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Exchange 2003 Replication to new Server

Hello I have purchased a new Server to upgrade my current hardware for Exchange... I have been reading the various notes here at EE and have been following them (I think).. What I am trying to do is install a brand new server with the same version of Exchange 2003 SP-2… I have tried to setup the replication of the public folders to the new server, and while the replication says it is “In Sync” with my new server I don’t see any of the public folders under the new server name “Public folder store”… However this morning I noticed that under the logins I see various users using the new server under the Logons folder in the ESE utility…  Is there something I am missing?

Also I created a test mailbox and I had my own mailbox set to forward all e-mail to my test mailbox (to get some e-mail in the test box). Then I added that mailbox to my Outlook 2003 client so I could see that it worked. Then on a test workstation I logged in as that user and created an outlook profile for the test user to access the test mailbox. That all seemed to work. So, next I did a move mailbox command under Users and Computers and set the mailbox to the new server. When I re-logged in on the test server and launched Outlook 2003 it automatically changed the mail server name form the old server to the new server… I was able to see the newly moved mailbox, however now the auto forward of any new messages to MY mailbox does not work correctly.

I know I don’t have everything all setup yet because I read here that I need to make sure that all replication has taken place BEFORE I move the user’s mailboxes etc…

I hope this is enough information, if not please let me know and I will try to better explain the problem.

Thanks
Avatar of Sembee
Sembee
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Did you send the hierarchy across?
Also check that you don't have a smart host configured directly on the SMTP virtual server. That can disrupt replication traffic.

If you haven't already, turn on message tracking on both the old and new servers. That will let you see what is happening with the replication traffic.

Simon.
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LibertyIMS

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I have seen the hierarchy, but for some reason i cant find it now. also I am not sure where to enable the smart host... could you please point me?

Thank you,
Okay i found the Hierarchy and when i click to send it across i get this....


Exchange System Manager

The requested name is valid and was found in the database, but it does not have the correct associated data beling resolved for.

      Facility: Win32
      ID no: c0072afc
      Exchange System Manager

According to Microsoft, that is a DNS error.
It cannot resolve the name of the server.

Make sure that you have your DNS setup correctly. All servers on the network should be pointing to DCs ONLY for DNS. No external DNS servers should be involved anywhere. DCs should be pointing at themselves.

Smarthost...
ESM, Servers, <your server>, Protocols, SMTP. Right click on the SMTP VS and choose Properties. Click on the tab Delivery and then Advanced. Ensure that smart host is blank.

Simon.
I should also add something i think is a little weird...  When I look in ESE I see the server tree and it looks like this:

Servers
      Exchange - (Existing Server, the one I am upgrading)
            Protocols
            Queues
            First Storage Group
                  Mailbox Store (Exchange)
                  Public Folder Store (Exchange)
                        Logons
                        Public Folder Instances
                        Public Folders
                        Replication Status
                        Full-Text Indexing

      EXCHSRVR - (New Server, I want to upgrade to)
            Protocols
            Queues
            First Storage Group
                  Mailbox Store (Exchsrvr)
                  Public Folder Store (Exchsrvr)
                        Logons
                        Public Folder Instances
                        Public Folders
                        Replication Status
                        Full-Text Indexing

      Routing Groups
      Folders
            Public Folders
                  ***  (See below)


<<***Now on my old server I see nothing, and on my new server is see "Internet Newsgroups">>

If i click on the Logons folder under my new server, i see current users trying to login to the public folders, however there is nothing there for them to see.
Do you know which public folder tree you are looking at?
You need to ensure that you do. Right click on Public Folders and choose Connect to. You can then select the Exchange server to view.

Simon.
Found the Smarthost... and I do have a server listed in there... and it is my SPAM Server... I was told by my manufacture that I need to have that server name listed in there.... Is this something i should just take out for a little while and then add it back in after the replication happenes?
The manufacturer of the spam server has got it wrong. Don't worry - they aren't alone is telling people to put the smart host in that entry. While that does work, it isn't best practise. It is just easy for them to tell you to put it there as they don't have to write so much about setting up an SMTP connector.

