Order of migrating PDC 2011 SBS with Exchange 2010 to PDC 2016 and a seperate server 2016 with Exhcange 2016
Hello Expert Exchange Team members,
We will be migrating and SBS 2011 server that is a Primary DC and running Exchange 2010. We are going to replace the PDC with Server 2016 and exchange with 2016 Exchange server both installed separately from each other so a 2016 DC with a 2016 Exchange. I would like to know if someone can confirm the order of migrating for the new servers. do I need to migrate the DC first from SBS2011 to 2016 and then migrate the exchange 2010 to 2016 before demoting the old server or can I upgrade Exchange first and then DC?
Your feedback would be very much appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Paul
We will be migrating and SBS 2011 server that is a Primary DC and running Exchange 2010. We are going to replace the PDC with Server 2016 and exchange with 2016 Exchange server both installed separately from each other so a 2016 DC with a 2016 Exchange. I would like to know if someone can confirm the order of migrating for the new servers. do I need to migrate the DC first from SBS2011 to 2016 and then migrate the exchange 2010 to 2016 before demoting the old server or can I upgrade Exchange first and then DC?
Your feedback would be very much appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Paul
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Move FSMO roles from SBS server to new server 2016 that is to become DCIf you do this at the point MAS suggests, you will start a timer that will give you 3 weeks before the SBS server starts shutting it down. DO NOT MOVE THE FSMO ROLES. That's the LAST thing you should do!
MAS says:
...
Promote server 2016 that will become DC to domain controller
Move FSMO roles from SBS server to new server 2016 that is to become DC
Build another server 2016 and install Exchange 2016.
...
If all successful decommission the SBS2011 server.
Decommsioning steps. below. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/meamcs/2016/10/13/decommission-of-exchange-server-2010/
...
Promote server 2016 that will become DC to domain controller
Move FSMO roles from SBS server to new server 2016 that is to become DC
Build another server 2016 and install Exchange 2016.
...
If all successful decommission the SBS2011 server.
Decommsioning steps. below. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/meamcs/2016/10/13/decommission-of-exchange-server-2010/
...
It SHOULD say:
...
Promote server 2016 that will become DC to domain controller
Build another server 2016 and install Exchange 2016.
...
If all successful decommission the SBS2011 server.
Move FSMO roles from SBS server to new server 2016 that is to become DC
Decommsioning steps. below. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/meamcs/2016/10/13/decommission-of-exchange-server-2010/
...
Promote server 2016 that will become DC to domain controller
Build another server 2016 and install Exchange 2016.
...
If all successful decommission the SBS2011 server.
Move FSMO roles from SBS server to new server 2016 that is to become DC
Decommsioning steps. below. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/meamcs/2016/10/13/decommission-of-exchange-server-2010/
...
Using that order will keep the timer from ever starting. And the shutdown testing phase shouldn't be a problem. FSMO roles, especially in smaller environments (anything suitable for SBS) can be offline for weeks without most people having a problem/noticing.
ASKER
Hello Experts, Many thanks for your feedback, we will start the migration this weekend so I will take your advise on setting up the DC first and then the Exchange
Many thanks,
Paul
Many thanks,
Paul
@Leev
I appreciate your correction.
I had one customer who installed 2nd exchange server and moved the FSMO to the 2nd DC. RIght after that new Exchange server stopped. In an expert view it will work but for others there is a chance for warnings and errors if DC is not healthy and end up in service outage.
Honestly tell you both cases worked for me. But I suggested this way considering he is new to DC/Exchange.
Thanks
MAS
I appreciate your correction.
I had one customer who installed 2nd exchange server and moved the FSMO to the 2nd DC. RIght after that new Exchange server stopped. In an expert view it will work but for others there is a chance for warnings and errors if DC is not healthy and end up in service outage.
Honestly tell you both cases worked for me. But I suggested this way considering he is new to DC/Exchange.
Thanks
MAS
Many people who aren't familiar with SBS wouldn't think twice about that recommendation.
And it COULD work just fine if you're aggressive about your migration. Some people are. Many, especially in smaller environments (like those with SBS) would potentially have issues completing the migration in 3 weeks because life gets in the way. While FSMO roles are critical to AD, for smaller environments, they often have minimal *IF ANY* noticeable impact if they are unavailable for a few days or even weeks. I've seen some environments where they've been offline for months and no one noticed.
