Moving data from E2k to E2k3 safely

Yes, a major time problem!!

I have gone to the migration wizard on the new E2k3 server but when I get to the migration part it says "unable to perform the migration. Please enter a source exchange server outside the target exchange organization." but they are both on the same Domain so not sure how to get round this hurdle!

You shouldn't need to use the migration wizard, and there isn't really a way to speed it up.

The only way to speed it up is going to take you longer in the end (as you will have to reconfigure each workstation individually)

Read the above article, see how far along you are.

Also, what is this time limit?  Is it flexible?

I have got as far as having both the E2k and E2k3 servers running on my two DC's within the same organization. The time constraint is 9 am in the morning, and this is not flexible sadly, so I have now have, at best, 21 hours left!

OK, but what do you need to have achieved by 9am - I am just trying to think of a way to "fake" it, because we have few options at the moment

Do you offer any chargeable support? I could set up a PPTP connection to have a look remotely?

I have to have Exchange 2k3 in place so they can add some spam filtering to it etc, I've just looked at the ESM on E2k3 and it only has the one information store which is the one on the E2k so it is obviously talking to it ok?

Just thinking about it, may be I could just tell them I had to move the E2k3 server to the 2nd DC and that its working on there for now, but I'm not sure if it will allow me to set up the spam filtering they need, I havnt even looked at that yet but at least that could be put in place 'live' whilst everyone is working on Exchange/Outlook (This is the only real deadline, I cant stop any services after 9am but could stay on site so long as the servers dont go down, if that makes any sense?

Yes and no.

First, soliciting work though here is against the rules - most experts have contact details in their profiles, but they cannot "sell" themselves in a Q.

Second, unless you are in Australia, my insurance isn't going to cover any work I do

And finally (and most unfortunately), I doubt there is anything anyone will be able to do remotely, you simply need more time.

I am happy to keep working with you on here though, otherwise your best option would be to call Microsoft PSS and get them to do it with you (you will have to pay their fee of $300 or whatever it is)

-red

Ahhh, I think we will be able to do this then - it would have been an issue if you had to remove a server, but if all you need is mail working though 2003, we can do that here.

Go through the above msexchange.org guide that I posted, up until you get to the move mailbox section, then we will see what we can do.  The more information you can give me about this spam solution the better.

-red

Ok will do.

Sorry, I didnt know about the soliciting on here business, hope I didnt offend. I am in the UK by the way! Its amazing this www thing!

I will go through the guide, which I have printed and see where it takes me, until migrating mail.

The spam issue is a big problem here, with tens of thousands of spams a week to named people. I've put a hardware RBL referencing mail filter on the router which loses a lot but I understood E2k3 had some functionality built in to get rid of spam like the junk filter in Outlook 2k3.

Are these points any good to you?!! Should I open another Q?

You didn't offend me - I just had to make sure that it was all clear, EE is pretty strict for that kind of thing.

As for points, the maximum is 500 for any one question - we are already touch and go as this is the second question (although, it isn't then end of the world, and they were different questions (but the same overall issue))

Keep everything in this Question, it is simpler that way.

Once you get to the mail section, let me know - the main problem we have is that I will be offline in 2 hours or so, I will be sure to find someone else to help you if we get there though

-red

OK thanks.

I am stuck already on adding a server in ESM, the old one is there but I cant add a new one to the Administrative group, or should I create another admin group?

The new one should be added when you installed exchange 2003

Are you using ESM on the exchange 2003 machine?

Yes I am using ESM on the E2k3 machine, but when I look in Services there is only MS Exchange Management and MS Active Directory Connector, I havnt installed it properly as there is no MTA service etc, I'll go through it again.

Sounds like Exchange 2003 isnt installed properly at all.  I would look at going through the guide from the start, uninstalling exchange 2003 first.

If you were looking at a consultant, you are going to be paying though the teeth - however, one of the best is on this forum (and in the UK)

http:/M_2289328.html

I would be calling him and seeing how much it is going to cost - I can only imagine how much it is going to be though...

-red

Thanks for that. He was very helpful yesterday to say the least. It seems my E2k3 is sorting itself out, it was because NNTP wasnt installed, put that in and its just doing the business, should be sorted in a few minutes.

Good-o, let me know when you hit a wall

Right its now all working. I am just in the middle of installing E2k3 SP2.

Both servers are now showing up in ESM.

Now I think I need to move the mail store info.

Once thats done, I presume I can uninstall the E2k package on the second server? And then do the process all over again after installing E2k3 on the server which used to hold the E2k? Will all the clients be able to know which Exchange Server to connect to automatically?

In the middle of the SP2 install I got an error:

+++
Microsoft Visual C ++ Runtime Library
Program: c:\WINNT\system32\MsiExece.exe

R6034
An application has made an attempt to load the C runtime library incorrectly. Please contact the application's support team for more information.
+++

This sounds really bad. When I clicked OK I got a message saying that setup failed while installing sub-component Exchange ActiveSync with error code 0xC0070643. I clicked retry but got the same message again.

I pressed cancel and it now seems to be carrying on with the install ... missing out the collaboration services bit

It says it updated succesfully but still sent an error report to Microsoft for whatever went wrong. What should I do to move the mail now?

OK, if both server are showing up we are making progress.

What you need to do is set replication of public folders ASAP (as per the document) and rehome the other services to the new server.

Once that is done, you need to move the mailboxes over (as per the guide)

Do not get rid of the old exchange server yet - you will need it for a few things, it will still have the public folder data for one, and more importantly, if it is not online when the users open outlook, you will need to manually reconfigure their email profiles.

Basically, if you can get the mailboxes transferred, your Exchange 2003 server will be doing everything, and the Exchange 2000 server will just be there as a backup (until it has transferred everything over).  That should fulfil your requirements for the powers that be for you being on the new server, without breaking too much.

Be warned though, moving the mailboxes over without having the public folder data fully migrated can cause strange things to happen on the client computers - most noticably with the Free/Busy information and scheduling meetings.

Again, whatever you do, do not get rid of the old server yet!

I am off now, but will be back in 8 hours - I have notified the others, but it is Sunday so I don't know who is about


Follow the guide, and you should be ok

-red

Check the log file -> C:\Exchange Server Setup.log

That should show you what went wrong with SP2.

I would make sure that the computer is fully up to date with windows updates - then try to install it again

-red

ok thank you very much.

Andrew.

How far have you got with this now?

The problem you are going to have is dealing with the system folder replication. While you can move mailboxes and public folders using various techniques, the system folders will take their time to come across. A week is a conservative estimate for the replication.
Trying to do an against the clock migration with an Exchange 2000 server involved is almost impossible as the replication cannot be made to go any faster.

What you should have done is installed Exchange 2003 and Sp2 on to the second server on Monday of last week, if not earlier. Configured replication of the public and system folders and then left it to get on with it. By this weekend you would have the bulk of the data in place on the second server.

I am going be very blunt about this, but if you are in the UK, at 3.30pm in the afternoon you have very little chance of getting this project finished before tomorrow morning.

What I would be looking to do is get Exchange 2003 and SP2 installed on the second server, replication configured then left.
You can do almost everything else during production hours. With careful management of the mailbox movement you can move most mailboxes either during the day or in the evening.

Once you have everything on to Exchange 2003 against the clock migrations are possible. Depending on how much data is in the public folders, you could probably shift everything in a single day next weekend - plus the users wouldn't notice and could be allowed access to the server during the migration.

Simon.

Simon,

Many thanks for your comments and support.

I have just packed up mys tuff and am ready to go home for a well earned break. I have nistalled E2k3 and SP2 on the second server and it seems to be doing some replication (I think) so, as everything is working, I can leave it for a week or so without a problem. I have a VPN from home and office back to this customer site so could have a look at it in a few days.

I'm not sure why E2k is working on 2003 Server, Microsoft say it won't? Anyway, it shouldnt matter once the replication has occurred and I've got rid of it. I still need to move everything back onto the right server as the one it is on now will grind to a halt or at least run a little slow with everything else it has to do in the long term, but I'll do that later.

What would you say the easiest way to check the replication progress? In the public folders there is a replication status section which shows most thing "In sync" but not sure about the mailboxes, or even if they are going to try and sync?

Thanks again.
Andrew.

Ignore the sync status. The way that I monitor sync status is item count. That will show whether the content is coming across. After a week/ten days, if the item count isn't changing but is within 10 or less then I consider the folders to be in sync.

Message tracking is also useful for monitoring what is going on. You need to have tracking enabled on both servers to tell that everything is moving across correctly.

Simon.

OK thank you very much, I'll see what the week ahead brings.....

Off home now.

Kind regards,
Andrew.