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Which goes first Exchange or AD?

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7 replies

by tiffany2

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I have just been approved to replace my Exchange 2000 server with a new box loaded with Exchange 2003. I'm also upgrading my AD (2 DC's) from 2000 to 2003. Which should I upgrade first?

7 replies

by adrian.wright

AS far as i'm aware you need too make some schema Changes to AD before you can install Exchange 2003 in an 2000 based AD,
(some bug which could lead to duplicate names)

by ian lewis

I've just gone through an upgrade with the 'help' of a consultant. I learned most after he had gone...

Get AD sorted and working first.
Read all the relevant documentation before doing the Exchange installation.

If you are going to install Exchange on an AD server do it as the last project.

Migrate mailboxes and shared folders. This can be long winded.
Debug any mail transport/queue issues while you have two Exchange servers running.

I turned off all the Exchange services on the 2000 server for a few days. This allowed me to iron out some of the configuration issues before finally uninstalling the old Exchange and subsequently AD.

Good luck.

by dw_ay

First Win 2K to 2K3, then if there are front end and backend exchg 2K svrs go to upgrade front end first, then back end to exch 2K3.

by nzbn

Export your policies etc, upgrade and import them then do exchange. exchange is totally linked to AD and the domain controller so to upgrade the DC after doing exchange would more than likely cause it to go AWOL

by does not compute!

I have a similar situation I have win2k at present and have 4 new 2003 rack mounted servers on order we are going from exchange 2000 and windows 2000 AD to Windows 2003 AD and exchange 2000 (keeping SQL 2000 and some of the windows 2000 servers "as is")
You say that the AD is the first to be upgraded which make perfect sense as the schema is upgraded for Exchange 2003 functionality but here is a question can you have windows 2000 Ad as a member of a windows 2003 AD domain as a backup ?
My guess is no but any thoughts ?
Also can I add a win 2003 server, run DCpromo to make it a AD server then upgrade the exisinting win2k Ad servers or do I have to carry out an Inplace Ad upgrade ?
So three questions what do you think ?

by adent888

If possible take down your secondary DC ... perform a clean install of 2K3 .... bring over the FSMO roles ..... AD migration .... dcpromo other server ... perform upgrade ..... dcpromo .... test .... migrate exchange data

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