I am a project manager and need some technical help with one of the projects I’m working on. My company is running Exchange 5.5 and a few years ago we acquired a company that is running Exchange 2003. The company that acquired has been having issues with GAL, free time, calendar and some e-mail routing issues. I have been tasked with finding a way to have the two environments coexist since our corporate offices will not be moving to Exchange 2003 any time soon. I know that ADC and InterOrg will fix the GAL and free time issues, but I’m being told that there are some concerns with forms and scripts that this company was previously using and I’m being told by my IT guys here that I can’t make the two coexist cohesively without risking those forms and scripts. I’m a bit skeptical and wanted to get a second opinion on that. Is there a way to make these two environments work together without risking the forms and scripts that were being used in the Exchange 2003 environment? If so how would I approach doing that? I’ve also been asked to look into possible third party software solutions that might help fix this problem. My technical knowledge is limited, but there had to be a way to make this work. I did a forum search and didn’t see anything that really looked like it would apply to my situation, unless I missed something, which is possible. Any insight or help that you can provide would be GREATLY appreciated.
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Exhange 5.5/Exchange 2003 Coexistance 1
- Thread starter ITopiaPM
- Start date
I'm sorry, Exchange 5.5 and Exchange 2003 are completely different architectures. There is only an upgrade process for Exchange 5.5 to migrate to 2003, there is no way to make it co-exist that I know of.
2003 scripting is vastly different from how Exchange 5.5 handles scripting. Keeping the two together will present problems. When they sit together, it's like "dog eat dog" they will both try to take over, with 2003 winning almost all of the time.
Separate them.
2003 scripting is vastly different from how Exchange 5.5 handles scripting. Keeping the two together will present problems. When they sit together, it's like "dog eat dog" they will both try to take over, with 2003 winning almost all of the time.
Separate them.
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1
- #3
Hi,
I must say that Dyadmin’s post is very poetic or metaphorical, while my impression is that ITopiaPM (I am curious what the PM stands for) needs a more practical advice.
After reading the question I understand that we are talking about two separate networks with a trust relationship between them. Actually I am guessing about the trust relationship. I guess that the Exchange 2003 is running on a network with W2k3 DCs and the Exchange 5.5 – on a NT4.0 domain (or AD and W2k DCs).
My understanding about the goals is as follows:
1. Fixing the Exchange 2003 problems.
2. Providing the Exchange users on both networks with an option to see and use separate GALs for each network.
3. Enabling the users on both networks to access Public folders and use Schedule+ Free Busy on b both servers.
There are different approaches for achieving the goals stated above (they are only an assumption on my side) depending on the current configuration, network management model (do you have a separate undependable IT team at each location or you are planning on implementing a centralized management) and plans for merging the two networks.
Anyway, here are my suggestions for Goal 1, 2 and 3:
1. Check the AD health at each network, the connectivity between the networks (not only pinging successfully servers from each side but connecting to different ports too – MS has a free tool and you can use professional scanners. It is a very common situation to have certain ports blocked internally on the routers/firewalls and have communication problems between Exchange servers or DCs). Check the name resolution configuration and functionality (WINS and DNS) internally and between the domains. Test the Trust relationship between the domains (and if necessary recreate it). Check the Exchange 2003 configuration – it is a very dependable messaging platform so most probably you have rough configuration errors in your E2k3 organization.
2. Install ADC (the last one – when you extract SP2 for E2k3, there is a folder ADC, containing the latest version) on your E2k3 network – make sure that you have successfully performed the recommended activities in 1. Configure InterOrg CA between the Exchange 5.5 and Exchange 2003 organizations – this will make the GALs for both orgs available to the Exchange users.
3. Here there are different approaches based on the network infrastructure changes which you are planning. How many users do you have at each network, do you use heavily PF, how many, how much data in them? Do you plan to have one or two forests, one forest/two domains or one forest/one domain/different OUs for the different networks?
Dean
I must say that Dyadmin’s post is very poetic or metaphorical, while my impression is that ITopiaPM (I am curious what the PM stands for) needs a more practical advice.
After reading the question I understand that we are talking about two separate networks with a trust relationship between them. Actually I am guessing about the trust relationship. I guess that the Exchange 2003 is running on a network with W2k3 DCs and the Exchange 5.5 – on a NT4.0 domain (or AD and W2k DCs).
My understanding about the goals is as follows:
1. Fixing the Exchange 2003 problems.
2. Providing the Exchange users on both networks with an option to see and use separate GALs for each network.
3. Enabling the users on both networks to access Public folders and use Schedule+ Free Busy on b both servers.
There are different approaches for achieving the goals stated above (they are only an assumption on my side) depending on the current configuration, network management model (do you have a separate undependable IT team at each location or you are planning on implementing a centralized management) and plans for merging the two networks.
Anyway, here are my suggestions for Goal 1, 2 and 3:
1. Check the AD health at each network, the connectivity between the networks (not only pinging successfully servers from each side but connecting to different ports too – MS has a free tool and you can use professional scanners. It is a very common situation to have certain ports blocked internally on the routers/firewalls and have communication problems between Exchange servers or DCs). Check the name resolution configuration and functionality (WINS and DNS) internally and between the domains. Test the Trust relationship between the domains (and if necessary recreate it). Check the Exchange 2003 configuration – it is a very dependable messaging platform so most probably you have rough configuration errors in your E2k3 organization.
2. Install ADC (the last one – when you extract SP2 for E2k3, there is a folder ADC, containing the latest version) on your E2k3 network – make sure that you have successfully performed the recommended activities in 1. Configure InterOrg CA between the Exchange 5.5 and Exchange 2003 organizations – this will make the GALs for both orgs available to the Exchange users.
3. Here there are different approaches based on the network infrastructure changes which you are planning. How many users do you have at each network, do you use heavily PF, how many, how much data in them? Do you plan to have one or two forests, one forest/two domains or one forest/one domain/different OUs for the different networks?
I apologize, Dyadmin. In fact I agree with you
What I am trying to do is provide more details for ITopiaPM, not prove that your opinion is bad or wrong.
Best Regards,
Dean
What I am trying to do is provide more details for ITopiaPM, not prove that your opinion is bad or wrong.
Best Regards,
teckystuff
Technical User
I'm guessing PM stands for Project Manager
I have not other valuable input for this thread, sorry
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