Howdy friendly BES Admins!

I have a question about upgrading to Windows Server 2008.

My current environment is Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003.

I am planning on upgrading to Windows Server 2008 in place over the existing OS. Has anyone out there attempted this? What successes and / or failures have you encountered?

My environment is small. I support 15 mailboxes on our exchange server and 15 blackberries.

too soon for 2008

Maybe for some...

Perhaps you should'nt upgrade your existing OS.

Do you have the means to install on a fresh box/virtual and cut-over. If you b/u the DB before the cut, you should be able to restore to your 03 box if things go to h3ll in a handbasket.

My entire environment is virtual. I suppose i could clone the machine, bring it up segregated from the rest of the environment, and upgrade to 2k8 and see if any issues arise.

By cutting over that means i have to change the server name... by changing the server name that means i have to go to each workstation and user and update their server settings in outlook.

**sigh**

Sounds like your BES is installed on the Exchange Box. Is this the case?

yes. this is the case. My question has nothing to do with BES though. Also, our exchange server is INTERNAL accessed only. We have a bridge server which mail is forwarded through.

Seriously?? NO ONE out there is running 2k8 Server with Exchange 2k3??

Not quite.

Load up the new server with 2008.
Install Exchange in the same organization as the existing one.
Set up public folder replication.
Move the mailboxes from one server to another.
give it a few days for the clients to adjust BY THEMSELVES.
power down to old server and see what happens.

Outlook will pickup the new location and reconfigure itself.

Wirelessly posted (8703e (Verizon Wireless))

I may just give that a shot! That sounds downright easy! The only part of that I've never done is public folder redirection.

Any hints in that department?

Also, with the customizations that I've made to the existing exchange server, such as smart hosts and relay hosts, etc., migrate as well or will I have to configure those manually?

Exchange 2003 is not supported on windows 2008. Sorry

read on

You Had Me At EHLO... : Mission Impossible: In-Place Upgrading Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008

I don't think your going to find anyone using Windows 2008 yet. It has not been out long enough. No one is going to use 2008 on a production server unless it is absolutely necessary. Obviously for a BES server, it is not.

You're all right - *bows head* - Installed it in my Dev environment and FUBAR'd the whole thing. Glad I did'nt put it into production!!!

THanks to everyone for the help.

Brand new MS OS on a mission critical production server?

2k8 is great; don't knock it till you've tried it ... and don't try it with production systems unless you've tested it.

2k8 is a good OS, but we won't even entertain putting it into a production enviornment for at least a year. We won't even look at it.

With technology that attitude will quickly get you nowhere.

LOL, down grade to Vista today, Hooray!