What's the best method for moving exchange 2003 to a new server without updating client machines?

Question

I'm getting ready to upgrade the server I have Exchange 2003 running on. It's also our primary DNS server, DHCP server, WINS, active directory, and print server. I plan on removing DHCP WINS, and print server functions and putting them on a different machine, leaving only DNS, AD, and of course exchange.

I need to migrate these services to a new physical box. I would highly prefer to keep the machine name the same, if at all possible. I'll be doing this over a weekend when no one is in the office, so down-time is not a major problem. Does it make more sense to move DNS to another box, or will that matter?

References are much appreciated!!!

Answer 1

Moving your DHCP service will be relatively simple. I have done this a few times when upgrading servers. I have enclosed the procedure below for you to follow.

As far as DNS I would just set up a secondary zone so it will pull a copy of your current DNS server over and then upgrade it to a primary. You will need to ad your IP address for the new DNS server to the scope of the new DHCP server. what I would do about a week(at least) prior to moving your DHCP service is changing your lease time to like 2 hours or something, you will need to eval this time frame for traffic reasons. this way when you make the move all your clients will be looking for the new server and the new DNS settings. Make sure you modify your DNS setting on the AD server so AD knows where to look as well.

Its not as bad as it may seem. I have done it a few times. you just need to do some prep prior to the weekend and then make the switch. You should be able to set up the new DNS server with out a downtime, dependent on your change control policy if you have one. then make the switch during your down time window.

Answer 2

I would STRONGLY suggest moving your exchange server to another machine and leaving AD/DNS/DHCP/etc. on the original computer.
It is very bad practice to run exchange on an DC if you are not running in an SMB enviroment (I'd say less than 20 people).

Good news is i have done a similar move recently and you don't have to change anything on the client side, it will autoresolve the new storage group for the mailbox, it will just take time to migrate the mailboxes between the two storage groups and turn down the old exchange server.

Answer 3

My suggestion is that you move your exchange environment away from your DC, i am not quite sure this is a good practice considering the volume of sysytem resources required and off course, it means that both your AD and Exchange may well crash in one day!

Have you considered leaving your AD and Name services on the same box and making your AD an integrated primary? this allows your DNS database to be stored securely with AD and not just as text file.

Cheers.