removing exchange 2003 at end of migration from sbs 2003 to sbs 2011
I am near the end of an sbs 2003 to sbs 2011 migration following the standard Microsoft documentation. I only have 5 days left (of the 21 you are allowed to have source and destination server both on the domain for). I have reached the point where I have to remove Exchange Server 2003 from the source server before demoting it and removing it from the domain. The instructions say that I have to disconnect mail-enabled users from Exchange using AD Users and Computers, but when I did this (cautiously) with one not-so-important user account I lost the mailbox on the destination server also!! I can't do this with the other mailboxes. I'll get lynched. So, will I be able to remove Exchange 2003 without damaging the new Exchange 2010 setup which I've just got to. Or should I just try demoting and removing the 2003 server without removing Exchange 2003 first. I am worried and running out of time. Desparately looking for advice here. Charlie Russel and Sharon Crawford's book doesn't even mention this step, but according to the MS Word doc it is mandatory.
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I am using the Microsoft documentation you refer to which subsequently refers me to this link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg563804.aspx#BKMK_PrepareYourOrganization
which in turn refers me to this article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833396 which is the one that refers to AD and gives me potentially serious problems!!. Are you saying I definitely do not have to do this, following all the steps and Exchange Server 2003 can be removed without harming the mailboxes which are now moved to Exchange 2010. I have been told separately that you need to follow all steps in this process and do not take shortcuts, but this looks like a step I cannot take.
which in turn refers me to this article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833396 which is the one that refers to AD and gives me potentially serious problems!!. Are you saying I definitely do not have to do this, following all the steps and Exchange Server 2003 can be removed without harming the mailboxes which are now moved to Exchange 2010. I have been told separately that you need to follow all steps in this process and do not take shortcuts, but this looks like a step I cannot take.
You definitely took a roundabout way to get to that Zkb Article. As with any KB article, you have to look at the context in which it was written. In thus case, that article was written to *completely* uni stall exchange from an organization. Which is not what you are doing. Therefore removing user mailbox data from AD is a *BAD* thing. Stick to the migration doc itself and you'll be fine.
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OK, thanks for all your help. I'm feeling more comfortable already. I'm going to remove Exchange Server 2003 from Add/Remove programs , then demote the old server. That should be it.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg563804.aspx#BKMK_DemoteAndRemove
-Cliff