SBS 2011 - Migrating Exchange from SBS 2003?
Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11174 posts
I posted about this a little while back, its getting to the point where I do need to take action, the 2003 machine is a bit sad and we need an upgraded server. Exchange fell over a few weeks back, and when it starts up from cold there's a bunch of red shit that I don't really understand in the logs. Yuck.
We have only got a few users so I'm starting to think that rather than go through the (very involved!) process of migrating the entire SBS that we just run with a shiny new one and migrate data. Nuke the site from orbit, right? It also has the appeal of not destroying the source box in case I fuck it all up on the weekend, we can go back to 2003 on Monday morning.
The killer here is Exchange! The SQL databases, business apps and AD I can set up again manually pretty easily, there isn't a LOT going on here, but I'm scared shitless of migrating Exchange mailboxes alone. Is this less painful that it feels?
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Phase
Gold Coast, Queensland
850 posts
It really just comes down to whether your current exchange mailboxes are under 2GB & how many of them you have.
The Exmerge utility doesn't support exporting mail over 2GB thus you would need to do this manually for each user.
Doing a swing style migration bypass's this as the servers essentially perform the mailbox migration between themselves with no need for separate migration tools.
essentially if u have a smaller number of users just doing a fresh install is easy.
If you have 30+ its going to be much easier to do the migration.
Have you considered outsourcing the project to someone/a company who's done it before?
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skythra
Brisbane, Queensland
4791 posts
Came to say my experience with exporting user mailboxes is that they can't be larger than 2gb before you start having to fragment them using external tools. Looks like phase seems to be on the ball though.
I'd normally make a backup of that server over a weekend, and then build the new server during the week, use the backup you made of the weekend as test data during the build and after testing migrate the new data (the week you're missing) over during the next weekend.
Most of the businesses i deal with though are 9-5 stuff like real estate agencies and some engineering firms and lawyers and doctors. I also never do this stuff by myself, I do it supporting another guy who's been doing this for years.
One time shit went real bad, but that wasn't exchange, that was their fileserver migrating to the new sbs, the data got corrupted from failed harddrives. Replaced the hard drives, the new harddrives died. Replaced mobo and cables, new ones died, reverted bios, drivers etc tried again, 6 failed harddrives at this piont (raid1). Figured at that point it was the asus backpanes which came with the new server chassis.
During this though, thanks to using a raid drive to migrate the data, and people were turning up for over time in the workshop, decision was made to roll back to old server.
Whats worse was they were working standalone at home with backup data (test data) and so they should have been literally drop in, turn on, migrate the missing data, and then go home. Instead it was a 30 hour day(s) due to several resulting issues.. one being that a raid recreated itself, by deleting all the data difference between the week old and the current data, of course stopping the raid creation stopped it from losing everything, but what was lost was.. bad.
Explaining that one is tough because of the stress at the time and it was a mistake caused by accidentally putting the wrong hard drive into the wrong computer, and windows instantly recreating the raid without warning.
Anyway that's another story, hope it doesn't scare you off.
Edit: had to edit some very bad sentences there. Also back panes. not planes.
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TicMan
Melbourne, Victoria
7452 posts
Export to Google Apps IMO.
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TiT
Brisbane, Queensland
4544 posts
Why not upgrade to SBS 2011, really do not recommend 2008, so many issues.
We did migrate from SBS 2003 to Windows Essentials Bussiness Server 2008 (which is pretty much SBS 2008 but having exchange separate to Domain Controller and another server for forefront) and the migration is every easy. It installs a program on your SBS 2003 box that lets you have more then one domain controller on the network. Then from there you put the DVD into the new server hit next next next and it migrates everything for you.
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11175 posts
Yeh I just noticed I have 2011 in my partner software thingy so I'm dling that now.
I definitely have at least one user with a > 2Gb mailbox, so they'll need to (finally, haha) archive all their shit to a PST file and then migrate what's left (calendar etc) using exmerge?
