EXC11: Migrating to Exchange 2010 from Exchange 2003

Jim McBee

Ithicos Solutions LLC

jim@cta.net

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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