In part one of this series, we discussed the AD/Exchange requirements for 2003-2010 coexistence. In this part, we will look at preparing the Active Directory, Exchange 2010 pre-requisites and introduction of the first 2010 server into 2003 org.
There are two options for extending the AD schema & preparing AD to accept an Exchange 2010 Server.
- Easiest and my recommendation is to let Exchange 2010 setup extend the schema & prepare the AD/Domain. Run the 2010 setup and as part of the install, all preparation works will be completed. This is ideal for a single domain environment or small company.
- Do all the preparation works manually using Setup.com switches. We go down this route in large companies where an Exchange Administrator doesn’t have Enterprise Admin and Schema Admin rights. Hence, the task has to be passed to the AD Administrator.
Run the following commands as part of the manual preparation.
- Setup.com /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions, if you have previous versions of Exchange already installed. This is required to have RUS & Email Address Policies coexist in the same AD domain.
- Setup.com /PrepareSchema, extends the schema with 2010 classes and attributes.
- Setup.com /PrepareAD, prepares the AD, upgrades the Exchange Organisation, creates a new Administrative Group.
- Setup.com /PrepareDomain, prepares the domain, creates Exchange 2010 universal security groups.
Now that the active directory has been prepared to accept Exchange 2010, we need to think about the 2010 specific requirements. The following are the pre-requisites for Exchange 2010.
- The base operating system that will run Exchange 2010 has to be either Windows 2008 SP2 or 2008 R2.
- Make sure that the server is fully patched.
- Install .Net Framework 3.5 with SP1 (Already in 2008 R2)
- Install Powershell 2.0 (Already in 2008 R2)
- Install Office Filter Pack on Hub & Mailbox servers.
- The startup mode of NetTcpPortSharing service has to be set to automatic (For CAS role). Run Set-Service NetTcpPortSharing –StartupType Automatic from the Powershell or set the startup type to automatic from the Services Console (services.msc).
The order of introducing 2010 server into the 2003 Org is CAS, HUB, UM, MAILBOX, EDGE. Certain components like IIS, RPC Proxy, Admin tools etc need to be installed before we start the 2010 setup. For that, launch Powershell and run Import-Module ServerManager.
Run the following command for each role.
For CAS Role:
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server,Web-ISAPI-Ext,Web-Digest-Auth,Web-Dyn-Compression,NET-HTTP-Activation,RPC-Over-HTTP-Proxy
For HUB Role:
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server
For Mailbox Role:
Add-WindowsFeature NET-Framework,RSAT-ADDS,Web-Server,Web-Basic-Auth,Web-Windows-Auth,Web-Metabase,Web-Net-Ext,Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console,WAS-Process-Model,RSAT-Web-Server
In our environment, we will be installing CAS & HUB roles on the 2008 R2 server named CASHUB. I won’t go through the installation steps one by one, as everyone is familiar with the process. Launch Setup from the DVD and follow the wizard with a custom installation option to install CAS & HUB roles.
Configure the “CAS External Domain” when asked during the setup. Enter the domain name for external client access as webmail.theucguy.net (2010 OWA URL in my example). The only difference here from a standard 2010 installation is the addition of one more option in the setup, when the HUB server is introduced into 2003 org. The setup asks for a 2003 server to be selected to create a routing group connector.
I selected the 2003FE as the bridgehead server for routing.
Proceed with the setup and finish the installation. You now have a 2003 Org with a 2003 Frontend, 2003 Backend & 2010 CAS&HUB; combined server.
In the next part of the article, I will explain the changes in 2003 Org after the introduction of 2010 server, installation of 2010 Mailbox server & testing of email flow between 2003 & 2010.
Part 3 available? Cannot locate.
Hello….very informative guide. When is Part 3 going to be available?
Where is part 3?
Very busy Eric. But will be online in a few days ;)
Thank you is a good tutorial and simple , just one question what about the part 3 ?
Please put the Part 3…
Wondering if you have released part 3 as I can’t find it?
I’m planning on a transition from Exchange 2003 to 2010, but I only want to keep the 2010 afterwards. Any recommendation or guides for doing so?
I’m on a Windows 2003 SP2 with my Exchange 2003 in a 2008 R2 AD. New server will be 2008 R2 aswell with the latest Exchange 2010.