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TiT
Brisbane, Queensland
4545 posts
Skitza
Brisbane, Queensland
9613 posts
Maybe we can help you with Exchange. Dont be scared ;) What are the errors? There is a migration path/doc to SBS2011 which if you follow step by step will work. Forget 2008.
So... where do you want to start? :)
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11176 posts
OK I might give the migration a go then using the automated tools, the erros in the evnt log freak me out tho.
BPA is running on the source server now so I guess that's a good place to start once I get the results?
<3 QGL
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11177 posts
OK, that's less terribad than expected :)
CRITICAL (RED)
DNS client not configured :
The DNS client is not configured to point only to the internal IP address of the server. For detailed instructions about configuring the DNS client, see the "Configurations" section of the Knowledge Base article "How to configure Internet access in Windows Small Business Server 2003" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=95289.
Task Offloading is enabled :
Task Offloading is enabled and should be disabled on Windows Small Business Server 2003. Change the value of the DisableTaskOffload registry key to 1. For detailed instructions, see the Knowledge Base article "You experience intermittent communication failure between computers that are running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=95149. If the DisableTaskOffload registry key does not exist, then manually create this registry key and set its value to 1.
(WARNINGS)
Free disk space very low :
E: has 3% free space remaining. You should consider adding more storage or removing unnecessary files. For information on moving data folders, see "Moving Data Folders for Windows SBS 2003" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=49931.
EDNS is enabled :
EDNS is enabled on this server. Some of the routers or firewalls may not support EDNS. You should disable EDNS on this server. To do so, click Start, and then click Command Prompt. In the Command Prompt window, type dnscmd /Config /EnableEdnsProbes 0 and then restart the DNS Server service.
MSSQL$SBSMonitoring instance not SQL Server 2000 SP 4 :
SBSMonitoring instance should be at SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 4.
MSSQL$SharePoint instance not using SQL Server 2000 SP 4 :
The SHAREPOINT instance should be using SQL Server 2000 SP4.
Operating system not updated with the Daylight Savings Time (DST) 2007 update :
You should update the operating system on this server with the Daylight Savings Time 2007 update. For more information, see the Knowledge Base article "August 2007 cumulative time zone update for Microsoft Windows operating systems" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=95153.
POP3 Connector snap-in has not been updated :
POP3 Connector snap-in does not appear to be the version from knowledge base article "Error message when you use the POP3 Connector Manager with MMC 3.0: "'MMC has detected an error in a snap-in" " at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=95161. |
Skitza
Brisbane, Queensland
9615 posts
Can you do a full Windows Update first?
DNS issue can be fixed and task offloading can/will be fixed if you update windows.
Can you make space on E: ? What is on E: ?
What SP is the box running? Im assuming this is not the R2 version judging by the need to update.
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11178 posts
2003 SP2
E:\ is a legacy backup solution that is unused now. I killed the backup data on the old drive anyway so it won't show up on later runs.
Once the crew finish for the day I'll run a full set of updates, reboot, re-do the BPA and post results.
Thanks :)
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Skitza
Brisbane, Queensland
9616 posts
Alot of these errors will disappear after you update. You might have to manually update SQL to SP4 but that's easy.
Here is the Doc for the migration to sbs 2011 standard. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg563801.aspx
If you attempt this, make fully sure you have a good working backup and are fully updated or don't bother starting. Image the entire box before starting. |
Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11179 posts
Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11181 posts
dcdiag looks ok? Googling says that ImServ doesn't normally run on SBS?
netdiag has some DNS-y stuff that probably needs help?
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Clubby
Brisbane, Queensland
689 posts
Is the DNS service running properly on the host as I notice the host IP and DNS server are the same IP (never used SBS before).
run a nslookup and check it can resolve the server name alright.
and WINS ... wtf :P ... 90's are gone man!
last edited by Clubby at 17:19:40 09/Nov/11
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TicMan
Melbourne, Victoria
7454 posts
Weird, I have none of these problems with my Google Apps.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11182 posts
Weird, I have none of these problems with my Google Apps.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL
You also pay them to watch their ads.
