From Zero to Exchange Server 2003

I'm in the process of implementing an Exchange Server
(2003) for the first time. Presently our ISP provides our
email service (POP3) and the users either use Microsoft
Outlook 2000 or Outlook Express 6.0.

Our vendors installed and setup a SMTP server (Win 2003)
with Norton anti-spam and virus protection as the Front-
End Server. They also installed and setup the Exchange
Server 2003 as our Back-End Server (behind the firewall).
I also took a course in managing Exchange and I had read
quite a bit, but I have a lot of doubts on how to proceed.
I know that I have to talk to our ISP so they would assign
the external IP address and DNS entries to our router so
our email server can be found thru the Internet. Although
I want to wait to the very end, since I'm not sure how
they would react about us pulling out. Also I know that I
can start adding the mail boxes for all the users but the
doubts are in the implementation and turnover to Exchange
and the SMTP servers.

Can someone give me a checklist on how to proceed, from
ISP turnover to implementation?

How can I import the PST files from the user's local hard
drive to the exchange server? I know that for many users I
can give them access to their email with OWA, but for the
users that require the full Outlook features, do I have to
uninstall MS Outlook 2000 to install 2003? Is there a
drawback by leaving MS Outlook 2000?

Any help would be great...

Thanks,

Gabriel

Mark
Fri Aug 20 02:18:26 CDT 2004

On Thu, 19 Aug 2004 14:52:12 -0700, "Gabriel"
<anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I'm in the process of implementing an Exchange Server
>(2003) for the first time. Presently our ISP provides our
>email service (POP3) and the users either use Microsoft
>Outlook 2000 or Outlook Express 6.0.
>
>Our vendors installed and setup a SMTP server (Win 2003)
>with Norton anti-spam and virus protection as the Front-
>End Server. They also installed and setup the Exchange
>Server 2003 as our Back-End Server (behind the firewall).
>I also took a course in managing Exchange and I had read
>quite a bit, but I have a lot of doubts on how to proceed.
>I know that I have to talk to our ISP so they would assign
>the external IP address and DNS entries to our router so
>our email server can be found thru the Internet. Although
>I want to wait to the very end, since I'm not sure how
>they would react about us pulling out. Also I know that I
>can start adding the mail boxes for all the users but the
>doubts are in the implementation and turnover to Exchange
>and the SMTP servers.
>
>Can someone give me a checklist on how to proceed, from
>ISP turnover to implementation?
>
>How can I import the PST files from the user's local hard
>drive to the exchange server? I know that for many users I
>can give them access to their email with OWA, but for the
>users that require the full Outlook features, do I have to
>uninstall MS Outlook 2000 to install 2003? Is there a
>drawback by leaving MS Outlook 2000?
>
>Any help would be great...
>
>Thanks,
>
>Gabriel
>

So yes, talk to the ISP and sort out IP addresses and DNS. The IP
address of the mail server in your case won't be the Exchange server
but will be the IP of this Windows gateway with the smtp and anti
spam. I trust your vendors have tested that the box is both relay
secure and correctly connects to the exchange server when it gets
valid mail?
How many addresses are you getting? This matters because if it's just
the one you'll apply the IP address to the gateway router and do
Network Address Translation. If you get several addresses you have the
option to do the NAT or apply the IPs to the actual servers.
As for the importing of PST files. Don't do it, not no how. All these
PSTs have lots of mail in them, multiple copies of the same message
with the same attachment. Exchange operates a single instance storage
environment where one message sent with a 1MB attachment to 10 people
takes up slightly over 1MB in the store, whereas your PST files take
up 10MB, not counting any forwarding that's happened. Importing PSTs
is the fastest way to make you run out of space.

Karthik
Fri Aug 20 07:17:42 CDT 2004

You can use Outlook 2000 with Exchange 2003 server.
First of all make sure you have a Windows 2003 Active
directory set up before installing Exchange.

If you have very few users ,then it will be better to go
with PST import using Exmerge Tool(2003 version).


Good luck



>-----Original Message-----
>I'm in the process of implementing an Exchange Server
>(2003) for the first time. Presently our ISP provides our
>email service (POP3) and the users either use Microsoft
>Outlook 2000 or Outlook Express 6.0.
>
>Our vendors installed and setup a SMTP server (Win 2003)
>with Norton anti-spam and virus protection as the Front-
>End Server. They also installed and setup the Exchange
>Server 2003 as our Back-End Server (behind the firewall).
>I also took a course in managing Exchange and I had read
>quite a bit, but I have a lot of doubts on how to
proceed.
>I know that I have to talk to our ISP so they would
assign
>the external IP address and DNS entries to our router so
>our email server can be found thru the Internet. Although
>I want to wait to the very end, since I'm not sure how
>they would react about us pulling out. Also I know that I
>can start adding the mail boxes for all the users but the
>doubts are in the implementation and turnover to Exchange
>and the SMTP servers.
>
>Can someone give me a checklist on how to proceed, from
>ISP turnover to implementation?
>
>How can I import the PST files from the user's local hard
>drive to the exchange server? I know that for many users
I
>can give them access to their email with OWA, but for the
>users that require the full Outlook features, do I have
to
>uninstall MS Outlook 2000 to install 2003? Is there a
>drawback by leaving MS Outlook 2000?
>
>Any help would be great...
>
>Thanks,
>
>Gabriel
>
>
>.
>