EXC11: Migrating to Exchange 2010 from Exchange 2003
Jim McBee
Ithicos Solutions LLC
Slide updates
• For a soft copy of my slides, visit:● http://mostlyexchange.blogspot.com
Today’s coverage
• Focus is on Exchange 2003
• Prerequisites – What can you do today?
• Lessons learned
• Migration process
Prerequisites
• Most common problems are ones that can be avoided.
• Planning, evaluating existing environment, avoiding show-stoppers, preparing existing environment.
• Prepare your Active Directory in advance
Existing environment
• I can’t say this often enough
• Look at ALL the software you currently use
• Determine upgrade path and how it will work in the future
Software and third party add-ons
• Antivirus / anti-spam / content security software• Backup software• Firewall / reverse proxies• Load balancers• Storage / storage drivers / storage management • Blackberry or other mobile device servers• Faxing / voice-mail integration• Message signature software• Client-side software
Active Directory
• Exchange 2010 *will* expose any potential problems● Get Active Directory Sites and Subnets defined properly
• Setup.com /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions
• Setup.com /PrepareSchema
• Setup.com /PrepareAD
• Setup.com /PrepareAllDomains
• All domain controllers should be running W2K3 SP2• Forest should be in W2K3 forest functional mode• All domains should be in W2K3
Exchange Preparation
• All Exchange servers must be running Exchange 2003 SP2
• Exchange 2003 must be in native mode
• Link state must be disabled● http://bit.ly/aICc3q
Document…• How does mail flow in your environment?• What software or services use the Exchange server
for messaging or relay?● Digital Senders? Copiers? Help Desk software?
• Who are your biggest users? • What client versions are in use?
● Outlook, webmail, mobile phones
• Have you written any custom applications:● Using WMI? WebDAV? Transport sinks? ExOLEDB?
MAPI? ● What is your plan for moving ahead?
Tools• Exchange Best Practices Analyzer v2.8
● Identify and fix existing problems● http://bit.ly/8tHFYN
• Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer● http://bit.ly/aEnHkD
• JetStress 2010● http://bit.ly/cKIlNK
• Load Generator● http://bit.ly/cKPkLj
Exchange Connectivity Analyzer http://www.testexchangeconnectivity.com/
Exchange Deployment Assistant
• Wizard driven• Asks a series of
questions • Provides you a checklist• http://bit.ly/5vEbUx
Exchange Servers
• Minimum dual proc/quad core servers• Minimum 8GB of RAM• Disk space considerations for snapshot
backups• Windows Server 2008 R2
● Office 2007/2010 Filter Pack x64● Plus some additional prerequisites
• http://bit.ly/d6rl1Y (or)• http://bit.ly/4uq0zF
Lessons Learned
• Some things you learn the hard way
Build a representative lab
• Lab environment should match your existing environment closely● Storage / backup● Same hardware platform● Load balancers
• Test your D/R and failover designs!
• Test
• Did I say test?
Some little things…
• Storage, admin, and routing groups are gone• Transaction logs are 1MB• Hub Transport queues in a ESE database• Maximum of 100 databases• Single copy clusters gone• Client Access and Hub Transport server roles
required• W2K domain controllers will cause issues
Admin interface
• All Exchange administration performed through Exchange Management Console● This includes recipient administration
• Active Directory Users and Computers extensions no longer work properly● They should be removed from admin’s workstations● Set a demarcation point at which you remove them
• Admin tools are only x64● Use Windows 7 x64● Set up W2K8 x64 Terminal Server for administrators
Outlook 2003 client issues
• Outlook 2007 / 2010 is a better client
• Outlook 2003 SP2 should be used
• UDP notifications gone● Results in up to a 1 minute delay
• RPC encryption required on E2K10 RTM● See KB 2006508
• More client issues:● http://bit.ly/9r13aH
Transaction log replay lag…
Meh….
Load balancing expertise
• Windows NLB does not work on servers with Mailbox role if server is in a DAG
• Recommendation that a hardware load balancer be used:● F5, Kemp, Cisco
Changing your approach to backups
• Streaming database backups are gone• You must change how you do your backups• Allocate enough disk space for snapshots or use
third party storage/SANs• Windows 2008 backup utility *is* Exchange
aware, but backs up data at the *volume* level not the file or folder level
• http://bit.ly/apMKXv
Certificates
• Exchange 2010 servers have a “self-signed” cert• Consider using “Unified Communications”
certificates● aka Subject Alternate Name (SAN) certificates● Certificate contains names of all possible hosts used
• Wildcard certificates are simpler but security risk● *.contoso.com
• http://bit.ly/lJWsp • http://bit.ly/cxz7fj
Migration Process
• Recommended installation order● Prepare forest and domains● Client Access servers● Hub Transport servers● Mailbox servers● Edge Transport servers● Unified messaging
My recommended installation order
• Upgrade existing services BEFORE supporting new ones!
• Install *all* roles and completely test new scenarios such as high availability, mailbox moves, redirection, etc…
• Start transitioning services only after testing is complete
Transitioning Client Access servers
• Client Access configuration● Address any potential name space issues such as legacy
OWA host names● Create RPC Client Access Arrays● Get certificates issued● Configure load balancing (if applicable)● Configure redirection or proxying● Test, test, test
• Don’t forget to test Autodiscover and other web services
● Update external DNS records to use new CAS infrastructure● http://bit.ly/08FTmX2
Transitioning Hub Transport
• Create routing group connectors to legacy E2K3 routing groups● Confirm that all source and target
bridgeheads are defined properly
• Create Send Connectors5
• Configure Receive Connector properties● http://bit.ly/a4ohVo
• Direct inbound mail to E2K10
Transitioning Mailbox servers
• Consider enabling circular logging on the databases during the transition● http://bit.ly/aEn4L5
• Create public folder databases
• Replicate public folder content
• Start moving mailboxes
Questions? Thanks for attending!
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