Exchange Server Migration 2000/2003, Unity 4.0(1) to (4)

[daiku]

We are currently running Exchange 2000 in an 2000 AD with Unity 4.0(1).

Due to some problems with our current Exchange server, we have to expedite our migration to Exchange 2003.

We will be upgrading to the AD 2003 schema this week, and have plans to upgrade Exchange this weekend. I know this will have a direct impact on Unity even after reading the upgrade documents, I'm not 100% sure I have a grasp on what all has to be done to make this a smooth transition.

The way the migration is going to work, we are going to build a new Exchange 2003 server in the same organization, and then migrate the mailboxes to that server. We will then decomission the existing exchange server and build another one with it's same name and IP address as a 2003 server and migrate all the mailboxes back, permanently.

With that double-move in mind, Does anyone have any hints, suggestions, or gotchas to help us out?

Thanks in advance.

Brian

[kechambe · Accepted solution]

Running Exchange 2003 ForestPrep causes a DENY ACE to be placed on the 'Servers' containers in every Administrative Group for the Exchange Domain Servers group. Assuming you are using the security model the Permissions Wizard sets up where Unity logs in with a domain account that isn't in the Exchange Domain Servers group you should be fine. However I fine a lot of customers choose to use a home brew security method or put the users in a bunch of unnecessary groups. So as long as you having done that ForestPrep should not cause Unity grief.

Unity 4.0(3) and later supports Exchange 2003. So I would upgrade to Unity 4.0(4) before moving to Exchange 2003. Once you are at 4.0(4) you just need to upgrade the Exchange System Manager to Exchange 2003 and run the latest version of the Permissions Wizard if you plan to run Exchange 2003 with SP1. You can download that from here:

http://www.ciscounitytools.com/App_PW_403.htm

When you bring the new ‘swing’ server online you need to rerun the Cisco Unity Message Store Configuration from Add/Remove programs and let Unity move the Unity_servername mailbox by choosing a new partner server. You can’t just move the mailbox without running the Message Store Configuration cause Unity won’t know where to find it. Same thing for when you swing back to the new Exchange 2003 server.

Thanks,

Keith

[slc2]

Keith:

We are planning on running E2003 forestprep in anticipation of introducing E2003. Initially, no subscribers will be in E2003 servers.

I want to confirm that Unity 3.15, (e2k subscribers only) does not require the Unity service account(USA) to be in the Exchange Domain Servers group.

Sabas