Re: Consolidation of 2 SBS2003 domains into one Windows 2008+Exchange 2007

Hi Rumburak:

There are quite a few ways to do this, but I can't tell from your post if
you have 2 users in each domain or 70, and the answer might depend on how
many desktops have to be touched.

The most manual way is to create the new domain on the new box, create all
the users, create the new exchange server on box 2 and leave it run for a
few days to break in.

Then, on each SBS, export or copy all the mail out to .pst files, remove
each worstation from the SBS domain and join them to the new domain (same
or different name, dosen't matter), then import the mail back into the users
mailbox.

Then move all the data and recreate the shares.

A slightly less manual way would be to use the SBS transistion pack for 2003,
if you can find one, and grow one SBS out of the restrictions. This leaves
everything intact for that domain and allows you to move the exchange to
a new box. Then the second domain would have to be moved manually as described
above.

But the best way may be found at www.sbsmigration.com. I would certainly
make a connection with them and determine if they offer you a better path
to the goal you have in mind.

-
Larry
Please post the resolution to your
issue so others may benefit
-
Get Your SBS Health Check at
www.sbsbpa.com


> Hi all!
>
> I have to do a consolidation of two existent SBS2003 into a Windows
> 2008+Exchange 2007 (it is OK to either remain with one of the 2
> SBS2003 domains in the end, either to have a new one). Which is the
> correct path that I should follow? I undestood that it is not
> possible to set trust relationships in SBS2003, so I suppost ADMT is
> not a solution? I have done various migrations and consolidations
> using ADMT before, but I'm not sure what is the correct procedure for
> this case, due to the SBS2003 limitations.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Rumburak.
>

Rumburak,

Larry mentioned SBSmigration.com, that's my website and this is among the
project scenarios that I can provide you with full documentation from end to
end, support, and a construction path that doesn't require significant
disruption to your domain operations. Though you won't see this domain
consolidation project listed on the standard packages offered, it's a
project I have outlined in details and support. I just require folks to
prequalify with me to ensure that they understand the full scale of this
project, it's not a trivial project, it requires a fair amount of planning.

Each of the outlines you have suggested are potentially an option, the last
one you address is most similar to what I would recommend as your best
option, it's the path I have documented with some additional variations
available.

You haven't really addressed one of the key points here as you go through
this discussion, that being that you talked about bringing these domains
together but I never saw you make reference to the Forest and Domain
identifications of these respective domains or whether you care to
prioritize having new Forest identity.

Ultimately I can provide you with documentation and support on any one of
the three paths, but I don't think that either of the first two options make
sense once you understand the full implications of the third option
performed as a Swing Migration. The way you described it isn't exactly the
construction path I would recommend, but it's got the core concepts of
integrating the domains in a convenient way. I believe you getting hung up
on the SBS concepts here as if it is a special case, and it's not.

Jeff Middleton SBS-MVP
www.SBSmigration.com


"Rumburak" <> wrote in message
news:858bc7ba-df5a-4595-ad4c-...
> Hi Larry and thank you for your answer.
>
> Here are some more details on the consolidation I will have to do:
> actually there are 2 different SBS2003 (SBS2003 A with about 50 users
> and SBS2003 B with about 20 users), in both places are used only
> Active Directory, file shares and Exchange.
> I thought of two possible scenarios for the consolidation of the two
> SBS into a single Windows 2008 domain with Exchange 2010 (seems it
> will be 2010 in the end and not 2007):
> 1. Convert both SBS2003 to Win 2008 and Exchange, and afterwards use
> ADMT for consolidating the 2 domains. Advantages: it should quite easy
> to do the conversione and the consolidation is well documented for
> using ADMT, no need to do work manually at the users PC.
> Disadvantages: Probably there will be a need for more licenses to be
> bought (4 Windows 2008 Standard and 2 Exchange 2010 I think should do
> the trick), maybe I could use temporary versions (trial -> not
> registered), although I don't like this very much.
> 2. Manually add users from SBS2003 B (20 users) to SBS2003 A,
> exporting mailboxes and reimporting them in SBS2003 A, recreating the
> shares for them on another Win2003 server that already exists in
> SBS2003 B. Afterward convert SBS2003 A to Win2008+Exchange 2010.
> Advantages: It doesn't need more licenses that in the final state
> (only 2 Win 2003 Std + 1Exchange2010) and should work well.
> Disadvantages: it involves quite a lot of manual work in recreating
> the users, the ACLs on their shares, moving the profiles and moving
> the mailboxes...
>
> I can think of another path, but I'm not sure if this could work:
> insert new Win2008 Std in SBS2003 A as domain controller (with GC and
> so on), promote as domain controller the existing Win 2003 Std of
> SBS2003 B (with GC and so on), take over the FSMO rolse on the new
> domain controllers, demote SBS2003 both in A and B and maintain only
> the Exchange part on the SBS2003. Afterwards use ADMT to consolidate
> and install Exchange 2010 on A in the end and move mailboxes over. I'm
> not sure if it is possible to demote SBS2003 AND maintain Exchange on
> it (even if only for a short while, it would be ok if it worked for 7
> days like the SBS without the FSMO roles...).
>
> Any idea on those paths?
> Thank you,
> Rumburak
>
>