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Outlook 2003 RPC over HTTP GPO Settings for Exchange 2010

Will be doing a swing migration from Exchange 2003 to an Exchange 2010 server. We have about 100, Outlook 2003 clients, that need to have RPC over HTTP enabled when the Exchange 2010 server goes live. Is there a GPO policy, or script I can push out, so anyone with a Outlook 2003 client, gets their Outlook profile/settings changed to enable RPC over HTTP?

Also, with this being enabled, what will be the effect for users that have mailboxes on the Exchange 2003 server and the Exchange 2010 server. Will the RPC over HTTP only be available when the mailbox is on the Exchange 2010 server? What will happen if the RPC over HTTP is enabled, but the mailbox is still on the Exchange 2003 server?

Auric1983

Is it at all possible to upgrade these 2003 clients to 2007 or 2010? Exchange 2010 has some known performance issues with Outlook 2003. Outlook 2003 does not use encryption over RPC automatically (unlike 2007 and 2010) so you must make some changes to your Exchange 2010 server to handle that. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2006508

Here are the instructions from MS on how to configure RPC over HTTP with outlook 2003. http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/office-2003-resource-kit/configuring-outlook-2003-for-rpc-over-http-HA001140273.aspx

fireguy1125

ASKER

Reading that article you provided me, I believe I may have used the wrong terminology.

I believe the issue would be with Outlook 2003 and RPC over TCP/IP. I don't have any clients connecting to Exchange over the Internet. All are on LAN.

With that corrected information, will the RPC over TCP/IP on Outlook 2003 still be an issue?

Auric1983

Here is a good TN article on considerations for Outlook 2003 clients with an Exchange 2010 backend. http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2010/04/23/3409853.aspx

Outlook 2003 does not support AutoDiscover. With the newer releases you don't even need to touch the client machines.

Exchange 2003 and 2010 can coexist on your network with zero impact to the end users. Up until you have moved their mailboxes of course. So I would suggest testing out some of these client connectivity issues with a limited number of mailboxes first. When we did our migration here the first to move were the IT dept.

fireguy1125

ASKER

So, as I undestand, since Outlook 2003 does not support auto-discover...does that mean that I will have to manually change the e-mail server address on each of the clients? If that is the case, how can I do this with a GPO or script?

Auric1983

Hm, I'll be honest here I'm not 100% sure. It *might* automatically redirect because you will leave the old server up for a transition period. Exchange 2003 will know that the mailbox has been moved and your client will automatically pick this up. I don't think that is part of the autodiscover functionality. Back in Office 2003 days we had a custom install that pointed to ONE of our exchange boxes, and regardless of server it picked up the correct one.

fireguy1125

ASKER

I would rather not take a chance with a "might", come Monday morning, when we have to change the address path of the server on 100 Outlook 2003 clients. So in the event that it doesn't redirect, how can we automate this process?

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Auric1983

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fireguy1125

ASKER

Auric,

Thank you for your reply, as of now it appears that Outlook 2003 clients, with mailboxes on both the Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2010 server seem to be working.

Can you further explain on when I will have to rebuild the mail profiles? Will this be for all my Outlook 2003 clients once the old server goes offline?