move unity from e55 to E2003

[annayuzhao]

Current scenario:

E55/NT4/UM4x .Mail store is on the E55 server.

We'll migrate E55 to Exchagne2003.

Here is the plan.

1. Install W2K and Exchange2003 into the E55 orgnization and move the all the mailbox over to the new exchange server.

2. Use dirt to backup the unity database.

3.install a new unity server on the same network and use Dirt to restore the database ,meantime keep the current unity running.

Do you see any problem here?What I am concerned is

1.since there is a location in the current e55, will it cause problem if I have another location in the AD from the new unity server ?

2.Since E55 and new e2003 will coexist, two unity will coexist, will the unity related accouts overlap, like unityadmin, unityinstall and so on

[lindborg]

What version of Unity is this that you're moving? Moving the mailboxes over to 2003 will break versions of Unity prior to 4.0(3) - that's a concern there.

Once you run the DiRT restore the subscribers assigne to the other Unity server will be no longer associated with it (i.e. you can't have the same mail user serviced by two Unity servers). We normally reccomend you uninstall the previous version of Unity first.

That said, you can have two Unity servers intalled and running on the same network no problem. All the system objects added to the directory (location objects, distribution lists, example administrator, etc...) are all stamped with a unique system Id value (this is the string of digits on the end of theses objects' Alias strings in the directory). They wont conflict.

[annayuzhao]

I think it's unity4.02, not quite sure. But can you specify in detail what's the difference move to E2K or E2003 from E55?

Actually you are right. As soon as I move the mailbox over to new server,. The current únity server will no longer function, right? so it's not necessary to keep both unity server at same time, right? Intially I want to reduce the risk and to keep both system running. But it looks my idea is not correct? Thanks

[kechambe]

For you to make this work you will need to upgrade to 4.0(3) and change the partner Exchange server over to an Exchange 2003 server. This guide has all the info you will need:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps2237/products_installation_and_configuration_guide_book09186a00802059b3.html

Thanks,

Keith

[rmullins]

Here, we actually have already started this. We went about it by adding a new unity server into the 2k3 side setup to service the mixed mode environment, as it will be a while to migrate all of our mailboxes over. Then we are moving people from the 5.5 Unity server to the Mixed Mode Unity server. Once we're done, we'll just rebuild the original 5.5 Unity box to be working in the 2k3 environment, and then move the users back over using GSM.

The main reason we took this approach is we had massive issues getting Unity to work in a mixed mode for us. I personally think that you should at least get a test unity box up and running on the new side to make sure that all of your permissions are working correctly.