Prerequisites for upgrading Exchange Server 5.5 to Exchange 2000 Server or to Exchange Server 2003 (259912)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Premium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, Standard Edition
This article was previously published under Q259912

SUMMARY

You must meet certain prerequisites before you can upgrade from Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 to later versions of Exchange. This article provides a brief overview of these prerequisites; this article does not provide a complete list of these prerequisites or a detailed procedure for the upgrade. Each of the steps in the "More Information" section of this article may involve a detailed procedure that you need to understand and plan for before you perform the actual upgrade.

MORE INFORMATION

The following are some prerequisites to upgrade from Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 to later versions of Exchange:
  • The Exchange Server computers that you want to upgrade must be running Exchange Server 5.5 Service Pack 3 (SP3).
  • Windows 2000 Active Directory must be installed and properly configured for your Exchange Server installation to succeed. You can test the functionality of Active Directory by installing and running the DCDiag utility on your Windows 2000 Domain Controllers. To do so, on the Windows 2000 Server CD-ROM, go to the Support section, and then go to the Tools section. Locate and run the DCDiag utility on your Windows 2000 Domain Controllers.
  • Domain Name System (DNS) must be installed and properly configured for your Active Directory Domain. Preferably, DNS should be set for Dynamic Updates. You can test much of the functionality of DNS by installing and running the Netdiag utility on the Windows 2000 Server CD-ROM. To do so, on the Windows 2000 Server CD-ROM, go to the Support section, and then go to the Tools section. Locate and run the Netdiag utility.
  • An Active Directory Connector (ADC) must be installed in the forest.
  • Exchange Server 5.5 mailboxes must be synchronized with the Active Directory by using the ADC and to install Recipient connection agreement.
  • The account that you want to use to install Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003 must be a member of the Domain Administrators, Schema Administrators, and Enterprise Administrators groups.
  • If a Forestprep procedure has not been performed, after Setup starts, Setup performs a Forestprep procedure. Setup updates the active directory with more attributes for Exchange 2000 and for Exchange 2003.
  • Setup does not upgrade an Exchange Server 5.5 computer to later versions of Exchange if the Exchange Server 5.5 computer is running connectors that are not supported by later versions of Exchange. If you are running connectors to other e-mail systems in your current environment that Exchange 2000 or Exchange 2003 do not support, be sure to plan your deployment accordingly.

    Note Before you perform an upgrade, we recommend that you visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

    Exchange 2000 Server Deployment Resources

    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2000/deploy/default.mspx

    Deploying Exchange Server 2003

    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2003/deployment.mspx

  • The Exchange Server 5.5 organization directory name and site directory name must not contain characters that Exchange 2000 and Exchange 2003 do not support. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    822588 You receive a "The object is no longer available" message when you expand Public Folders in Exchange System Manager in Exchange 2000 or in Exchange 2003

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:4/25/2005
Keywords:kbinfo KB259912
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