LOLOLOLOLOL
Now that the feral troll is out of the way:
Is the DNS service running properly on the host as I notice the host IP and DNS server are the same IP (never used SBS before).
run a nslookup and check it can resolve the server name alright.
and WINS ... wtf :P ... 90's are gone man!last edited by Clubby at 17:19:40 09/Nov/11
Yeh DNS is running but its funky. NSLOOKUP:
Microsoft Windows [Version 5.2.3790]
(C) Copyright 1985-2003 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>nslookup
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.1.13: Non-existent domain
Default Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.1.13
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Skitza
Brisbane, Queensland
9617 posts
Is the DNS service running properly on the host as I notice the host IP and DNS server are the same IP (never used SBS before).
run a nslookup and check it can resolve the server name alright.
and WINS ... wtf :P ... 90's are gone man!last edited by Clubby at 17:19:40 09/Nov/11
You need to point the SBS box to itself for DNS, it's fine.
Everything looks pretty good so far. Just look sot be out of date patch wise but overall pretty good health.
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11183 posts
Weird, I have auto-updates configured tho? There was a yellow update-now thing in the system tray that I hit a little while back and its apparently doing some shit in the background.
Once that's all done I'll hit Windows Update up and see if I can't find anything else to update.
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Clubby
Brisbane, Queensland
690 posts
Ya I get why it is pointing locally as I figured the DNS server was running on the same machine hence why I asked. So
nslookup empsv01.Empirisoft.local
returns the right ip?
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11184 posts
Opec
Brisbane, Queensland
7417 posts
Yeh DNS is running but its funky. NSLOOKUP:
Microsoft Windows [Version 5.2.3790]
(C) Copyright 1985-2003 Microsoft Corp.
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>nslookup
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.1.13: Non-existent domain
Default Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.1.13
That just means that you don't have a PTR record for that server or it is corrupted. Perhaps it was corrupted when it went down. Check for an entry in your DNS server:
DNS -> [your server name] -> Reverse Lookup Zones -> 192.168.1.x subnet
You should have a Pointer (PTR) type for 192.168.1.13. In there you need to have your fully qualify AD name in there with the dot (.) at the end.
Check if this is the case, then when you go nslookup it won't bitch. Make sure in your TCP/IP settings the first DNS if your SBS server (unless you use DHCP), this includes the SBS server's TCP/IP settings itself.
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11185 posts
Thanks Opec, that sorted it out. I think we were 192.168.3... at work when I first built the server ><
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Spook
Brisbane, Queensland
33425 posts
Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11186 posts
haha ticcles
He's really not being that funny here IMO. Don't encourage it ><
The Windows Update page FINALLY got me a complete list so I'm actioning everything. Woo.
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Phase
Gold Coast, Queensland
851 posts
Clubby
Brisbane, Queensland
691 posts
go team
We should provide online support for paying subscribers ;)
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jmr
Brisbane, Queensland
7442 posts
lol Google Apps, ticcles I hope you catch fire ;)
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11197 posts
OK fully up to date, nothing pending in Windows updates.
BPA report:
RED items
The DNS client is not configured :
The DNS client is not configured to point only to the internal IP address of the server. For detailed instructions about how to configure the DNS client, see the "Configurations" section of the Knowledge Base article "How to configure Internet access in Windows Small Business Server 2003" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=95289. Note: If you have another domain controller or DNS server in your domain, it may not be necessary to point the DNS client only to the internal IP address of the server .
Task Offloading is enabled :
Task Offloading is enabled and should be disabled on Windows Small Business Server 2003. Change the value of the DisableTaskOffload registry key to 1. For detailed instructions, see the Knowledge Base article "You experience intermittent communication failure between computers that are running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003" at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=95149. If the DisableTaskOffload registry key does not exist, then manually create this registry key and set its value to 1.
