Moving Exchange Database to New SBS Server
I have an older Dell PowerEdge 2500 Server that is on its last legs. I am running Windows 2003 SBS on it with Exchange. I have decided that due to a few problems that have not been able to be solved, and other reasons that I want to do a fresh install of SBS on a new server rather than swing it or any other type of migration. So now I have to figure out what issues I am going to face. I have about 50 users and don't mind recreating them. What is the best way to get the 25GB+ exchange database onto the new server and running. I think that even after getting the database onto the new server, I have to match up mailboxes to users. Is there a nice step by step process for this or am I not going about this right at all. As I have said, I want to to a fresh install of SBS because of various issues with it in its current state. If there is a way to copy users over, instead of reentering them then that would be helpful too, but not really that big an issue.I will be copying my ISA setting over, since that is easy to export. And I don't have a big rush on this so the last thing I will do is copy the Exchange database. I did rename the server. If that is a problem then I can name it the same as the original one.
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Lee W, MVP
I agree.
ASKER
I mentioned that I just wanted to start fresh. Because of other issues i would rather scrap saving anything. Just want to move the Exchange database. And then match it up with the users on the new server.
But you are starting fresh. This is not an upgrade - it's a migration to a new system. Otherwise, you'll ALSO have to readd all the workstations back to the domain, everyone will lose their profiles, you'll have to reset permissions... I'm not sure you realize what kind of headaches you're in for (I did this at one client a couple of years ago - with 15 machines - it took me the entire weekend and into the next week to get the mess straightened out... and you're more than 3x the size.
Perhaps you could help us understand what "other issues" your concerned about.
ASKER
Well, I have had a few issues outstanding, such as Netlogon going to a paused state on every reboot, which then doesn't let services restart. No one was ever able to solve that. Also, this server started out as a 2000 SBS server. It has been piecemealed over 7 years. You speak of permissions and I want to reset all the permissions. I also only have 12 machines in the office. The rest are people who vpn in. So it isn't that big a challenge to readd the workstations. I actually want to add them via the computerconnect method because I could never get them to work right with the remote web workplace (connecting to your machine at work). And that was one of the suggestions given as to why that wasn't working correctly (i.e. how they were added to the domain). I also had some replication issues with other servers. So I really want to get rid of the existing AD. There have been so many changes to this server over the years that I just feel it really isn't configured very well. So I want to start fresh and have it just do Exhange, Sharepoint, and be the PDC.
As Lee mentions, the Swingit approach builds from a clean install - the OS is fresh from the ground up - your call obviously but you are biting a heel of a mouthful for the number of machines you are talking about doing.
ASKER
So my concerns about AD and such will be cleared up? Guarenteed?
Well, that's a little more understandable... Frankly the SBS migration would not migrate the problems, just the accounts and settings. But if you're trying to get things to work appropriately on workstations (and since you only have 12 of them) I can understand this better. Now, frankly, I'm not sure what would be best for you. I'd probably say to STILL use the SBS Migration kit and reinstall all the workstations at a slow pace.
Otherwise, one thing you can do for exchange - verify there are no mailboxes greater than 2 GB and then use ExMerge to pull the data into PST files. Then you can reimport that data later on the new server. But, that said, given the number of workstations and the potential profile issues for your local users, I still think you're better off with the SBS Migration method (now that I've thought about it in writing this).
Otherwise, one thing you can do for exchange - verify there are no mailboxes greater than 2 GB and then use ExMerge to pull the data into PST files. Then you can reimport that data later on the new server. But, that said, given the number of workstations and the potential profile issues for your local users, I still think you're better off with the SBS Migration method (now that I've thought about it in writing this).
ASKER
I do know that I have a few workstations with mailboxes greater than 2GB. So you think that the swing would work for me huh? I have looked at it, just thought that I would be bringing over problems too. Can you choose which accounts you want to bring over, or does it bring all or nothing?