SBS transition Pack

[kunz12]

Hello folks -

If you want to move Exchange off of your SBS Server, and are intending to upgrade your SBS Server to a Windows 2003 Standard, you buy the Transition Pack.

My question is:

1.) Do you migrate Exchange off of SBS first, then run TP OR do you run TP, and then migrate Exchange?
2.) Also what is the best and the easiest way to migrate Exchange? A lot of folks have pointed me towards a tutorial on msexchange.org. But others have said to use migration wizards. I am a novice in Exchange and a little nervous about the Exchange migration.

Your help is appreciated.

 

[ShackDaddy]

You run the Transition Pack first.

Imagine that SBS is a glass of gelatin with some big tapioca balls in it.

Gelatin matrix = Windows Server 2003 Standard

Ball #1 = Exchange 2003

Ball #2 = Active Directory

Ball #3 through #5 - AD FSMO Roles

Ball #6 = SQL MSDE

Until you actually break the glass, you can't remove any of the tapioca. Once you've broken the glass, you can remove any of the items, even ultimately leaving the gelatin by itself if you want.

Once you've installed Transition Pack, you then have a Windows 2003 Standard server with Exchange 2003 running on it, and you can treat it as such. Before Transition Pack, the two features are siamese twins, inseparable without gross harm.

Once you've run Transition Pack, you can follow standard articles about migrating mailboxes, and can ultimately migrate away from the original server and uninstall Exchange there if you like (as long as you follow all the "removing first server" articles).

Make sure that when you order the Transition Pack, you order the version that matches your version of SBS. So if you have SP1 running on SBS 2003, get the Transition Pack for 2003 SP1. If you have 2003 R2 running on SBS, get the Transition Pack for R2. That's the most common mistake people make: getting the wrong TP media.

ShackDaddy
Shackelford Consulting

 

[58sniper]

I agree, as it's the MS supported way of doing it. I like the analogy, too.

You can run through 822931 once you've done the transition pack.


Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt