Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of Answers2IT
Answers2IT

asked on

Upgrade Exchnage 2000 to 2003 in Mixed Mode AD Environment

I would like to upgrade our Exchange 2000 server  to Exchnage 2003.  We are currently a 2000 AD Mixed Mode environment that includes one NT4 BDC.  In order to upgrade to Exchange 2003, will I need to also upgrade my BDC to 2000 SP3+?  There are specialized apps on the server so it cannot be upgraded.  I have read some articles that say it will work while others say that all domain controllers and Global Catalog server must be 2000 SP3+.  Any help on this would be appreciated.
Avatar of poweruser32
poweruser32

is exchange on the BDC now-i would tend to veer away from an upgrade as it can be the recipe for disaster,what you might look at is having anothe memeber server in place and do a swing migration -with careful planning there will be no downtime
you can install Exchange 2003 in a mixed mode environment. see the following:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822179

i would really work at getting the apps on that bdc upgraded (or replaced) so it can be done away with though.

hth,
Kris.
Avatar of Answers2IT

ASKER

Kristinaw:
The article you referred to is one where I found some ambiguity.  While it does say that Exchange 2003 will work in a mixed mode domain, in the next paragraph it states: "Domain controllers and global catalog servers must be running either Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Server SP3"  I interpret this as Sure, it will work in a 2000 mixed mode AD but not if you have a NT4 BDC.

Poweruser32:
Exchange currently resides on a Windows 2000 SP4 DC.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of kristinaw
kristinaw
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Thanks for the input.  This network originally had 2 servers: a NT4 PDC with Exchange and a NT4 BDC with a Custom System installed.  The development company has long since ceased supporting  even before I got here and the licensing is machine specific and poorly documented.  It was a 7 figure implementation so I have to treat it with kid gloves until it is fully depreciated.  You can swap PDC/BDC roles but unlike 2K and 03 you cannot remove the role.  I tried an tool called UPromote a few years ago that advertised the ability to "demote" a BDC to a member server but it produced undesirable results.  I guess I'll keep chugging along until I can ditch the BDC.