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Replacing a server questions

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by joshg 1 view

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I have done this numerous times without having to keep existing settings. In this case I will need to have an idenitcal config on a 3 year newer box.

I have an existing NT4 server with Exchange 5.5 running as the PDC with DHCP enabled. I am replacing the Server with a new one. What is the easiest approach? I was going to promote my BDC to PDC then down the server. I was thinking of loading NT to barebones config then restoring from Veritas BackupExec backup. Bringing the server on as anBDC then synching. Promoting to PDC. Then restoring exchange. After that is functioning correctly I will replace the existing BDC with the old PDC.

I know this has been discussed numerous times before. The most detailed response will get the points.

8 replies

by joseph moore

Ok. Moving the domain controller functions is easy. Do the NT4Server install on your new server, and choose the BDC option to set up the machine as a backup domain controller. I agree with just installing what you need, so choose the default stuff, but also choose the DHCP server. Finish the install. Don't set up any DHCP settings. Get the BDC up and synchronized.
Run SP6a next.
Next, time to move the DHCP database from your old server to this new one. For those instructions, please read Technet article Q130642:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q130642
(please remove any spaces)

That article lists the steps of moving the DHCP database from 1 NT4 server to another. So, do that.

Ok, now that that is done, it is time for the Exchange migration. IMHO, that is the trickiest part of your whole migration.
SP2 for Exchange 5.5 comes with the Move Server Wizard. But, you will want to use the SP4 version, which lets you:
"Move an Exchange Server between existing sites and organizations.
Move an Exchange Server to create a new site or organization.
Move an Exchange Server to a new site in an existing organization.
Merge existing Exchange Server sites and organizations."

Technet article Q259840 talks about getting the Move Server wizard. Basically it says get SP4 for Exchange 5.5, extract it, and it is there, in the MOVESRVR folder. There is also documentation for the Wizard in the folder. Get SP4 for Exchange 5.5, extract it, and READ the documentation before you install Exchange on the new server. After that, use the wizard.
The URL to this Technet article is:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q259840
(again, remove any spaces)

by joseph moore

Once Exchange is migrated, then promote this new server (that has been a BDC all this time) to being the PDC, and take your old PDC offline and turn it into a doorstop or whatever!

Good luck.

by joshg

See the response in Bugs Bunny's box. I didn't need the Movesrvr Wizard as the Exchange was in the same org and site.

by vh_s

If you are using the BDC promoted to PDC while restoring your exchange, means that Exchange will be unavailable for quite some time as Exchange is located in the old PDC.

The trickiest part I think is restoring Exchange. Think that will cause some problem. Other part, like promoting would certainly be no problem.

Restoring Exchange requires special backup product. Look whether Veritas could do this without problem.

You got two alternatives. If you are sure it will work well after you promoted the new server, then taking out Exchange for short while would be likely no problem.

Other alternative is to leave PDC, taking out the BDC instead, install new server as BDC.

vh_s

by rabbit_runner

From your information, you have two tasks.
1. New BDC server
2. Installing Exchange and configuring it so that all the data can be imported properly.

You mention that you have promoted another server to be PDC. That is good.
Can I also assumethat you will have the exact same name for the new system? If so, you will have your hands full, moving Exchange.

First, do a Double backup of your exchange date. Do it once to tape, and second to a network drive. Do a simply copy the DATA.
Second, and this is important, take 'Screen Shots' of settings, pages, tabs, etc, in the Exchange administrator. This will mean well over 100 pages. These settings will be important when configuring the new server.
Third have all users do a backup of their mailbox. This can be done from Outlook, or Outlook Express. Have them create a pst file for their entire mail box. (This is as a precaution against data loss, should something go wrong in the restore of exchange)

Five, Build your newsystem, install NT4 with all the service packs, patches, and settings you want. That is the easy part.

For the remainder, I am going to refer you to a Knowledge Base article. It gives great detail on moving Exchange to a different server, withthe same name.

Q155216

This article will give you all the settings, and steps necessary.

Please note, some of the steps that I gave are for backups of your data. It is critical that you preserve your data. Doing more than one backup, in different places, and in different ways will always be excellent insurance.

One more thing, Once your old exchange server is off line, put it in a corner and keep it safe, until your new server is on line. This will keep your exchange intact, if something does not go right. Exchange can be messy. Follow all steps in the KB article. If you have problems, always have something you can fall back to.

by joshg

I built the server as a BDC with a new name because I wanted to keep the old server running as long as possible. I Synched the domain and then downed Exchange on the old server. I shut off the other BDC so it wouldn't see the server rename that I did after the Exchange move. I forgot to rename the new server to the old before installing Exchange (needed another KB article to fix that issue) I copied the Exchsrvr Dirs on the old server to a place on the new and then dumped them on the new install, following the suggested KB article. I then downed the old server and renamed the new to the old. Again, I should have done this prior to installing exchange and would have saved an hour or two. Exchange services are running and login to theserver is working, now I start transferring 22GB of data from the HDD from the old server to the new drives. All is well now, bring up the BDC that was down during this. I go to dinner during the data copy. I get back and find all kinds of errors! I had installed the new server with new name and new IP so they could both be on the net to synch domain. Well the then current BDC knew the old server as one name and IP so the new server is the same name diff IP I start getting duplicate NetBios name errors which ruin the whole thing. The data copy finishes but now I am getting errors starting Exchange services. I frantically try to reload SP's can't do that when the services are locked so I manually remove Exchange and correct the NetBios name problem by giving the server the original IP it wouldn't let me do this with the service database locked with the exchange crap thats why I unistalled Exchange. Reboot this server and the BDC now no NBTSTAT messages all services are running. Reload Exchange and then dump the old server data back on the new install and restart services. All is good. Started the upgrade at 5:30 PM and finished at 1:30 AM.

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