Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 - Migration Advice
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 - Migration Advice
What makes your transition to Exchange Server 2010 so difficult is the
sheer number of upgrade paths. Let me start by clarifying the
terminology:
Transition - Is the latest buzzword to describe moving mailboxes from Exchange 2003
or 2007, to a brand new
Exchange Server 2010 in the
same Exchange Organization.
Migration - Microsoft has decided to apply a stricter logic to the word
'Migration'. It describes the bigger step of moving mailboxes from another email system to Exchange Server 2010. For example,
you could migrate users from a UNIX email system, or even from an Exchange
Organization in a different company, to a brand new Organization
running Exchange Server 2010.
Topics for Transition to Exchange Server 2010
♠
Universal Inbox
Greater mobility and flexible access.
Exchange Server 2010 takes mobile support to a new level by providing a
universal inbox experience, which provides your users with access to all of
their business communications from a single location. For example,
users can receive voice mail messages in their inbox, complete with a text
preview.
Easier to Deploy Exchange
With Exchange Server 2010
it's easier to backup, archive email, deploy mobile email, and voice mail
natively without expensive and fiddly third-party tools.
Better Help
Exchange Server 2010 features a new
self-service so that users can troubleshoot simple problems without having
to summon your Tech Support team.
Higher Availability and Better Disaster Recovery
Exchange Server 2010 simpler configuration to achieve high availability.
Also if the worst comes to the worst, you can be more confident that the
disaster recovery plan will actually work.
Malware and Spam
No system is going to magically cure
all spam and malware, but Exchange Server 2010 has better defenses than
Exchange 2007, in addition its support for third party security products is
impressive.
Encrypt Sensitive Information
If you need to protect
communications then Exchange Server 2010 makes it easy to encrypt and
moderate your communications than previous versions.
Is Exchange Server 2010 really easier than Exchange 2003 or 2007?
Can it be true that Exchange Server 2010 is easier than Exchange 2003? Guy
says it depends what you mean by easier! Exchange 2010 is more straightforward
to get started, but it has more individual components to consider than Exchange
2003.
Yes there are new exiting features, but each item needs time to evaluate. It's
true that the wizards are cleverer, and they guide you surely through the necessary
configuration, but there are more of them to get to know.
The addition of Exchange 2010 to the server family
inevitably results in more compatibility squabbles with Exchange 2003, Exchange 2000 and Exchange 5.5. I admit
that the relationship between Exchange 2010 and Exchange 5.5 is tenuous because
you have decommission
or upgrade the Exchange 5.5 before you can install Server 2010.
A benefit of transitioning to Exchange 2010 is that each component is bigger, faster and clever than
its counterpart in
Exchange 2003 (or even
Exchange Server 2007). Yet this does not mean the whole Exchange Organization is
easier to manage
because more components means greater complexity.
Another factor you soon discover is that a favorite Exchange 2003 feature has been decommissioned,
renaming or de-emphasising. Such changes cannot make Exchange 2010 easier than
Exchange 2003, but fortunately each change makes sense and you
soon get used to the new names and features.
Summary
Each individual Exchange 2010 feature is easier to configure, but
you need more planning to decide which components suit your organization.
One constant theme is that Exchange Server 2010 looks simple but efficient on the
surface, but when you investigate any given component, it seems both powerful
and complex.
Guy Recommends: A Free Trial of the Network Performance Monitor
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What I like best is the way NPM suggests solutions to network
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My Mission
My mission is to outline general transition strategies, and then highlight trusty
tactics that work
which ever path you take to reach Exchange Server 2010. Good news, Microsoft has always been good
at migrations, after all it's in their best interests to make the latest and
most expensive systems easily accessible. Moreover, they want to
pick up business from Lotus Notes, UNIX, mainframes as well as Microsoft's older
systems like Exchange 5.5. As for practical help, what will make your transition easy
is to seek guidance from Microsoft's installation wizards.
The best migration advice that I can give you is begin by identifying your correct track. If you are
upgrading (transitioning) from Exchange 2003 to Exchange Server 2010 seek
instructions dedicated to replacing your particular email servers.
