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Migrate Windows Server 2000 AD & Exchange 2000 to Windows Server 2008 AD & Exchange 2007
I am seeking some advice on doing a full migration of our existing Windows Server 2000 Active Directory & Exchange 2000 to Windows Server 2008 & Exchange 2007.
What is the best order of operations to accomplish this smoothly?
I was looking over this article for the Active Directory Migration:
Migrating an Active Directory Domain Controller from Windows 2000 to Windows 2008 R2
And the following article for the Migration of Exchange 2000 to 2007:
How a transition from Exchange Server 2000/2003 to Exchange Server 2007 is performed.
I want to put together a plan to do this. But should I do the AD migration first and then Exchange? Or the other way around.
Currently Exchange 2000 is hosted on the Windows Server 2000 Primary Domain Controller, which has run out of disk space to support the Exchange database files which has prompted the upgrade (in addition to the outdated nature of the existing setup).
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated as this is the first time I will be doing such a migration.
Thanks in advance.
What is the best order of operations to accomplish this smoothly?
I was looking over this article for the Active Directory Migration:
Migrating an Active Directory Domain Controller from Windows 2000 to Windows 2008 R2
And the following article for the Migration of Exchange 2000 to 2007:
How a transition from Exchange Server 2000/2003 to Exchange Server 2007 is performed.
I want to put together a plan to do this. But should I do the AD migration first and then Exchange? Or the other way around.
Currently Exchange 2000 is hosted on the Windows Server 2000 Primary Domain Controller, which has run out of disk space to support the Exchange database files which has prompted the upgrade (in addition to the outdated nature of the existing setup).
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated as this is the first time I will be doing such a migration.
Thanks in advance.
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Well the first part is pretty easy
Are you doing a bare metal build of the DC 2008?
If so
build it , Join it. Do a adprep /forestprep and /domainprep on the 2000 dc then promote the 2008 memer server to a DC.
Once you confirm replication move the fsmo roles from the 2000 dc to the 2008 DC.
Once confirmed that all rolls are successful you can demote the 2000 DC, but I would wait until you migrated your 2000 exchange system.
From what you posted regarding the link for exchange seems pretty straight forward as well.
I would recommend doing the DC first then the exchange once DC is confirmed and stable.
Are you doing a bare metal build of the DC 2008?
If so
build it , Join it. Do a adprep /forestprep and /domainprep on the 2000 dc then promote the 2008 memer server to a DC.
Once you confirm replication move the fsmo roles from the 2000 dc to the 2008 DC.
Once confirmed that all rolls are successful you can demote the 2000 DC, but I would wait until you migrated your 2000 exchange system.
From what you posted regarding the link for exchange seems pretty straight forward as well.
I would recommend doing the DC first then the exchange once DC is confirmed and stable.
Yes it will be a bare metal build of the 2008 DC.
How long do you recommend testing the AD migration before doing the migration for Exchange?
I assume it will be fairly obvious if things are working or not.
How long do you recommend testing the AD migration before doing the migration for Exchange?
I assume it will be fairly obvious if things are working or not.
I agree with yo_bee, put your new 2008 server in place, begin upgrading your forest and ad levels. Wait anywhere from a few days to a week to make sure the AD and network are stable.
You might want to move some shares to the 2008 server to free up space on the 2000 server. Update the work stations connecting to those shares and make sure they all connect properly.
Make sure you are taking full daily backups (if possible) to ensure safety while making these changes. You might need to bring in some additional storage for backups. Also, when you get to Exchange 2007, the mailstores use more disk space, so you will ultimately need more storage when you complete the exchange migration.
When we did this, we had to bring in a temporary 2003 exchange server, migrate the mailboxes to it and then migrate to the 2007 exchange server.
Hope it goes well!!
You might want to move some shares to the 2008 server to free up space on the 2000 server. Update the work stations connecting to those shares and make sure they all connect properly.
Make sure you are taking full daily backups (if possible) to ensure safety while making these changes. You might need to bring in some additional storage for backups. Also, when you get to Exchange 2007, the mailstores use more disk space, so you will ultimately need more storage when you complete the exchange migration.
When we did this, we had to bring in a temporary 2003 exchange server, migrate the mailboxes to it and then migrate to the 2007 exchange server.
Hope it goes well!!
I also recommend not to decom your 2000 server until it has been off for a few days and you do not see any AD errors.
Turning off a DC in it self can cause issues. As long you run your normal tests on the domain you should be good to run demote the DC. Make sure you run through dcdiag, repadmin, dcdiag /test:dns. Plus shutting down the DC would affect all of the tests you need to run to make sure the DC is healthy since these tests are reliant on all DCs running and no errors in the logs which can be created with a DC shutdown
One thing about the article it doesn't tell you to run these tests once the new DC is joined and replicated. The one issue I see working on EE is that many don't run these test before transferring roles and demoting servers then they are left with a huge mess because the original and only full functioning DC is gone.
You can remove the old DC from DNS make sure roles are over to the new DC if you want to see how the new DC works but I wouldn't shut it down for a period of time.
Make sure you use adprep32 when prepping the Windows 2000 Domain
http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Server/Windows_Server_2008/A_3644-Windows-2008-Server-R2-adprep-adprep32.html
One thing about the article it doesn't tell you to run these tests once the new DC is joined and replicated. The one issue I see working on EE is that many don't run these test before transferring roles and demoting servers then they are left with a huge mess because the original and only full functioning DC is gone.
You can remove the old DC from DNS make sure roles are over to the new DC if you want to see how the new DC works but I wouldn't shut it down for a period of time.
Make sure you use adprep32 when prepping the Windows 2000 Domain
http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Server/Windows_Server_2008/A_3644-Windows-2008-Server-R2-adprep-adprep32.html
I am in the process of actually performing this migration right now. I am at the point of doing my forestprep but am running into an error since the Exchange 2000 server is hosted on the PDC.
I then tried to follow this article How to upgrade Windows 2000 domain controllers to Windows Server 2003
Following Under Heading Microsoft Exchange 2000 in Windows 2000 forests.
Scenario 2.
I am ending up with another error at this point,,,
Any ideas on how to proceed?
I then tried to follow this article How to upgrade Windows 2000 domain controllers to Windows Server 2003
Following Under Heading Microsoft Exchange 2000 in Windows 2000 forests.
Scenario 2.
I am ending up with another error at this point,,,
Any ideas on how to proceed?
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