How to migrate Exchange 2010

Recently, the Microsoft Exchange 2010 Service Pack 1 is available. For many it is the starting signal for updating the platform. At least in terms of Exchange 2010 migration, it seems to be a hot autumn. Various large companies and institutions of the civil service plan to switch. Exchange 2010 since November 2009 on the market, but most user companies are waiting to migrate to the first service pack. SP 1 is now available, so the change from the previous 2007 or often even to begin release of 2003. Migration is often risky. How long will it take, how expensive and complicated it is, how much it interferes with the operation? These are all questions that arise in connection with migration projects.

Therefore, I am providing some tips, first of all pointed out that Microsoft itself does not speak of a migration, but by a transition, ie a gradual transition from the previous version to the current release. Exchange 2010 can be good, if necessary, longer co-exist with its previous versions. This reduces the pressure to migrate quickly and completely. A switch to Exchange 2010 is divided into different phases. The migration and the nature of the future Exchange 2010 server must be planned carefully. A direct migration from Exchange 5.5/2000 to Exchange 2010 is not possible. In this case, you should update via Exchange 2003 or 2007 will be accepted.

Preparatory work

The first step in such an upgrade consists of the review of the technical conditions of the existing Active Directory and Exchange 2003 organizational infrastructure. Here, certain conditions must be met before the first Exchange 2010 server into existing Exchange 2003 organization can install the ever. Microsoft offers a free tool for this purpose, the Exchange Pre-Deployment Analyzer (ExPDA) which carries out the trials. But the versions of Outlook clients are of great importance. Of course, Outlook 2003 with Exchange 2010 to operate, but in this constellation are two things to consider. Outlook 2003 regulates functions such as Free / Busy and Out of Office on Public folder (Public Folder), which means that are applied in each case on the servers for the Exchange 2010 mailbox and public folder databases. This option asks for the setup of Exchange 2010. In addition, Outlook 2003 clients without encryption to communicate with an Exchange Server, Exchange 2010, but only allows encrypted communication with its clients. This feature can be turned off while the Exchange 2010 server, but does not meet the best practices of Microsoft. If in this case only the path through Group Policy to the encryption of the Outlook 2003 clients in turn. With Outlook 2007 and 2010, the encryption is enabled by default.

If you already verified the existing Exchange organization, it makes sense to reflect overall on the further use of public folders. Certain functions that were provided to allow, with Exchange 2010 implemented differently. This applies, for example, reservation systems for rooms and equipment. Exchange 2010 mailboxes knows the type space or equipment, which are deposited with a complete logic for automatic posting. Other typical tasks of public folders can now perform differently. For document storage, shared calendars and contact lists is suitable SharePoint better and can also integrate into Outlook. Furthermore, the databases of public folders in any way benefit from the high availability features in Exchange 2010. Public folder databases are not replicated to other servers within that group in a database availability group. It is therefore as in real life: Before you move you have to get rid of and dispose of contaminated sites.

Review of the Active Directory configuration

If this preparatory work complete, a review should follow the Active Directory configuration. Since Exchange 2000 is a clean-configured Active Directory is essential for the proper functioning of the Exchange server. Active Directory Domain Controller and Global Catalog servers should be redundant and run the 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003 or 2008. In environments with lots of mailboxes or very high power levels it may even be necessary, the Exchange 2010 server along with their Active Directory domain controllers and to provide Global Catalog servers in its own Active Directory site.

Now even though the Active Directory was rightly lashed match, it can go to the planning of the Exchange 2010 server. Here are substantially the required hard drive space to determine to distribute the server roles to the Exchange 2010 server to design the use of a database availability Group (DAG) and the Exchange 2010 machine to the required number of CPU cores and align the required RAM.

High-capacity planning and server roles

How much disk space is required depends directly on the number and quota of the mailboxes and user profiles.? In a user profile specifies how many messages a user sends and receives per day and how big they are associated. These values determine the number of required influence database files, but also the number of transaction log files but the disk space for these files. Helpful here is the "E2010 Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator", a clever Excel table by a member of the Exchange team from Redmond maintained and constantly developed. Exchange server roles have been introduced with Exchange 2007. There are five such roles can be combined in part on an Exchange 2010 server. Three of them are for the operation of Exchange 2010 really necessary:

• Mailbox Server (MBX)
• Hub Transport Server (HT) and
• Client Access Server (CAS)

The role of HT regulates the mail flow internal and external functions and can also mail Hygiene (spam - virus checking, Active Directory lookups, etc.) and take over. It is mandatory, even if there is only one mailbox server, and should therefore be redundant. The role of CAS controls the access of all clients with all the protocols to the mailboxes, therefore including native Outlook client and should also be redundant.

These two roles can be installed plus MBX combined on a server or on servers that are members of a database availability group to operate together. For the protection of the HT and CAS roles are, however, then special measures necessary. Crucial for the combination and placement of the rollers are the loads that arise in the Exchange organization for each role. If these are large, then it makes sense to distribute the roles on special servers.

Database availability group

The Database Availability Group, DAG short, is the successor of the various cluster models of Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007 high availability and reliability. Exchange 2010 does just that cluster-type, all others are no longer supported. A DAG is a cluster on the basis of a Majority Node Set cluster and can contain up to 16 cluster nodes. In a DAG can be applied to the passive node copies of active databases - there is a replication rather than between active and passive database copy. If one active database or even an entire server to automatically copy a passive or an entire server to be activated. The smallest DAG consists of two nodes. The number of nodes and thus the passive copies of active databases depends on the requirements regarding high availability and reliability from. A detailed planning is necessary in every case. Again, the E2010 Mailbox Server Role Requirements Calculator is very helpful. Lastly, now needs the hardware for Exchange Server with a view of the number of CPU cores and memory can be determined. These exist by Microsoft standards, depending on the server role.