We have just migrated to AD and are planning the migration from Exchange 5.5
to Exchange 2003. Our current configuration is very simple. We have a single
forest with a single domain with 4 Exchange 5.5 servers with a total of about
300 users. We have a test lab which is on a separate, isolated sunet and
which has its own AD forest and domain. We already have all of our user
accounts in that AD forest since we ran through the NT->2003 migration there
first.

I would like to build a test environment for the 5.5->2003 migration before
doing anything on my production network. I only have one server available. Am
I able to build a server in the test forest with the same name as one of my
existing 5.5 servers, do a restore to it, and get the Exchange services
running?  What will happen when I install the ADC and only one out of the
four 5.5 servers is present? Will that cause a problem? Are there any other
gotchas that I should be aware of building a test environment?

Thanks - I know this is sort of an open-ended question and I appreciate any
advice you might have.

Hi Pat,

Thanks for the input.

According to my experience, to duplicate the similar environment
(preserving the directory info) in the lab, we may use the following
senario:

1. Backup the current Exchange 5.5 server's databases using NTbackup. See
the following article for detailed info:
258243 How to Back Up and Restore an Exchange Computer by Using the Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=258243

2. Instroduce a new domain controller (DC) into the production environment.
The computer will be the DC for the lab.

3. When the replication is finished, disconnect the new DC form the
original domain.

4. Put the new DC into the test environment in a separate network (not
connected to your production environment).

5. Build a new Exchange 5.5 server in the lab environment, which meets the
requirements for recovery, such as same name, same Exchange Org, same
Domain Name, same Exchange Site Name, and same service pack level as the
original server.

6. Restore the backup.

Note: All the tests on the migration can still be performedeven if we
restore only one Exchange 5.5 server.

For more information see the following articles:

White paper of Microsoft Exchange 5.5 Disaster Recovery available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/Exchange/techinfo/administration/55/BackupRestore.a
sp

XADM: How to Move Exchange Server to a New Computer That Has the Same Name:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=155216

Thanks and have a nice day!

Best Regards,
Alan Sun
Microsoft Online Partner Support

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