Checking for Readiness
You should now be able to run Setup and install Exchange 2007. Before you do,
though, I recommend performing one last check: Run the Exchange Server Best
Practices Analyzer (ExBPA) to make sure that the existing Exchange organization
is ready. You can download the latest version of this free tool from http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/exbpa.
At the time this article was written, the most recent version was 2.7. The machine
that you install ExBPA on must be running Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 and must
have the IIS Common Files installed.
You'll also need to download the latest updates for ExBPA because the Exchange
2007 readiness check isn't included in version 2.7. When the updates have been
downloaded and installed, restart ExBPA and click the link to go to the Welcome
screen, followed by the link to select options for a new scan. Now, verify that
ExBPA is displaying the name of one of your DCs, then click Connect to the
Active Directory server. You'll see a screen that lets you set the scope
and type of scan you want to perform. As Figure
4 shows, an Exchange 2007 readiness check is one of the options you can
choose. Use this check to verify that your AD and your existing Exchange organization
are adequately prepared to accept Exchange 2007.
You're now prepared to complete the Exchange 2007 upgrade process. You can
install Exchange 2007, then migrate the data from legacy servers that your Exchange
2007 server will replace. For a quick reference on the tasks to prepare your
legacy organization for upgrading, see the sidebar "Step
by Step to Exchange 2007."