Relay mail requests from srvr1 to srvr2

[glamprecht1]

Exchange 2003 SP2 on Server 2003 Sp2
I have a fully functional single exchange server. I need to bring up a second exchange server and migrate all mailboxes from server 1 to server 2. Once complete I will decommission server 1.
The second server is up and I can send and receive mail from it. This is with a mail account that was created on server 2. I can do so via Outlook attached mail box or logging into

http://newsitename.

I really want to bring server 2 online slowly and migrate over everything without any downtime. So as of now all users access owa on server 1 by typing in

https://sitename.

They can access the mailboxes only on server one. Can I set this up so that my original OWA site will also service requests for mailboxes on server 2? Is there some sort of relay that can be configured to allow OWA to bring up mail accounts on multiple servers?
The idea behind this is to not have to change the external URL for OWA. Once all mailboxes are up on server 2 we will need to be able to decommission server 1 and have all url requests go to server2.

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

the URL won't change; just the IP that it resolves to. A change made in DNS. Or leave the original server as a Front-End (OWA) server and make the new server your Back-End Server.

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69352

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[glamprecht1]

Sorry for the delay on this. We go had several fires to put out the last few days.

Thanks for the reply techymcse2k

Right now my URL points to server1. Any mailbox on server1 is accessible via this URL. For a short time I would like to allow this URL for owa to allow access to mailboxes on both servers, Server1 and Server2. The old and the new. Would I have to turn my old server into a front end server to achieve this?
The plan is to decommission the old server once all mailboxes are migrated off and are on the new server.

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

You can add another Public DNS (webmail) entry for the other mail server using the same public IP. Then change your NAT on your firewall to allow that IP to go to either server. Your OWA can't resolve the second server from outside DNS, which is y u have this issue.

________________________________________
Achieving a perception of high intelligence level can only be limited by your manipulation skills of the Google algorithm!

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

And to make you life simple, convert it to a front end server when mailboxes are moved.

________________________________________
Achieving a perception of high intelligence level can only be limited by your manipulation skills of the Google algorithm!

 

[glamprecht1]

After reading the posts and the link on front end server scenarios it appears that the best solution is to implement a front end server. This will allow backend servers to be added and subtracted a little easier. It would also achieve what I am trying to do.

Would you not agree? I would just need to point my external URL to the new front end server to get it going.