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Moving the exchange server and then virtualizing without downtime?

Answered Moving the exchange server and then virtualizing without downtime?

  • Monday, May 14, 2012 8:02 PM
     
     
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    We are having our blade environment installed at the co-location. Our end goal is to move our exchange server over there and then virtualize it onto our hyper V environment that will be there.

    In order to minimize downtime, is there a way for me to do the following:

    -Install a new exchange server on a virtual machine located in the new Hyper-V environment at the co-location and configure it as some sort of "slave database" where it's replicated everything from the main exchange server.

    -Power off the main exchange server and then configure the "slave" server to be the new main server.

    If not, can someone advise me on how to accomplish my goal while minimizing downtime as much as possible?

     

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  • Tuesday, May 15, 2012 9:13 AM
     
     
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    Hi,

    I understand that you want to migrate your Exchange Server to virturlized machine, is that ture?

    Then you need to install Exchange on hyper-v and ensure that it can communicate with DCs and other Exchange Servers.

    Virtualization: Guest Failover Clustering with Hyper-V

    http://blogs.technet.com/b/schadinio/archive/2010/08/02/virtualization-guest-failover-clustering-with-hyper-v.aspx

    Xiu Zhang

    TechNet Community Support

     
  • Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3:51 AM
     
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    You can approach this like a typical Exchange transition.  The high level steps are shown below.

    1. Bring up a new Windows VM.
    2. Install Exchange as a new server in the existing Exchange organization.
    3. Install an SSL certificate (may be able to use the existing SSL certificate via export/import).
    4. Move mailboxes from the old server to the new server.
    5. Replicate public folders (if applicable).
    6. Move OAB, client access, other related services.
    7. Decommission old server after everything is moved to new server.

    Note that these steps are very high level.  You should have a look at the Exchange 2010 Deployment Assistant at the following URL:

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/exdeploy2010/default.aspx#DeploymentCheckList/ee958313/2007

    BTW - this might be a great time to move to the latest version of Exchange if you aren't already running Exchange 2010.  The steps will be similar and the administrative effort will be similar.

    BTW - this post should probably be in the Exchange Server 2010 forum since it does not really pertain to secure message (secure messaging is for posts related to encrypted email, securing email transport, and related items).

    Brian

     
  • Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3:33 PM
     
     
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    You can approach this like a typical Exchange transition.  The high level steps are shown below.

    1. Bring up a new Windows VM.
    2. Install Exchange as a new server in the existing Exchange organization.
    3. Install an SSL certificate (may be able to use the existing SSL certificate via export/import).
    4. Move mailboxes from the old server to the new server.
    5. Replicate public folders (if applicable).
    6. Move OAB, client access, other related services.
    7. Decommission old server after everything is moved to new server.

    Note that these steps are very high level.  You should have a look at the Exchange 2010 Deployment Assistant at the following URL:

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/exdeploy2010/default.aspx#DeploymentCheckList/ee958313/2007

    BTW - this might be a great time to move to the latest version of Exchange if you aren't already running Exchange 2010.  The steps will be similar and the administrative effort will be similar.

    BTW - this post should probably be in the Exchange Server 2010 forum since it does not really pertain to secure message (secure messaging is for posts related to encrypted email, securing email transport, and related items).

    Brian

    I forgot to mention that we are using Exchange Server 2007 Standard. With 2007 Standard, can I still install an additional exchange server into the same organize as you described above?

    Also, for the SSL, can I use the same SSL certificate that's on our current exchange server?

    As for the moving of mailboxes, I'm guessing that this involves creating a new database on the new server, then moving the mailboxes over. Correct?

     
  • Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3:36 PM
     
     
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    Yes, you can have multiple standard servers as the database limitations imposed by the standard version are per-server.

    Steve

     
  • Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3:41 PM
     
     
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    As Steve said - yes you can install an additional server.  You can use the high level steps outlined in the previous post and move mailboxes.  Regarding the SSL certificate, you may be able to use the same certificate.  It depends on the configuration.  Most companies include the FQDN and the hostname of the server on the certificate though (so if you bring up a new server, the FQDN and hostname won't be on the existing certificate).  If you are going to bring up an Exchange 2010 server then you'll definitely want a new certificate if you'll be co-existing for a little while (as there are new requirements to ensure interoperability, see http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2009/11/20/3408856.aspx for more information).

    Regarding the mailbox moves - yes - you will create a new database and move mailboxes to that database.

    Brian