The task of planning a Microsoft Exchange organization is divided into
two distinct subtasks: designing the overall Exchange organization, followed
by
placing individual Exchange servers in sites to optimize message transfer. This approach
results in a logical placement of resources while focusing on literally
delivering the users' email.
Beginning at the organizational level. Establish organization-wide
naming conventions, determine the number of routing groups you need, their
fix their
boundaries and provide multiple links. At the server
level, you should determine the function(s) each server performs, and then plan the server
configuration to accommodate those roles.
- Before you buy Exchange Server 2010 decide which combination you
need: RTM or SP1. Standard or
Enterprise. (All are now 64-bit).
- Upon which operating system will you install Exchange Server 2010?
(Windows Server 2003, or Server 2008, R2?)
- Which version of Active Directory will you use? (Windows Server 2003
or 2008)
- Where is the DNS server which resolves your Exchange 2010 servers and services?
- Check the Function Level, is it Windows 2000 Native or later?
- What about the Forest Function Level? Is it already Window
Server 2003?
- Check the Exchange Organization name, and also the default email
address.
- Raise the Exchange Operation mode to: Native Mode (no pre-Exchange 2000
servers).
- For multiple sites check the Global Catalog requirements.
- Will there be an extended period with heterogeneous Exchange
Servers? How long will it last, what will be the replacement sequence
for Exchange 2003, Exchange 2007.
- A good question is: 'How can we use the Exchange 2010 transition to
become more efficient?' For example, take the opportunity to consolidate with fewer Exchange
2010 servers than Exchange 2003/7 servers.
- Supplementary question: 'What other email improvements can we
implement at the same time?' For example, embrace Unified Messaging,
take more advantage of OWA. Also investigating Journaling so that we conform
to legal requirements to keep company email.
- Plan for co-existence with different versions of Exchange Server.
Remember that there is no in-place upgrade from Exchange 2003, thus
there will be phase of co-existence where communication between all
Exchange servers is vital.
- Repercussions when you decommission the Exchange 2003/7 servers.
For example, move the Offline Address Book and the Recipient Update
Service to Exchange Server 2010. Check, and if necessary, remove legacy
routing groups and also legacy connectors.
- (Do any of the later checklist items affect your original choice of
Exchange Server 2010 DVD?)
 Guy Recommends:
The SolarWinds Exchange Monitor
Here is a
free tool to monitor your Exchange Server. Download and
install the utility, then inspect your mail queues, monitor the Exchange
server's memory, confirm there is enough disk space, and check the CPU
utilization.
This is the real deal - there is no catch. SolarWinds provides this
fully-functioning freebie, as part of their commitment to supporting
the network management community.
Free Download of SolarWinds Exchange Monitor
64-bit hardware is an absolute requirement for Exchange Server 2010. Maybe
this constraint is an opportunity to get new kit!
Exchange 2007 introduced the server 'Role' concept; Microsoft provide top-notch
wizards to help you add these 5 roles: Mailbox, CAS (Client Access Server),
Bridgehead, Unified Messaging or Gateway. These roles are also present in
Exchange 2010
Decide on your tactics. Would it be best to have few servers with
multiple roles, or alternatively a different server for almost every role.
Talking of tactics, embrace the simple but effective concept of building a new Exchange
Server 2010 from scratch. Then calling for the Move Mailbox wizard to swing all
the users mailboxes from the old server(s) to the new Exchange 2010 server with
the Mailbox role.
Forget about an in-place upgrade from Exchange 2003; thankfully,
this transition method is not allowed for Exchange Server 2007. Do begin
with a clean install of the underlying operating system (Windows Server 2008
[best], or Windows Server 2003).
Forget about Exchange 5.5 servers. Because of changes to the Function
Level, pre-2000 Exchange servers are not allowed to co-exists with Exchange
Server 2007 or 2010.
Medium Migration Difficulty
We can divide the task of planning a Microsoft Exchange organization into
two distinct subtasks: firstly, designing the overall Exchange organization.
