How to move a site connector from an Exchange Server 5.5 computer to an Exchange 2000 Server computer (298120)

SUMMARY

This article describes the steps that are necessary to move a site connector from an Exchange Server 5.5 computer to an Exchange 2000 Server computer. Microsoft recommends that you perform this procedure before you remove the last Exchange Server 5.5 computer from the site.

For example, you have a site connector that is configured between an Exchange Server 5.5 computer in Site A and an Exchange Server 5.5 computer in Site B. You install Exchange 2000 into Site A with the intention of removing the remaining Exchange Server 5.5 computers in Site A. If you intend to use the existing site connector to maintain communication between Site A and Site B, you must move the site connector from the Exchange Server 5.5 computer in Site A to the Exchange 2000 Server computer in Site A. To do so, designate a different bridgehead server for the site connector.

Notes

A Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 computer will not be able to communicate over a site connector with another Exchange 2003 computer.
A site connector cannot be modified by using Exchange System Manager. You must use the Exchange Server 5.5 Administrator program to modify a site connector.
We recommend that you use routing group connectors instead of site connectors. You should consider deleting site connectors and replacing them with routing group connectors because you will not be able to administer site connectors after the last Exchange Server 5.5 computer has been removed from the site.

MORE INFORMATION

To move the site connector from an Exchange Server 5.5 computer to an Exchange 2000 Server computer, follow these steps:

Start the Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Administrator program, and then connect to one of your Exchange Server 5.5 computers.
In the left pane, click the Connections container.
On the right, double-click the Site connector.
On the General tab, locate Messaging bridgehead in the local site, and then click Exchange 2000.
Allow directory replication to occur before you remove the last Exchange Server 5.5 computer from the site. To do this, use one of the following methods:
- Method 1
  Wait for the next replication cycle to occur.
- Method 2
  Force replication manually.
Microsoft recommends that you to test to make sure that the new local Exchange 2000 bridgehead server is being used for messages to flow over the site connector before you remove the last Exchange Server 5.5 computer from the site.

On the site B end, the site connector also needs to be pointed to the Exchange 2000 Server in Site A, if designated destination BH server is defined.

For more information about how to remove the last Exchange Server 5.5 computer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

284148 How to remove the last Exchange Server 5.5 computer from an Exchange 2000 administrative group