Exchange 2003 Upgrade (Mixed vs Native Mode)
Quick question.
I currently have an Exchange 2000 Server in production running Mixed Mode. This is my only Exchange Server and don't have any 5.5 in my environment. There isn't any particular reason why the functional level hadn't been raised, just never got around to it.
Tomorrow I'll be introducing my first Exchange 2003 box to the environment. The question is, do I need to convert my Exchange 2000 box to native mode before I bring in the Exchange 2003 server, or will it be ok if I left it in Mixed mode?
I currently have an Exchange 2000 Server in production running Mixed Mode. This is my only Exchange Server and don't have any 5.5 in my environment. There isn't any particular reason why the functional level hadn't been raised, just never got around to it.
Tomorrow I'll be introducing my first Exchange 2003 box to the environment. The question is, do I need to convert my Exchange 2000 box to native mode before I bring in the Exchange 2003 server, or will it be ok if I left it in Mixed mode?
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Okay, I'll leave Exchange 2000 at mixed then.
Okay I have two more item that I'm not quite sure about...
Here is the Current Setup:
DC1: Domain Controller, Exchange 2000
DC2: Domain Controller
Here is what it will be:
DC1: Domain Controller
DC2: Domain Controller
New Box: Exchange 2003
The current Exchange 2000 server (Which is also unfortuantley a domain controller) obviously has the Exchange 2000 version of the Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in. Are the two different versions of the snap-in compatible? I don't want to bother upgrading the snap-in, or anything on DC1 because it's getting removed after I swing over all the mailboxes. What I'm trying to say is if I need to create user accounts and mailboxes, can I create them from either version of the AD Users Snap-in or should I stick with the new version?
I didn't do the install yet, but ran the setup to see what things it would complain about. Setup claims that the ADC connector on the Exchange 2000 server needs to be updated first. Since I no longer have any 5.5 servers, can I just stop the ADC service to bypass this?
Okay I have two more item that I'm not quite sure about...
Here is the Current Setup:
DC1: Domain Controller, Exchange 2000
DC2: Domain Controller
Here is what it will be:
DC1: Domain Controller
DC2: Domain Controller
New Box: Exchange 2003
The current Exchange 2000 server (Which is also unfortuantley a domain controller) obviously has the Exchange 2000 version of the Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in. Are the two different versions of the snap-in compatible? I don't want to bother upgrading the snap-in, or anything on DC1 because it's getting removed after I swing over all the mailboxes. What I'm trying to say is if I need to create user accounts and mailboxes, can I create them from either version of the AD Users Snap-in or should I stick with the new version?
I didn't do the install yet, but ran the setup to see what things it would complain about. Setup claims that the ADC connector on the Exchange 2000 server needs to be updated first. Since I no longer have any 5.5 servers, can I just stop the ADC service to bypass this?
Exchange 2000 and 2003 are basically point release apart. From the ADUC point of view, the tools are compatible.
With ESM, you should always use the latest version available to you.
The ADC should be removed - not just stopped. It will be listed in add/remove programs.
Simon.
With ESM, you should always use the latest version available to you.
The ADC should be removed - not just stopped. It will be listed in add/remove programs.
Simon.
The following article on technet describes the AD connector requiremets in all types of migration and coexistence of exchange versions . U will get to know every detail from this article .
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823601/en-us
This should solve ur problem .
Amit.
ASKER
Great thanks for all of your help, ended up not being able to do it this weekend, but I'm pretty sure I'm ready to go at this point. Also, when I run the Exchange 2003 setup on my 2003 SP1 box, it gives me a compatablity error. I'm assuming that it's perfectly safe to go along with the install and then patch to SP2 afterwards?
ASKER
I'm assuming that I need to install the Exchange 2003 System Management tools on my domain controller to get the Extended Exchange Tabs in Active Directory Users and Computers? Where do I find that?