Removing an Exchange Box from a Domain and then faking it

[BigFinn]

Hi, please bear with me while I tell a long story...

My Boss wants me to test for disaster recovery in the event of our single Ex2000 server failing.

He has told me to

1) create an extra DC (AD GC server) in our AD tree
2) When the new DC is replicated with AD, split it off (physically disconnect) from the network so that it is on it's own (a DR scenario, basically).
3) Delete the original Exchange computer account from the lone GC, create a new Exchange server with the same name as the original using /disasterrecovery, on a second server in the new network.
4) Restore the datastore from the original mailstore tape backup to the new box.
5) Login with a client on the 'new' domain and read email.

Does this sound feasible? Our lot is clutching at straws because they are too tight to cluster exchange servers.

Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't believe it's possible to restore a datastore to an Exchange server with the wrong name? We are basically trying to see if we can 'fool' AD to accept another server masquerading as the original without taking the working server down.

What DNS roles/other roles does the GC server need to be performing to allow Exchange to install?

Will monkeys fly out of my ass?

A bit of background:

So far I've reated the GC for the DR domain and created an Exchange server. The exchange server ran ok alongside our real one, but with another name obviously. I split the domain to be able to rename the second exchange box like the original, this went ok.

So far I've not managed to delete Exchange collaboration services off the 'new' exchange box, I'm getting a 'Forest schema master is not available'.

Thank you for listening!

Anyone any ideas?

Thanks

BF

 

[xmsre]

First, in this scenario, you have to sieze the FSMO roles on the server you split off. You haven't done this, and that's why you can't find the schema master.

Second, don't delete the computer account for the exchange server, this will cause you some permissions grief and the SA will fail to start. In ADUC, reset the computer account. Then build the new exchange server by loading the OS and joining the domain with the same name. Then, do a /disasterrecovery install of exchange. This way, the SID remains the same and you don't have to go back and add the machine account to the MS Exchange and server oobjects in the configuration container.