Reason to upgrade Exchange 5.5 to 2k3??

[blakey2]

Hello All,

Running Exchange 5.5 on NT 4. System was set up early 1999. Server spec is:

HP Netserver E60 Pentium II 450
864 MB RAM

I was/am about to upgrade to Exchange Server 2003. Problem is that it is going to cost me over 15k (Australian Dollars) just for the Windows server 2k3 + 85 Client licences, and Exchange 2k3 and 85 CALs.
Add this to the 5k (AUD) I was looking at for the base server hardware and the figure is becoming substantial.

Then I need to purchase a new backup device (tape drive), the backup software and agents.

New AV software. SPAM filtering software.....

All up this will be quite expensive, and I need to justify to the bean counters why they should invest the ca$h.... trouble is the more I stare at the 15k figure for licencing alone, the more I begin to wonder if I really need to??

Thoughts/opinions are welcome!

Regards - Chris.

 

[zbnet]

Over time 5.5 becomes more and more obsolete. Eventually you won't be able to get any support for it. And the server you're running it on will eventually fail, and need replacing, and it's getting more and more difficult to run NT4 on new servers.

Of course you could upgrade the OS to 2K, but that's still a lot of effort to basically still end up with an unsupported/unsupportable mail system.

I guess it all comes down to how much your company values its email service.

 

[dennisbbb]

If the money is not a problem, and needs to go somewhere, sure, do the upgrade.

If you are stressed for cash, use the money where it's most needed. example: Other servers hardware upgrade.

If you are worried about managing a new environment, all you need is set up a test lab and learn all you can before diving in the new environment.

 

[Koonan]

You got more than double the life out of your current 5.5 install. Sell it as a long term investment. Lack of support from MS should be your most important selling point.

=====================================
The good ole days weren't always good
and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems
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[blakey2]

Thanks for the responses!

Long term investment?

Not sure exactly, how that works. The current version of exchange and MS Server are both 2003?

Please correct me if I am wrong, but these were both released (late) 2003?

Would upgrading the mail server to the 2k3 platform simply be a waste of time as it is already going on 3yrs old, hence the MS support has already 3 years knocked off its lifespan??

Is it worth waiting for the next incarnation of server and exchange? Anyone know of any possible timelines/timeframes?

I'm not fussed bout learning exchange 2k3, and already have a couple of servers running server 2k3 so no trepidation there. Money is money.... except if it ain't mine - easy to spend but justification required.

Cheers - Chris

 

[zbnet]

In your situation I'd hold tight at the moment, and see what happens in the next 2 years - that is of you're comfortable supporting your existing infrastructure and software.

 

[dennisbbb]

The next coming server upgrade is Longhorn due in 2007, the Longhorn Release Pack 2 (services that didn't make it on the first release) will be due in 2009.

After that, the next big one is due in 2011. Forgot the code name.

I would sit and wait for Longhorn, promised to be a major upgrade.. (another win2K clone IMO)..

 

[blakey2]

Hmmmm,

I think at this stage, I will purchase the new server hardware.

I'll install Win server 2000, and keep exchange server 5.5.

The software seems to be more or less running ok, just lacking some grunt at the server end.

Then I should be able to upgrade the AV software, add some SPAM filtering etc, and have improved backup with a hot swapable mirrored drive of the info store and logs.

Two years seems a little whiles off to run with our current configuration, but a hardware upgrade should tide us over.

Please add your thoughts, and thanks for all replies thus far.

- Chris.

 

[dennisbbb]

Sounds about right. I would spend on hardware.

1) Gigabit switch ports for all users
2) Gigabit ethernet for users
3) NAS - Network Storage
4) Bigger UPS battery to last for hours
5) Backup Air Conditioner for the server room

there are so many other things you can upgrade while you wait for the next big thing..

 

[blakey2]

Hi all,

Just to add a little *spice* to the mix! - Apparently (I was told this not read it) Microsoft will be releasing a service pack for exchange 2003.