Remove it. It cannot go back in again.
Put the smart host in to an SMTP Connector.

http://www.amset.info/exchange/smtp-connector.asp

Simon.
The screenshots you pointed me to has the connectors located on the root of the tree in ESE, my connector is located at:

First Organization (Exchange)
      Administrative Groups
            First Administrative Group
                  Routing Groups
                        First Routing Group
                              Connectors

Is this becuase I now have 2 exchange servers in my AD?

What problems might i have if i make this change? Another words, is it going to effect my users that are currently using the system?
The location is basically the same - it depends on how Exchange System Manager is configured.
If you right click on the Exchange org and choose Properties, then deselect Show Admin Groups and Show Routing Groups, then you would see a simplified view.

Will not affect the users in any way. I have done the change in production hours loads of times.

Simon.
Simon, thank you... it looks like everything is replicating fine now... Just taking some time to replicate all the folders over...

Now, once the public folders are replicated over, is there anything else I need to setup besides the moving the mailboxes?
Public and System folders need to go across. Once you have both of those, mailboxes can go across.

And of course you know whose mailbox is first to go to the new server?

Yours.

If you aren't prepared to put your own email box on to the new server, then you shouldn't be prepared to put any others on there either.

If you aren't already, refer to this KB article.
It is about removing the first Exchange 2003 server and gives you an idea of what needs to be replicated across.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=822931

Some of it cannot be done until the user mailboxes have moved across.

Simon.
Thanks Simon... i now have all the public folders and system folders over with the following exceptions...

Public Folders
      EFORMS REGISTRY
            EFORMS REGISTRY     ----> This sub-folder has not replicated yet, but I do have the top level EFORMS REGISTRY over

Then i noticed i have 2 each of these folders and I suspect that is because i have 2 exchange servers running, but i wanted to be sure...

OWAScratchPad {Unique GUID......  for both entries}
StoreEvents {Unique GUID......  for both entries}

As for the mailbox, i already have a test mailbox on the new server that i setup before i started this whole processes and since yesterday it has been sending and reciveing mail just fine...  and now that it seems that everything is replicated over i will move my mailbox today and see how things go...  But as of now it is looking REALLY good...
Oh i should also add... i have about a dozen or so users using POP3... anything special there I have to make changes to?
With the system mailboxes - if it isn't mentioned in the KB article that I pointed to, then you don't need to bother with it. Some folders are unique to the server. The OWA Scratch Pad folders are one of those that are unique.

Your POP3 users, that depends on how you have set them up.
If they are using a generic name - like mail.domain.com then all you have to do is change the DNS setting and/or firewall port forwarding.
If they are using the real name of the server, then you will have to get them to change the address being used. Now would be a good time to switch them over to a generic name instead of the server's real name. Then it is just DNS changes that are required.

Simon.
Yes I am using mail.domainname.com and letting the DNS take over... so i should not have any problem there...

I was going through the document you pointed me to and noticed that while it appears that all the public folders are now available to the users now (they were not for some time yesterday)... i went into the ESE and noticed that When i click on

First Administrative group
     Folders
          Public folders
             Development items   -  (This is one of my public folders)
                   32-Complete   - (A sub folder to the above folder)

and i click on Status I see the following

Server                         Public Store                                     Size(KB)          Items
EXCHANGE                   Public Folder Store (EXCHANGE)        13121             238
EXCHSRVR                   Public Folder Store (EXCHSRVR)        0                    0


Does that mean the replication did not work?
Okay i ended up archive 95% of the public store to a PST file... (it has not been used since about 2003), but there is still a couple of shared public Calendars left now. I am getting the sizes and number of items not replicated over to the new server the above description still holds true.. on the older server i have size and number of items, but nothing on the new server.
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Sembee
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okay well i am going to leave the server up and running for a few weeks anyway...

So i think this question is LONG overdue to be closed... wish i could give you MUCH more than 500 points... you have healed out a GREAT deal... thank you!