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joelmurphyFlag for Ireland

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Exchange and AD upgrade question

This is my current setup.

I have a primary domain controller (2003 server standard) that is also my exchange server (2003 exchange) I have purchased the hardware and software to upgrade to the latest version of exchange and I was thinking I should also upgrade to 2008 domain controller.  My question is in what order should I do this?

One plan of action was to demote the current domain controller and promote my replacement server and then update the domain controller to the latest functional level.  then when this is finished move forward with exchange migration.
I am a little apprehensive  about demoting my current domain controller because I am afraid it will break exchange however, since the current exchange/DC is running server 2003 so I can not raise the functional level of the forest to 2008 without demoting this server first.

Another thought was to move forward with the migration first and worry about upgrading AD to 2008 functional level later.

What route would you take?

Or is there another option?

p.s. I will be separating the DC and exchange so don't assume I am dumping these on the same server again!!!  I have learned my lesson both with exchange and sql server the DC will be on a server all by itself.


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tmeunier
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Demoting a domain controller on which Exchange Server is installed is not supported.  Exchange 2010 is supported in a 2003 forest, though. So, your path is to migrate to Exchange 2010 and then remove the Exchange 2003 server & DC.
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Adam Brown
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There is one more thing I have a blackberry enterprise server also how will this fit in with the whole process?
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