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steve352

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Exchange Server 2007 Virtualization - need some advice

Planning to virtualize Exchange Server 2007 running on Windows Server 2008 (HP OEM license) with VMware vCenter Converter Standalone (5.1) to new Dell servers. Obviously running Windows Server 2008 (HP OEM) won't work on Dell servers so I haven't tried to convert this server yet. I'm guessing one option would be to create a new virtual Exchange Server and migrate mailboxes and replicate public folders from old to new.  There would be a large amount of data to migrate (mailbox databse is 150 Gb and PF database is 400 Gb) probably requiring lots of days (weeks?) of mailbox moving and folder replication to get everything moved over plus the move to a new server wouldn't be transparent to the end users. I'm thinking there must be a better way and would appreciate any advice that would the conversion to a virtual Exchange Server faster and easier.
Avatar of Will Szymkowski
Will Szymkowski
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Is your Exchange drives located on a SAN? If so, the easiest thing to do would be create an images of the Exchange server (using bare metal restore) create a new VM and mount the bare metal image to this VM and then repoint the Data drives located on the SAN to the new Virtual VM.

If you are not using a SAN you might have to take a bare metal image of all of the drives, which could take awhile.

We are in a similar process with other server as we have moved from an EVA to an Hitachi HUS. We will be using a product called "Double Take" which allows zero down time and can replicate traffic at the block level.

Double Take - http://www.visionsolutions.com/solutions/migration_overview.aspx

Will.
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Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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Avatar of steve352
steve352

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Thanks to you both for your answers. I think my best bet is to go with a new virtual Exchange server and move/replicate mailboxes and public folders over to it. It will take longer than P2V solution but is probably the right way to go.