Upgrade Exchange 2000 on a DC to Exchange 2003 (small network)

I run a small network (35 users) where Exchange 2000 was installed on a
Windows 2000 Domain Controller before I got here. I need to upgrade to
Exchange 2003, as we're bumping up against the 16 GB limit on Exchange
2000 Standard.

I'm aware that running Exchange 2000 on a DC is not a best practice.
However, my Exchange server hardware is relatively new, so I can't
justify buying another new server to install Exchange on a member
server. I also know I can't DCPROMO the Exchange box down to a member
server. I think I'm stuck with upgrading my current Exchange
2000/Windows 2000 DC to Exchange 2003.

My questions are:
* Has anyone upgraded Exchange 2000 while it's on a DC, and if so, did
you have any problems with the upgrade?
* Any hints on disaster recovery if my Exchange upgrade fails? I'm
guessing it's different because Exchange is installed on a DC.
* Did you have any problems upgrading the DC to Windows 2003 after the
Exchange 2003 upgrade?

I do have a second Domain Controller in the domain, and I plan to
upgrade to Exchange 2003 first and then go to Windows 2003 a few weeks
later. I'll have as many full and systems state backups as I can, but
I'd REALLY like to avoid a disaster recovery if at all possible.

Thanks in advance.

Bharat
Mon Mar 13 18:03:56 CST 2006

If you really can't do a swing (get a new box, even a desktop, to
temporarily move mailboxes, public folders et al to, rebuild the box, move
stuff back), you can do an in-place upgrade first to Exchange Server 2003,
which will run happily on Windows 2000 server as well. Not sure if you meant
you have an additional Exchange Server that's also a DC, but if that's the
case then you can swing it.
--
Bharat Suneja
MCSE, MCT
www.zenprise.com
blog: www.suneja.com/blog
-----------------------------------------


<ccampos@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1142292274.595073.44980@e56g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
>I run a small network (35 users) where Exchange 2000 was installed on a
> Windows 2000 Domain Controller before I got here. I need to upgrade to
> Exchange 2003, as we're bumping up against the 16 GB limit on Exchange
> 2000 Standard.
>
> I'm aware that running Exchange 2000 on a DC is not a best practice.
> However, my Exchange server hardware is relatively new, so I can't
> justify buying another new server to install Exchange on a member
> server. I also know I can't DCPROMO the Exchange box down to a member
> server. I think I'm stuck with upgrading my current Exchange
> 2000/Windows 2000 DC to Exchange 2003.
>
> My questions are:
> * Has anyone upgraded Exchange 2000 while it's on a DC, and if so, did
> you have any problems with the upgrade?
> * Any hints on disaster recovery if my Exchange upgrade fails? I'm
> guessing it's different because Exchange is installed on a DC.
> * Did you have any problems upgrading the DC to Windows 2003 after the
> Exchange 2003 upgrade?
>
> I do have a second Domain Controller in the domain, and I plan to
> upgrade to Exchange 2003 first and then go to Windows 2003 a few weeks
> later. I'll have as many full and systems state backups as I can, but
> I'd REALLY like to avoid a disaster recovery if at all possible.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

ccampos
Mon Mar 13 18:26:32 CST 2006

Bharat,

I appreciate your comments. I just have the single Exchange server
that's installed on a DC. I'm really not comfortable putting Exchange
on something without a RAID, etc., even on a temporary basis. Plus, I
don't have any spare desktops at all (again, small company) so I
couldn't do the temporary swing without buying some sort of new
hardware.

Anyone else do an Exchange 2000 upgrade with Exchange installed on a
DC?

Thanks