This service pack will extend the 16GB mailbox limit up to 75GB.

Service pack is scheduled to be released later this year.

-- I need to do me some reading to verify this, but if it is true, then it is one very big positive, and perhaps reason enough to upgrade?

Cheers.

 

[zbnet]

It's true:

http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/downloads/2003/sp2/overview.mspx

 

[dennisbbb]

Get the Enterprise version in the first place. I don't understand why people try to save a few bucks and get crippleware and start thinking about upgrade every year. Just because MS needs to make money every year doesn't mean you have to get every version they have out. Are IT people nowadays thinking about technology from a business standpoint? There are so much other stuff to upgrade beside an Email server, in the end, it's just an email service.

Invest on better printers, better switches, better storage, better lable printers, better wireless access, bigger and nicer LCD display for the users, faster and lighter notebooks for remote users.

Why are people focusing so much on Microsoft's latest servers.

 

[blakey2]

Hi dennisbbb,

The email server needs to be upgraded. Functionally (more or less) the software is fine, but the hardware needs to be upgraded. As I am upgrading the hardware, it seems sensible to me that I look at upgrading the software.

I don't see the reason to fork out the extra 6k (AUD) or so for the enterprise version. We are only 85 users, and if the previous sys admins had implemented a mailbox storage size limit, 16GB would be ample.

It is nice to know however that microsoft will be 'lifting' this limit, expanding it to 75GB. 75GB is a massive amount of email for 85 to 100 users.

Invest on better printers, better switches, better storage, better lable printers, better wireless access, bigger and nicer LCD display for the users, faster and lighter notebooks for remote users.

I dunno mate. Functioning email vs a label printer? What works best for you in your environment is for you to decide. I know what I will be spending my budget on tho.

I can assure you though, that if the mail server 'died' tomorrow, there would be much in the way of 'fun and games' trying to restore the backups. The mail server is the oldest server we have, running NT4. The backup software talks to NT4, but nothing more current. No other servers run NT4. The tape drive used for the backups is obselete and the manufacturers offer no support for it (thanks OnStream). The mail server still resides in the 'old' domain, with a nice trusting relationship to the new domain.
As the mail server begins to behave more like a disobedient child, I believe it is prudent to upgrade the hardware before it transpires and gives up life. In the long run it will save me alot of time, effort and hassle.
If it did die tomorrow, there seems to be an awful lot of legwork to recreate old/outdated environment, simply to restore mail, which I would then (want) need to upgrade.

I don't claim to know all the answers, but one thing I do know is that people get pretty... (insert your own adjective here) ...grumpy if email goes offline.

Thankyou everyone for your input - Chris.

 

[blakey2]

Hey dennisbbb,

Apologies if I sounded a bit rude in prev post. Sunday mornings at 8am (local time here) are best not spent at work, but thats no excuse.

I could have pointed out that the server has been a touch flakey recently which is really driving the issue for an upgrade.

Thanks for your input - Chris.

 

[dennisbbb]

Sounds like an upgrade is needed in your environment..

For us here, an email server is important, but other hardware are equally important.. So MS software server upgrade is really the last thing we can worry about. We will make sure every user get a 19" LCD before we spend money on MS. My point is, there are so many other things that need upgrading.

No apologies required.

 

[Zelandakh]

You need to think about upgrades of course and always upgrade the lowest thing. Anyone with a 15 inch CRT should obviously get something better.

But Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server 2003 would mean that the users don't need mailbox limits (once SP2 is out before the end of the year), OWA is fab, resilience is incredible, security is vastly improved. RDP for support, event sinks, not to mention the GPO/OU/User improvements.

This year has seen my users get gigabit to the desk, 20 inch flat panels, mostly new desktop units. But the back end has given us an 80% drop in support calls - RIS, AV, firewall, new server hardware and so on. Leaves me to concentrate on more important things.

Now, what was the logon to my Quake server?