And it COULD work just fine if you're aggressive about your migration. Some people are. Many, especially in smaller environments (like those with SBS) would potentially have issues completing the migration in 3 weeks because life gets in the way. While FSMO roles are critical to AD, for smaller environments, they often have minimal *IF ANY* noticeable impact if they are unavailable for a few days or even weeks. I've seen some environments where they've been offline for months and no one noticed.
ASKER
Hello Experts,
Apologies for the late response but we had some delays with the migration and so far we have managed to get the exchange migrated successfully.
The Steps we have taken to Migrate the Exchange so far are:
1 Upgraded Exchange 2010 to SP3 and Install Roll Up 19
2 Installed new DC and transferred the FSMO's and Made DC Primary
3 Installed Exchange 2016 and Migrated all Mailboxes
4 Tested Exchange 2016 OK while old server was offline
We still have a few things to migrate such as user data and SQL databases
Many thanks for your help and suggestions and I will close this question as resolved
Kind Regards,
Paul
Apologies for the late response but we had some delays with the migration and so far we have managed to get the exchange migrated successfully.
The Steps we have taken to Migrate the Exchange so far are:
1 Upgraded Exchange 2010 to SP3 and Install Roll Up 19
2 Installed new DC and transferred the FSMO's and Made DC Primary
3 Installed Exchange 2016 and Migrated all Mailboxes
4 Tested Exchange 2016 OK while old server was offline
We still have a few things to migrate such as user data and SQL databases
Many thanks for your help and suggestions and I will close this question as resolved
Kind Regards,
Paul
ASKER
Hello Experts,
Apologies for the late response but we had some delays with the migration and so far we have managed to get the exchange migrated successfully.
The Steps we have taken to Migrate the Exchange so far are:
1 Upgraded Exchange 2010 to SP3 and Install Roll Up 19
2 Installed new DC and transferred the FSMO's and Made DC Primary
3 Installed Exchange 2016 and Migrated all Mailboxes
4 Tested Exchange 2016 OK while old server was offline
We still have a few things to migrate such as user data and SQL databases
Many thanks for your help and suggestions and I will close this question as resolved
Kind Regards,
Paul
Apologies for the late response but we had some delays with the migration and so far we have managed to get the exchange migrated successfully.
The Steps we have taken to Migrate the Exchange so far are:
1 Upgraded Exchange 2010 to SP3 and Install Roll Up 19
2 Installed new DC and transferred the FSMO's and Made DC Primary
3 Installed Exchange 2016 and Migrated all Mailboxes
4 Tested Exchange 2016 OK while old server was offline
We still have a few things to migrate such as user data and SQL databases
Many thanks for your help and suggestions and I will close this question as resolved
Kind Regards,
Paul
I suggest you upgrade DC to 2016 and make sure.
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/infratalks/2012/09/06/transition-from-small-business-server-to-standard-windows-server/
Build Server 2016 join to existing domain as member server, point DNS to existing SBS server.
Promote server 2016 that will become DC to domain controller
Move FSMO roles from SBS server to new server 2016 that is to become DC
Build another server 2016 and install Exchange 2016.
https://practical365.com/exchange-server/installing-exchange-server-2016/
Connect Exchange 2016 to existing Exchange 2010 via connector.
Test migrating one mailbox and test mail flow for this mailbox. If good proceed migrating all mailboxes
Once all mailboxes are migrated, proceed with final steps of Exchange migration resulting in the shutdown of Exchange 2010 on existing SBS server.
Setup DHCP on Server 2016 that will become DC
Shutdown SBS server and test environment for a week.
If all successful decommission the SBS2011 server.
Decommsioning steps. below. https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/meamcs/2016/10/13/decommission-of-exchange-server-2010/
Uninstall Exchange 2010 from add/remove programs
Demote SBS 2011 DC by running DCPROMO.
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/infratalks/2013/09/04/transition-from-sbs2011-to-server-2012-the-essentials-route/
Do not forget you are skipping a server version (i.e.Windows 2012) in between. Just be sure of what you are doing.
Take a backup of all apps running before proceeding.
Hope it helps.
Thanks
MAS