What to upgrade first 1

[beerhunter2]

I am planning to upgrade from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2k3. Our current network servers are all running Win2k AD in mixed mode. My plans also include upgrading 1 of my DC servers to Win2k3. I've done a fair bit of reading up on Exchange upgrades, but am a bit confused on the order of some of the steps.

One article mentions that my network should be changed from mixed mode to native mode before installing Exchange 2k3. Another article mentions that I should NOT change Exchange from mixed mode to native mode until I get rid of all Exchange 5.5 servers. Are these mixed and native modes related...or totally separate? Can I change my DC's to native mode and leave my Exchange in mixed mode?

Secondly, should I be doing my server upgrade from Win2k DC to Win2k3 DC before or after I do the Exchange upgrade?

As always, your advice is greatly appreciated.

Help! I've fallen and I can't reach my beer.

 

[Zelandakh]

If you have no NT4 DCs, change the AD to native mode.
Leave Exchange in mixed mode (this is different to AD mode).

Preferably take a new box, install a clean W2K3 then install Exchange 2K3 and swing everything over. Otherwise if you have to do an in place upgrade you'll need to upgrade Exchange first as W2K3 only takes E2K3.

 

[beerhunter2]

Thanks for the quick response Zelandakh.

I will be installing Exchange 2k3 on an existing server, not on a new box. I will Not be doing an in place upgrade. The server I will be installing Exchange 2k3 is different than the server that currently holds Exchange 5.5.

In this scenario, would I upgrade the server to W2k3 before installing Exchange 2k3?

Help! I've fallen and I can't reach my beer.

 

[Zelandakh]

No, install Exchange 2003 onto Windows 2000. Then patch to Exchange SP2 then upgrade Windows to 2003. That is the only way that is supported as it is the only way that will work.

 

[beerhunter2]

Thank you very very much for helping me avoid a blunder. I had initially planned to upgrade the server to Win2k3 and then installing Exchange 2k3.

One last question. Can I expand the information store to 75 GB directly after applying the Exchange SP2 patch, or do I need to also upgrade to Win2k3 to accomplish this?

Help! I've fallen and I can't reach my beer.

 

[Zelandakh]

You can do it with Windows 2000. Its just a registry change.