Some recommended me to extract all mailboxes from 2003 first, then shut it down, install the 2010 and import mailboxes again. But, not sure what will happend to my AD users, as I can only see Exchange informations on my users when I’m on my 2003 Exchange server.
Cheers
Hi Jan,
Install Exchange 2010 into your environment.
Move the mailboxes from 2003 to 2010.
No need to extract/export and import.
Thanks,
Rajith.
Hi Rajith,
Thanks for your prompt respond :)
I have search high and low , but still not able to locate part 3 :(
Can Rajith assist to give the link?
Thanks in advance.
Sorry Pulantai.
Part 3 is not online yet. I thought it was ;) Let me know if you have any questions and I will help you out.
Hi Rajith,
Thanks for your awesome tutorial … wondering if part 3 will come out soon?
Thanks in advance.
Part 3 is online Pulantai. Please search for it.
Hi Rajith,
Above you mentioned if we run setup.exe we don’t need to apply these manually. Is it correct?
•Setup.com /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions,
•Setup.com /PrepareSchema,
•Setup.com /PrepareAD
•Setup.com /PrepareDomain,
thanks
Umar
Hi Umar,
That is correct. The setup will do it anyway. It is recommended to do it using the command line if you have a complex AD.
Hi Rajith,
I got couple of questions to ask and I hope you can help me.
1. Our current Exchange server got ‘Windows Server 2003 standard edition SP1’ operating system with ‘Exchange Server 2003 SP2’ installed. Does this match the criteria for transition from 2003 to 2010 exchange?
Also I’ve demoted Windows 20003 DC’s in our domain. Currently I’ve got windows server 2008 R2 DC’s but with domain&forest function level at 2003.
I want to know if it’s ok to raise my domain&forest level to 2008 R2. Does this going to affect exchange 2003 at all?
Or is it best to install exchange 2010 on current configuration and change domain&forest level on later.
I hope you can help me.
Thanks
Umar
Hi Umar,
Better to install Exchange 2010 and then move the functional levels up.
And good to patch Windows on your Exchange 2003 box.
no part three yet :(
Haven’t written it yet Umar. Let me know if you have any specific questions though.
Also is part three available now.
Hi Rajith,
My question is when you configure this part ‘Enter the domain name for external client access as webmail.theucguy.net (2010 OWA URL in my example) ‘ . currenlty we got webmail with address ‘webmail.domainname.uk.com’ when i am going to configure this option on 2010 can i use the same url or i have to choose different address for 2010 outlook web app.
your post is very good and waiting for 3rd one.
Thanks
Umar
You can use the same one or different Umar. It is upto you what your OWA 2010 url should be.
Coming soon Ricardo.
Hi Rajith,
When is possible to put the Part 3? Is the final chapter?
Thanks and good article
Hi Chris,
I have been really busy for the last few months. I will try and post soon.
It's May – where's that part 3? :)
Great posts and sharing.
I can not wait for part 3 to come out.
Thank you very much.
Looking forward to part 3
Writing it now Anonymous, will post soon!
Where I can Part 3?
I cannot find it.
Nope. You can use any urls as long as they are different and covered by the certificate you use.
hi,
do you find any problem at all using a new name for Exchange 2010 OWA (webmail.theucguy.net), and keeping the existing name mail.theucguy.net for Exchange 2003?
Will that raise any issue in the future for not using legacy.theucguy.net instead?
thanks.
Hi Jammeel,
Thanks. Really busy with some major 2010 projects, but will try to post more frequently.
Nice article! It is now May, where is Part 3!!
Thanks Don.
This is one of the nicest set of transition instructions I have seen yet. Looking forward to Part 3.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
When I move the mailbox from exchange server 2007 to exchange server 2010, the home exchange server MAPI still reads the old exchange server name [i.e. 2007 Server name]. The MAPI tag is PR_EMS_AB_HOME_MTA_W. I am kind of new bee for all these administrative activities done on Exchange server. The catch is for the mailboxes migrated from 2003 to 2007, the home exchange server name is updated and reads the 2007 server name. I hope the re-homing for the migrated accounts happen during the mailbox movement. But the rehoming doesn't happen during the 2007 to 2010 mailbox migration. Is there any option in the mailbox movement wizard to enforce rehoming in 2010.