Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2010: The “Swing” Migration – Part 2

Now that we have finished installing our Pre-Requisites we can move on to prepping the server for Deployment.

Step 1: Server Configuration

1. After building out our shiny new Windows 2008 Server R2-64bit we are going to assign the roles to the system. Make sure all options listed are check marked!

• Start > Server Manager > Roles > Add Roles > Next..
• Web Server (IIS)
• Security
  • Basic Authentication
  • Windows Authentication
  • Digest Authentication
• Performance
  • Static Content Compression
  • Dynamic Content Compression
• Management Tools
  • IIS Management Console
  • IIS 6 Management Compatability
    • IIS 6 Metebase Compatability
    • IIS 6 WMI Compatability
    • IIS 6 Scripting Tools
    • IIS 6 Management Console
• Next > Install > Finish.
• Reboot if required.

Next we add Server Features as follows

• Start > Server Manager > Features > Add Features…
• .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features
  • .NET Framework 3.5.1
  • WCF Activation
    • HTTP Activation
• Remote Server Administration Tools (Installed)
  • Role Administration Tools (Installed)
    • AD DS and AD LDA Tools
• Reboot

2. Now we set the startup type for “Net Tcp Port Sharing”

Start > Run > Type “Services.msc” and hit enter.

 

Find NET.TCP Port Sharing right click and select Properties. Set the Startup type to Automatic and hit Apply. Close the window.

Step 2: Deployment

Now that our server is prepped lets move forward with the installation. Run your install DVD or Setup.exe from the install directory.

First step is to select “Step 3: Choose Exchange language option” and select “Install languages from DVD.”

Once finished select “Step 4: Install Microsoft Exchange”. Wait for the setup to start.

At the Introduction screen hit “Next” and then Accept the License Agreement and hit “Next” again.

Select “No, we don’t want error reporting”.

Installation Type will be “Typical” and checkmark the box at the bottom that says “Automatically install Windows Server roles and features required for Exchange Server”. This will install anything we may have missed.

This option only shows if you are installing Exchange 2010 with SP1 included.

Next you will be asked to Configure Client Access to your external domain. If this will be internet facing, click the Checkbox and enter your external domain name (for example, webmail.yaya.com).

The next step is to configure Mail Flow settings. Click browse and select your Exchange 2003 Server. Click Ok and Next.

Next Exchange will automatically fire off it’s Readiness Checks. Pay close attention to the results on this page. You will need to correct any errors that are found before moving on. If you are using Outlook 2003 in your environment you will need to replicate the Free/Busy folder on the server to every other server in the domain. I didn’t personally need to do this but more information can be found here: http://www.simple-talk.com/sysadmin/exchange/upgrade-exchange-2003-to-exchange-2010/

Once the setup is complete click Finish!

On your Exchange 2003 server you will now see a new Administrative group called: FYDIBOHF23SPDLT. This is Microsoft’s geek humor. Rolling all the letters back will reveal Exchange12Rocks lol.)

Now we are ready to enter our product key. Open the Exchange Management Console, select “Server Configuration” > Select your server > Select “Enter Product Key” in the right pane.

Add your product key

This for me was a good stopping point to ensure that everything was running smoothly. Test your email inbound and outbound to ensure mail flow is moving. I like to let the server burn in a few days before moving forward so that I can make sure there are no minor annoyances to deal with.

Problems? I think not! Well maybe…

I ran into a peculiar issue in my event log on the new Exchange server.

Problem: Every 15 minutes the event log would register 3 errors.

Event ID: 2501
Source: MSExchange ADAccess
Process MSEXCHANGEADTOPOLOGY (PID=1416). The site monitor API was unable to verify the site name for this Exchange computer – Call=DsctxGetContext Error code=8007077f. Make sure that Exchange server is correctly registered on the DNS server.

Event ID: 2604
Source: MSExchange ADAccess
Process MSEXCHANGEADTOPOLOGY (PID=1416). When updating security for a remote procedure call (RPC) access for the Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology service, Exchange could not retrieve the security descriptor for Exchange server object EX2010 – Error code=8007077f.
The Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology service will continue starting with limited permissions.

Event ID: 2601
Source: MSExchange ADAccess

Process MSEXCHANGEADTOPOLOGY (PID=1416). When initializing a remote procedure call (RPC) to the Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology service, Exchange could not retrieve the SID for account – Error code=8007077f.
The Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology service will continue starting with limited permissions.

These errors took awhile to track down. Since my server wasn’t happy then I wasn’t happy. The Exchange Server had four NIC cards but we were only utilizing one of them. The problem was with the Bind placements for the NIC that was active. Here’s how to fix the issue:

To modify network adapter bindings in Windows Server 2008

1. Log on to the computer by using an account that has Administrator rights.
2. Click Start, click Run, type ncpa.cpl, and then click OK.
3. In the Network Connections dialog box, press ALT+N to display the Advanced menu.
4. Click Advanced Settings.
5. In the Connections box, click the active network connection, and then click the arrow to move the connection to the top of the list.
6. Click OK.
7. Restart the Microsoft Exchange Active Directory Topology service. When you restart this service, the following dependent services must also be stopped and restarted:
   • Microsoft Exchange Transport Log Search
   • Microsoft Exchange Transport Log
   • Microsoft Exchange Service Host
   • Microsoft Exchange Search Indexer
   • Microsoft Exchange Replication Service
   • Microsoft Exchange Mail Submission
   • Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Assistants
   • Microsoft Exchange File Distribution
   • Microsoft Exchange EdgeSync
   • Microsoft Exchange Anti-spam Update

Has anyone else run into odd problems such as these?

What was your install experience like? Did you puke?

Resources:

• Exchange 2003 to Exchange 2010: The “Swing” Migration – Part 1

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd789571(v=exchg.80).aspx
http://www.petenetlive.com/KB/Article/0000234.htm – Best resource I found. Images from here all credit given, very well done!

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/exchangesvrmigration/thread/57494d02-948b-4dd9-87af-6d8f6ecc7797