WARNING Items:
Network interface driver file is more than one year old :
Network Card Driver: E100B Last Modifed Date: 20041014163046.000000+600
A SmartHost is specified on a virtual server :
A SmartHost is specified on one or more SMTP virtual servers. This causes problems with public folder replication if you migrate your server to a new operating system. To view settings for an SMTP virtual server, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Exchange, and then click System Manager. In the console tree, expand the Servers/ServerName/Protocols/SMTP folders. In the details pane, right-click Default SMTP Virtual Server, and then click Properties. Click the Delivery tab, and then click Advanced.
EDNS is enabled :
EDNS is enabled on this server. Some of the routers or firewalls may not support EDNS. You should disable EDNS on this server. To do so, click Start, and then click Command Prompt. In the Command Prompt window, type dnscmd /Config /EnableEdnsProbes 0 and then restart the DNS Server service.
The installed version of samsrv.dll is not current :
Before you begin the migration to Windows Small Business Server 2008, you should install the most recent version of the file samsrv.dll. For more information about his file, read the article "Events 1925, 1006, 1645, 1055, 40961 on a Windows Server 2008-based domain controller or error message: "No authority could be contacted for authentication" when you use Remote Desktop Connection" in the Microsoft Knowledge Base at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=164316. |
Clubby
Brisbane, Queensland
693 posts
Host Name. . . . . . . . . : empsv01
IP Address . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.13
Subnet Mask. . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway. . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
Primary WINS Server. . . . : 192.168.3.10
Dns Servers. . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.13
WEBSERVER
What is "WEBSERVER"?
Do you have a DNS forwarder setup on your DNS? for example how does your DNS servere find the entry for "www.google.com"?
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11199 posts
The secondary DNS is our webserver, I removed the IP out of paranoia :)
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Skitza
Brisbane, Queensland
9620 posts
Ok looks good. Task offloading is fine and DNS is having a whinge cause you have it pointing to your webserver as secondary, so that's fine. I'd update your nic drivers if you can, should get rid of that warning. Whats the smart host for ?
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Opec
Brisbane, Queensland
7420 posts
Hog, for your SBS 2003 server DNS settings, remove the secondary DNS entry and see if that helps. Not sure if you have 2nd DNS put in the settings but it's strange why it'd be complaining about using only itself as primary. I just checked our SBS2003 and we only use itself as primary DNS and we don't get that event error in the log, I guess that's how it has to be..
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Opec
Brisbane, Queensland
7421 posts
Ok looks good. Task offloading is fine and DNS is having a whinge cause you have it pointing to your webserver as secondary, so that's fine. I'd update your nic drivers if you can, should get rid of that warning. Whats the smart host for ?
I'd assumed he's using his ISP to send the email instead of doing it himself. We had to do this because if we do the SMTP ourselves a lot of emails get flagged and bounced as SPAM.
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11202 posts
Close but we're routing our mail through the web server's SMTP for the same reason basically.
I guess on migration day I can turn it off?
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5212 posts
Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11214 posts
Hmm that looks good assuming it works as advertised.
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5217 posts
It works alright, far better than official ms solution that's for sure. Also things like journal wrap need to be fixed before hand. PM me if you want a hand with it
Basically run the swing
Copy data
Copy end users n2k and re-setup
Make sure auto-discovery is running properly
Done
Not hard at all really how much data and how big a mail db and how many users?. Given any thought to running plain old R2 + hosted exchange? since you guys are running on a non OEM license (technet / maps / msdn / other) It going to be more flexible in the long run to run seperate instances of virtualised. Or is it going to be the old baremetal set and forget job?
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Gesthemene
Brisbane, Queensland
1112 posts
Herbal, interesting you say that. I never had any problems following the MS whitepaper to upgrade from SBS03 to SBS11. You still think the swing migration is easier?
