't all seemed to replicate as I wanted them to, but I can deal with that issue.

Question I have is - do any of the exchange servers function as a "master" server? I can't seem to find much info on that, on the web. Even this book I have didn't seem to mention it - but I haven't read it all the way through yet. I need for Server3 to recognize that Server2 is now where all the outbound mail is going to - and I need Server2 aware that it needs to forward some incoming mail to server3 (I believe that will work out ok).

A couple weeks ago, I attempted to set up server2 as the "smarthost" I was under the possibly mistaken impression that this would tell the Exchange servers that this is the 'master' server - but that didn't work out too well, I seem to have created an e-mail loop problem. I un-did that and just left the smarthost field blank for now and it's working as it should.

I know I'm missing something here - anyone have any suggestions as to where I might find some good information on moving exchange from one machine to another? Any information here will be most appreciated too

Thanks!

 

[wallst32]

All you really need to do is identify all the mail functions server1 holds, transfer these to server2, then uninstall Exchange on server1.

You already moved the PFs, and I believe you said you moved the mailboxes or were going to. That leaves the incoming internet mail. The server incoming mail goes to is defined by the MX record in DNS. Once you update that to reflect server2, server1 would not hold any functions and can be shutdown. (I'm assuming you covered all functions that server1 holds; if there are any others those would need to be addressed as well).

 

[overcast32]

Just an update to answer my question after the fact....

I found only one place where any server was marked as the "master".

In the routing container - one of the servers seems to be marked as the routing 'master'.

Otherwise, just getting DNS set up and double checking all the SMTP settings seemed to fix it.