SBS 2003 upgrading to exchange 2007 options available

[spafco]

Hi we currently have a sbs 2003 server in place with exchange 2003.
We currently want to to upgrade to exchange 2007, but realised that it only runs on 64 bit.
If we purchase the hardware 64 b support, and install sbs2003 on 32 bit compatibility mode, would exchange 2007 still work?? or would it have to be 64 bit straght install using server 2003 standard ??

your advice will be apreciated

 

[ShackDaddy]

Exchange 2007 would not work installed on a 32-bit OS, which is what you would have. Even if you had a 64-bit version of SBS, you still wouldn't want to do this.

If I were you, I would add a new 64-bit server to your domain (not as a domain controller) and keep your existing SBS server. Install Exchange 2007 on the new server and migrate the mailboxes over there. There is a good article covering what the operation would look like:

http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials...-Small-Business-Server-2003-domain-Part1.html

That way you'd continue to have all the benefit of SBS 2003 and all the benefit of Exchange 2007 running on 64-bit hardware, which is where it shines.

Dave Shackelford
MCSE, CCNA, Microsoft MVP: Exchange
Shackelford Consulting

 

[58sniper]

That way you'd continue to have all the benefit of SBS 2003

well, not all of the benefits. I suspect you'd lose the wizard's ability to create a mailbox enabled account. For that, you'd have to use EMC or EMS. I'm sure other SBS based wizards would have other issues as well. Not catastrophic, but certainly something to consider.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[ShackDaddy]

Well, create and provision on SBS, migrate mailbox over to 2007...

Dave Shackelford
MCSE, CCNA, Microsoft MVP: Exchange
Shackelford Consulting

 

[markdmac]

I would suggest you wait for Cougar to be released in first quarter of 2008.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

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