08/05/2002 

Problem:  How do I move Exchange Server 2000 from one server to another?

Solution:

Like the Ed Crowley Move Server Method for Exchange 5.5, this method should create less potential for grief and downtime in your organization than other methods of moving to a new server. Many of the changes (especially changes to Active Directory) can take quite some time to replicate, so completing this process over the course of several days might be appropriate in many organizations. Like the 5.5 version of the ECMSM, this is probably not the easiest method for moving servers, but we believe it to be the least risky.

Remember that Exchange 2000 offers multiple databases and storage groups, so you may have to repeat some of the steps listed below on multiple databases. You can also configure multiple connectors and virtual servers, so you may have to recreate multiple instances of those as well.

Exchange 2000 no longer has its own directory. For the purposes of this document we’ve made the assumption that this move is of a single monolithic server in an organization (meaning that it handles both AD and Exchange). If this is not the Active Directory server in in your organization, you can probably skip all of the steps listed in blue.

  1. Take a good backup of your existing server and save a copy of any custom forms or applications in use to a PST file.
  2. Bring up a new Windows 2000 server in the same AD domain as the existing server.

a. Make sure the following are installed on the server:

  1. SMTP service
  2. NNTP Service
  3. Terminal Services (Not required but highly recommended)
  4. DNS

     

  1. Bring the box up to the same Windows 2000 service pack and hotfix level as the existing Exchange 2000 server.
  2. Run DCPROMO to promote the new server to a domain controller. Choose to create an additional domain controller in an existing domain.
  3. Wait for replication to complete. A tool such as ADcheck from NetIQ might help in this regard.
  4. Install Exchange 2000 and bring it up to the same service pack and hotfix level as the existing server.
  5. Create new mailbox stores and public folder stores on the new server to match the old server (This is not a requirement per se, you might instead choose a different configuration to take advantage of new and improved hardware).
  6. Apply any Server, Mailbox Store or Public Store policies to the new server as needed.
  7. Change the default Public Store for the existing Exchange server to the new Exchange Server. This is done on the General tab of the Mailbox Store in the Exchange System Manager. Once this change is completed all new public folders created by users on this mailbox store will be created on the new server. (Repeat this for each mailbox store defined).
  8. Create a replica of each public folder on the new server. Be sure to create a replica for the following system folders (and all their subfolders) as well: EFORMS Registry, Offline Address Book and Schedule+ Free Busy. To access the system folders, right-click on Folders | Public Folders in the Exchange System Manager and choose View System Folders.
  9. Promote the new server to a Global Catalog server. This is done by going to Active Directory Sites and Services and double-clicking on the server you wish to promote to be a GC. Then right-click on NTDS settings and choose properties. On the properties tab, check the box labeled Global Catalog. Allow plenty of time for the changes to replicate.
  10. Modify the Recipient Update Service in the Exchange System Manager to point to the new server.
  11. In the Exchange System Manager | Tools | Monitoring and Status recreate any monitoring or status monitors needed for the new server.
  12. Transfer the 5 FSMO roles to the new server. If you don’t know what a FSMO is and have no idea why anyone would want 5 of the suckers, we’d like to recommend this book to you for future reading: Windows 2000 Essential Reference. The RID, Infrastructure and PDC FSMO roles are changed in Active Directory Users and Computers. The Domain Naming Master is changed in Active Directory Domains and Trusts and the Schema FSMO is changed in Active Directory Schema. If Active Directory Schema is not available, you must install the Windows 2000 Administration Tools from the Windows 2000 Server compact disc and add it to an MMC console.
  13. Recreate any virtual servers or connectors on the new server.
  14. Apply any existing SMTP filters against the new SMTP virtual servers as needed.
  15. Move mailboxes from the existing server to the new server using Active Directory Users and Computers. (If you are running AV software on the Exchange server, you may want to stop it during the process of moving users).
  16. Verify that the AD Changes have replicated successfully.
  17. Run DCPROMO on the old server to demote it to a member server.
  18. Leave the old Exchange server up and running for a while so that MAPI clients can be redirected to the new server. Yes, it happens automagically as long as the client can connect to the old server at least once before you shut it down.
  19. Notify POP3 and IMAP 4 users that the server address has changed (this step may not be necessary if your users were connecting to an Exchange Front End Server.).
  20. Create MX records pointing to the new server as necessary. (For those using port forwarding via NAT, you may only need to change the internal IP address that packets are forwarded to, or you might choose to change the IP address of the new server after everything else is running smoothly… lots of possibilities here and we can’t cover them all).
  21. Uninstall Exchange 2000 from the original server.
  22. Additional Resources:
    1. Q252117 Some Files Not Deleted When Exchange 2000 Server is Removed
    2. Q260378 How To Manually Remove an Exchange 2000 Installation
    3. Q251825 Uninstalling Last Server in Routing Group Does Not Clean Up the RG Connectors from Other RGs.
    4. Q252486 Removing the First Exchange 2000 Server from the Sitev
    5. Q266686 How to Configure the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Service, Part 1
    6. Q268163 How to Configure the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Service, Part 2

 

Re-printed without permission from Simpler-Webb, Inc

Top of page Top of page * Add to Favorites
Home  ©1996 - 2008 Computer Business Consultants, Inc.   All rights reserved.