Replacing Win2k/Ex2000 with Win2k3/Ex2k3 new hardware

[sslevy]

Hi,

We are in need to replace one of our domain controllers located in a branch office soon. It is currently providing DC,DNS,WINS,DHCP and Exchange 2000. We have a machine to use to replace the hardware.

I have installed Windows 2003 server on it and updated with latest service packs.. I have not joined it to the domain yet.

i want it to use the same ip address as the current server..
and move all of the mailboxes over.. This exchange server gets all of its mail from our main server here in our head office.. in other words.. all of emails come into our main exchange 2003 server here and then get filtered down to the other branch offices via a wan link.

Can i setup the majority of items on site here and then take this server out to our branch location and continue with the exchange setup/migration out there.. Are there any articles out there that can help me.

Thanks,
Shari

if any more info is needed please let me know.

 

[maxcessnapilot]

Yes you can. I personally have done that before.

 

[rliebsch]

this will be invaluable to you.

keeping the same IP is going to tricky.
You'll want to assign it a different IP, swing everyone over, then swap IPs.

I'd keep the DC on 2K then upgrade the OS, so Exchange and AD/DNS/DHCP are on separate boxes.



Robert Liebsch
Systems Psychologist,
Network Sociologist,
Security Pathologist,
User Therapist.

 

[sslevy]

thanks for the info.

Unfortunately due to space limitations, this machine will have to be an all in one..

i will put a different ip on it to set everything up and then swap ip's.. this machine is a pentium 4 2.8ghz 512mb ram (will upgrade it) 2 - 80gb mirrored hard drives and a gb network card..

what i'm really looking for is articles that will guide me in this process

 

[ste52653]

I think the first step is the way to go, but is there a reason you need to keep that particular IP?

Everything will be so easy if you:
-Bring the new server up beside the old, with a new IP and new host name.
-DCpromo the new box to be a DC.
-Install exchange in to the organization.
-Move all mailboxes to the new server.
-Let client Outlook change to new server (automatic after a client restart, but the old server must still be on and working)
-Uninstall Exchange from the old server
-If the old server was a GC, make sure the new server is a GC before you shut down the old one.
-DCPromo the old server to return it to a member server.
-Shut the old girl down!

Providing DNS/DHCP is working there is really no reason (usually) that you need to retain the old IP, if you MUST keep the old IP due to custom scripts or something that has hard coded IP addresses instead of DNS names then you can also add the IP address into the network properties as a second IP address (I'm assuming the two servers are on the same subnet/network).

I think I covered everything.

Good luck.

 

[sslevy]

the ip address of the server is also needed in our SITA router (we are an airline) and our pix firewall.. but i'm sure that can be changed...


I like your suggestion very much ste52653. now i do have a question though.. i'd like to setup the majority of stuff dc/dns/dhcp/ad here.. our ip scheme internally here is a 10.40.x.x subnet of 255.255.240.0 scheme... out at that branch its a 10.10.131.x 255.255.255.128 tied together via a 128k wan link between the two locations...

would it matter too much if i used a fixed ip here from our scheme here and then changed it once i got out there. if not i will bring the machine out there and configure it there..

What I am trying to do is save myself some time..because everytime i go to that location i seem to always have problems with users that occupy my time.. i figure this will be a day long process. and then come back 1 week later and shutdown the old machine..

 

[ste52653]

Probably not. Exchange uses DNS for service location and message delivery, so as long as you've updated the DNS records (don't forget HOSTS file entries that you might have) for the server you're moving, you should be fine. By default, all the virtual servers should use the All unassigned setting, which means that they'll automatically pick up the new addresses. If you've assigned specific IP addresses to any of your virtual servers, you'll need to update those addresses, too.

Have Fun

 

[rliebsch]

I forgot the link

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/Migrating-Exchange2000-Exchange-2003-Hardware.html

this will help.

Robert Liebsch
Systems Psychologist,
Network Sociologist,
Security Pathologist,
User Therapist.