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5218 posts
Yeap and quicker if you accidentally fuck it up too. Did a family members sbs2k3 over last weekend, in between doing a couple of km worth of wire fencing and drinking a few cartons of beer.
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11229 posts
Or is it going to be the old baremetal set and forget job?
That's pretty much it, worked in 2003 hoping it will work again :P
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5219 posts
And how much ram have you got for this 2011 boxen???
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TicMan
Melbourne, Victoria
7467 posts
I like how I don't need to worry about RAM or swinging with my Google Apps.
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11230 posts
And how much ram have you got for this 2011 boxen???
Its not build yet - I'm thinking 12?
I like how I don't need to worry about RAM or swinging with my Google Apps.
You're like one of those annoying Apple guys chirping away there. DO you want to be one of THOSE guys ticcles?
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5220 posts
Oh I hear you ticles, Google Apps here + Clearos (personally) but anyways back to the ms coal face
Hoggy you might want to feed that exchange beast a little more... hungry hungry hippo
last edited by HerbalLizard at 16:02:43 11/Nov/11
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TiT
Brisbane, Queensland
4561 posts
agree with Gesthemene, i havent had any problems either... is it alot easier?
Yeah i would recommend minium of 12gb RAM, exchange loves ram and if you have SQL or sharepoint i would get at 16/24gb RAM
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Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
11231 posts
Why exactly would I pay for Google apps when I get Exchange for free?!
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5221 posts
I have found it to be allot easier, personally only started doing swing since moving from nz back to aus. Used to do it the old ms way.. Its easy to fix it you stuff up or something unexpected goes wrong with less risk of having to restore from backup
Also I would say 24GB of ram for SBS2011 as a rule of thumb... ram costs next to nothing these days
last edited by HerbalLizard at 16:11:13 11/Nov/11
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TicMan
Melbourne, Victoria
7468 posts
Hah, I was being one of those annoying people to start with but in all seriousness Google Apps has a number of benefits even if you just stick to the free version. But even at the $5/user/month it represents good value for money as you don't have to worry about hardware, maintenance, time/effort managing Exchange, bandwidth costs, uptime, upgrades, etc.
I'll now bow gracefully out of recommending it from future posts though (so you can focus on my MULTI MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS IDEA!@@@@@@)
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5222 posts
Before I also bow out in agreement with ticman I will say the best part of running google apps is not having the need to run sbs at all. And I can stick with plain old vanilla R2 and not have to worry about a maildb & spam and backing it up and exchange eating up all my ram
But thats me sooo lazyyyy - and currently full of the flu
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TiT
Brisbane, Queensland
4562 posts
Agree with the whole Google Apps thing, however if you love you love outlook and that is the main reason you can always go with office live!
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5224 posts
If I wanted outlook and didn't want exchange then I would opt for something like exchange defender which is pretty nice too... and you get outlook owa and DL client too
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TicMan
Melbourne, Victoria
7469 posts
You can use Outlook with Google Apps by installing the connector.
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Opec
Brisbane, Queensland
7424 posts
Sorry to steal your thread Hoggy,
That SBSMigration thing look interesting, we're looking at possibly move to Office365 because I'm sick of looking after exchange server and all of its associated tasks that need to be done etc.
We're running SBS2003 so with that kit does it give you the instructions on how to do swing SBS2003 -> Office365 and then just leave the Domain as plain W2k3 R2 (we have a separate W2k3 R2 already that just does simple file sharing but part of SBS domain trust). ?
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5225 posts
(we have a separate W2k3 R2 already that just does simple file sharing but part of SBS domain trust). ? SBS does not support trusts at all, I have seen some crazy kludge solution with DNS being hacked to shit.
Migrate out exchange then swing ad to the r2 box and promote it to the head of the domain forest drop sbs and done as far as I can make out
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HerbalLizard
Brisbane, Queensland
5226 posts
Fucking hell I have swing on the zee brain
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