Secondly, placing individual Exchange servers in sites to optimize the messaging
system. This approach provides you with a logical placement of resources
developed with users' needs in mind.
Check, and if necessary, adjust the Domain and the Forest Function Levels. Also check
that the existing Exchange's operation mode is native.
Make sure DNS is working properly, and the Exchange 2010 servers are registered
along with any MX records.
Investigate PowerShell cmdlets. Trust me, one day you will configure most
of your Exchange Server 2007 settings from the command line. If you
believe me, little-by-little you will build a formidable repertoire of PowerShell
commands.
 Guy's Challenge - Download
this free device backup utility
(CatTools)
Kiwi CatTools is a free program for backing up configuration settings on
hardware devices. Here is Guy's challenge. If you
download CatTools, then it will not only take care of backups, but
also it will show you something new about the hardware on you
network. I could give you a money back guarantee - but CatTools is
already free! Thus, I just make a techie to techie challenge, you
will learn more about your network if you:
Download your free Kiwi CatTools configuration backup tools
Hardish Stuff
Write down a clear vision of what you want to achieve with your email system. Give the vision
time to crystallize, parts may be fuzzy at first, but gradually their focus
sharpens.
Once you have a master plan, breakdown each
task into items, and then investigate each component thoroughly. In Guy's
opinion, nothing beats a test network where you can get all the mistakes out of
your system without the prying eyes of the users, or your boss.
For example, once your Exchange client has been decided, or imposed, check how that client
accesses your Exchange 2010 Server. OWA 2007, Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007
all have slightly different requirements and features. Oh yes, start by
adding the CAS (Client Access Server) role to at least one of your Exchange 2010
servers.
What's in a Name?
In practical terms, when you migrate to Exchange 2010 keep your eye on the Exchange Organization name. This
name is crucial and cannot be changed easily. Therefore during
installation, watch carefully to see which Organization Name the wizard is
suggesting.
20% of Exchange techies are in for a surprise when the check these four Exchange
related names. Now, these names don't have to match, but you do need to
know what they are.
- Exchange Organization Name - Maybe it's plain YourExOrganization, and not
YourExOrganization.com
- Email domain addresses, for example: admin@YourExOrganization.com.
- Active Directory Domain - Is it a root domain? For example
YourDom.com, or is child domain Worcester.YourDom.com
- DNS Name - Fascinating to know if the DNS name is identical to the
Active Directory Domain name.
It does not matter if these names have completely different stems, what
does matter is that you configure the correct information, it is vital that
you and your server are on the same page.
One more point, Exchange Server 2010 member servers don't take kindly to
being renamed. Unlike other member servers, changing the name on an
Exchange server causes all matter of immediate and pent up problems, thus
make a naming plan and stick to your names.
Guy Recommends: SolarWinds' Free Bulk Mailbox Import Tool
Import users from a spreadsheet, complete with their mailbox. Just provide a list of the
users with the fields in the
top row, and save as .csv file. Then launch this FREE utility, match
your Exchange fields with AD's
attributes, click and import the users. Optionally, you can
provide the name of the OU where the new mailboxes will be born.
There are also two bonus tools in the free download, and all 3 have been approved by Microsoft:
- Bulk-import new users and mailboxes into Active Directory.
- Seek and zap unwanted user accounts.
- Find inactive computers.
Download your FREE bulk mailbox import tool.
Plan for Exchange Server Co-existence - Understand the limitations
You can manage only Exchange 2007 servers with the Exchange 2007
Management Console, and Exchange 2003 servers. The reciprocal is also true, you
cannot configure Exchange 2007 objects from Exchange Server 2003. In
order to complete decommissioning, there is an exception, it is possible to delete Exchange 2003
objects such as connectors.
Exchange Server 2010, Exchange Server 2007, Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2000 servers can all
exist and function within your Exchange organization, however there are
restrictions. When in doubt use the native console to manage Exchange
2010/07 or Exchange 2003 objects.
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