Moving Exchange 2003 to new hardware With the Same name

I just did this for a customer on Thursday.  Here's what you do:

1. Get a spare machine that is powerful enough to run Exchange.  Install Windows Server, Exchange Server, etc.  Make sure your versions match all of the version on the existing Exchange server.  Now's not the time to upgrade anything.  The machine doesn't have to be great.  Just good enough.

2. Backup all of your Exchange databases using a backup utility.

3. If you're really paranoid (and I am when it comes to Exchange), then stop all of the Exchange services and copy the database files to some network location.  Restart the services.

4. Using Active Directory Users & Computers, move all of the mailboxes to the temp server.

5. Using System Manager, move all of the public folders to the temp server.

6. Using System Manager, move Offline Address Books to temp server.

7. Using System Manager, move Recipient Update Services to temp server.

8.  Uninstall Exchange from original server.  Reboot.

9.  Remove original server from domain.  Reboot.

10.  Rename original server and change its IP address.  Reboot.

11.  Rename new server to match original and change its IP address to match original.  Rebot.

12.  Join new server to domain.  Reboot.

13.  Install Exchange.

14.  Go through steps 4-7 to get all the data to the new server from the temp.

15.  Go through steps 8-10 on temp server.


That's pretty much it.

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Thank you very Much.

Is steps 4-7 like copying the Exchange Information Store files? If i have a copy of those files then do 8-10 would that be the same thing?

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Thank ypou very Much for your Help.  I am going to do it your way. Plus they are paying me by the hour so it all works out !!

Yeah... that's a good thing.  I started doing this with one customer Thursday afternoon at 5PM.  I left there Friday morning at 10:30AM.  And we're still not finished.  (They have a really, really big Information Store.)

Good luck!

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Why do you want to keep the same name? I do not like the procedures describe in SplinterCells comments. Just join your new machine the domain, install exchange on it, move everything to the new server then remove the ifrst one, during all the process, you will have no downtime.

Isaman,

There could be many reasons why.  In the case of the customer I was just working with, they had tons of rules in ISA Server as well as Blackberry Enterprise Server, a bunch of mapped drives, some custom-developed software and some other things that all depended on connecting to Exchange using the name.

I agree with you that if the server name is not an issue, the procedure that I described is rather lengthy and what you describe is the way to go.  However, if he wants to keep the name, this is the way to do it.

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SplinterCell;
I apologize for my comments, but i ment no harm to you, anyways thanx for your civilized answer, not everyone has the same patience.

SplinterCell5894:
                            I am going though our steps now and step 4 got me lost? were in ADUC do you move mail box's? I thought you did this in System  manger. Thanks for your help again

SM

SM,

Select one or more accounts, right-click and go to "Exchange Tasks....".  The option to move the mailbox should be there.

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Thanks for you help Again!!!

You're very welcome!

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