Services required to install Exchange 2003

• ASP.net (only on Server 2003)
• .net framework
• www
• smtp services
• nntp servies

To create a service account for the exchange services

add to groups

• Schema admins
• Enterprise admins
• Domain admins

Before install items

• Forest prep (CDDrive:\setup\i386\setup.exe /forestprep)
• Domain prep (CDDrive:\setup\i386\setup.exe /domainprep

 How to create an unattend setup file: (do not run this on the first intall of exchange; since it will be the first server in the forest it will not work.  Only run on the 3rd server in the same forest.

Must Setup Permission before creating pst files
Get-Mailbox -Database ’servername\Private Information Store (xxx_xxx)’ | Add-MailboxPermission -User administrator -AccessRights FullAccess

Export All Mailboxes to pst files.
Get-Mailbox -Database ’servername\Private Information Store (xxx_xxx)’ | Export-Mailbox -PSTFolderPath E:\PSTs

Export Single user to PST file.

Export-Mailbox -Identity john@contoso.com -PSTFolderPath C:\PSTFiles\john.pst -BadItemLimit 9999

IMPORT All PST Files into Exchange.

(must run permission on for user to import, mailboxes in target server must be created before import.)

Get-Mailbox -Database ’servername\Private Information Store (xxx_xxx)’ | Import-Mailbox -PSTFolderPath E:\PSTs 

Useful one-step scripts: REF:http://winmasterplan.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html

- Show the creation date of all groups from AD forest:
dsquery * forestroot -filter “(&(objectClass=Group))” -attr name whenCreated description -limit 0

 
- Show the date of modification of all groups from AD forest:
dsquery * forestroot -filter “(&(objectClass=Group))” -attr name whenChanged description -limit 0

- Show the creation date of all users from AD forest:
dsquery * forestroot -filter “(&(objectClass=User))” -attr name whenCreated description -limit 0

 
- Show all distribution groups mail enabled from AD forest
dsuery * forestroot -filter “(&(samAccountType=268435457)(mail=*))” -limit 0

Microsoft’s View on Virtual Software they do not own.
Microsoft and VMware

My View:
Microsoft Tech Support will not like it, but they will help. 3 cases in the last year and no issues too much. Unless your Exchange Server(s) are huge, Exchange will not have any issues running in VMware.

I run Exchange servers with Mail Stores that range from 25GB to 180GB. I would use a iSCSI/SANs if your databases are over 50GB. However, if the environment is generic (no third party applications running with Exchange) you can run up to 150GB local (No SANS/iSCSI).

How to setup Exchange for Active Sync and Mobile Access.

Just follow this KB Article. (kb817379)
Microsoft KB817379

The SSL is tricking per mobile device.  Getting a Verisign SSL for more money may help with the cost of support calls/IT time.  Calls for other SSL Certs could cost more per phone. 

Overview
Duration of change over: 1 week
Server: Dell 2400 (Server is over 6 years OLD)
Server Name: SES01
Server: Dell 1420SC (Moving to this server under VMWare)
Server Name: EX1
Disk Server Dell 2400 SCSI 36 gigs 3 in Raid 5 Hardware
2 in Volume Raid 5 Mirror to the Volume Drive 68.9 gigs (Software)
Dynmanic Disks are required for Software Raid
(Yes I am really into backups)
Steps:
used NTBackup of C drive and M drive no service Stopped
used NTBackup of C drive and M Drive Exchange Service Stopped
Mirror Raid 5 over to Volume Drive
Tested both to make sure they would boot.
While mirroring drives:
Created Server on Server 2000 in VMWare
installed updates
Cloned Image for Exchange Server
I also shutdown my VMWare Domain Controller and did a copy to make sure it would boot off the network.
Reason for all the Backups
If anything when wrong I could always go back to the time I started.
Reference:
Q307917
DCPROMO
Removed Server SES01 (Server 2000 Small Business) from being a Domain Controller
I also made sure Exchange 2000 worked.
Exchange 2003 install:
Installed Exchange 2003 custom.
After install I followed the steps in Q307917.
Then, I moved 10 mailboxes to the new server.
After one work day:
I shutdown server and copied image for a backup. I then installed SP2 on the Exchange server.
Shutdown SES01 and did not turn on for 3 days.
No issue with users and mailboxes.
shutdown all servers and copied images of all VMs to a safe location.
Rebooted all server including SES01
Images gigs total = 89 Gigs  (with the SATA Drives this took about 30 mins)
Uninstalled Exchange 2000 (I had to remove it from EX1 I could not run the install on SBS 2000)  The uninstall would not work.  SBS must be the only server in for the uninstall to work (guessing)
I did test on the EX1 server after I removed the server from Systems Manager.  I could send and recieive emails from many domains.
Users:
All users mailboxes moved to new server.  I logged in as each user and Exchange did move the users to the new mail server EX1.
I put spam connecitons filters on.