Given that Microsoft will no longer support Exchange Server 5.5 starting January 1, 2004, many Exchange 5.5 administrators are planning to upgrade to Exchange 2000 Server or Exchange Server 2003 in the near future. Exchange 2000 migrations are often problematic because administrators make one or more of the following mistakes:
- running a migration without any knowledge of the process
- starting the migration with little or no planning
- proceeding with a migration without making sure that the Active Directory (AD) infrastructure is in place and stable
- improperly configuring the Active Directory Connector (ADC)
- lacking sufficient hardware to run Windows 2000 and Exchange 2000
- running software versions that aren't appropriate or compatible
Here are 10 tips to help migrate from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000. These tips focus on Exchange 2000 but apply to Exchange 2003 as well.
Tip 1: Learn About the Migration Process
Knowing what to expect during the migration process can ease the burden of moving to Exchange 2000. Over the past few years, Exchange & Outlook Administrator has featured some great articles about Exchange 2000 migrations. The Web-exclusive box "Related Articles About Migration Planning" (http://www.exchangeadmin.com, InstantDoc ID 38522) lists some of those articles. Before you begin planning your migration, you should read these articles in the order that I have them listed. They can help you find your way through the onerous migration process.
The Microsoft TechNet Web site also features articles as well as job aids and tools to help with migration planning. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/technet, and navigate to Products & Technologies, Exchange Server, Exchange 2000 Server, Deploy, Upgrade/Migrate.
Tip 2: Make Several Decisions at the Outset
One of the first decisions you need to make is which migration method is best for your organization. Your decision will be influenced by whether you have new hardware for Exchange 2000 and whether you want to change your existing organization structure. The Microsoft article "XADM: Description of Exchange Server Migration Methods" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=327928) is the best source of information about migration methods. If you have new hardware, the Move Mailbox method provides the smoothest, most flexible, and safest migration path. However this migration method takes longer than the others because it moves each mailbox to a new Exchange 2000 server.
Depending on the migration method you choose, you also need to choose the right tools for the job. The Microsoft article "XGEN: Exchange Tools for Migration" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=281584) is a great starting point for finding and learning about the tools that Microsoft makes available to you. If these tools don't provide you the flexibility or features you need during your migration, third-party tools are available, such as NetIQ's Exchange Migrator (which is part of the Migration Suite), Aelita Software's Exchange Migration Wizard, and AutoProf's Profile Maker.