EXC11: Migrating to Exchange 2010 from Exchange 2003

1. EXC11: Migrating to Exchange 2010 from Exchange 2003 Jim McBee Ithicos Solutions LLC jim@cta.net

2. Slide updates • For a soft copy of my slides, visit: • http://mostlyexchange.blogspot.com

3. Today’s coverage • Focus is on Exchange 2003 • Prerequisites – What can you do today? • Lessons learned • Migration process

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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?

10. 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

11. Exchange Connectivity Analyzerhttp://www.testexchangeconnectivity.com/

12. Exchange Deployment Assistant • Wizard driven • Asks a series of questions • Provides you a checklist • http://bit.ly/5vEbUx

13. 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

14. Lessons Learned • Some things you learn the hard way

15. 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?

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Transaction log replay lag… Meh….

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Migration Process • Recommendedinstallationorder • Prepare forest and domains • Client Access servers • Hub Transport servers • Mailbox servers • Edge Transport servers • Unified messaging

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. Questions? Thanks for attending!

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