upgrade to exchange03 or server 03 first?

[1dannyd]

Our MS software partner has been pusihing me to upgrade our servers to 03 and my exchange server to 03 as well. So I asked him which to do first - all the servers to OS server 03 or the exchange server to 03 (and it runs server 2000 w/ all the latest service packs - as do all my servers). He said upgrade the servers first, then exchange. I just read that exchange 2000 WILL NOT RUN ON SERVER 03. Could I have been molesting the pooch here? I wanted to give a little settle in time between upgrades but his way makes me think I would have spent big hassles HAVING to do all of it at once?
What's the consensus. And thanks.

 

[7139]

You will have to upgrade Exchange to 03 first then the server o/s to 03 though if you have the option of a new server then install a new 03 server with Exchange 03 to your existing org and move mailboxes.

 

[xmsre]

Exchange 2000 is not supported on Windows 2003. You'll have to upgrade exchangefirst, then the OS.

 

[pschwarz]

You could upgrade your Exchange from 2000 to 2003. Exchange 2003 will run on Windows 2000 Server (with SP3). Windows 2000 SP3 or later is also a prerequisite for running the Exchange 2003 Active Directory Connector. Easiest/recommended (and of coarse most expensive) is a full upgrade. (check out page 23 of exchange deployment guide).