Backup Exchange and Restore to Different Domain

[klnyc]

Have anyone done this before?

 

[spyordie007]

What is it you're trying to accomplish? If all you're looking for is to move mailboxes from one domain to another I'm pretty sure you can setup a trust and move the accounts between domains.

 

[GreyMittens]

I've never done this, though I'm sure it's been done (or at least jury rigged so it *could* be done).

Two methods that come to mind are:

1) export the mailboxes to PST files on the server and import them into the new mailboxes in the new domain

2) add a new exchange server to the existing site, setup appropriate trusts and use the move mailbox tool to migrate the mailboxes over.

I don't know if you could just mount the old database on the new server... perhaps someone else might offer a bit more insight. Microsoft has some great whitepapers on this:

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

The deployment guide and even 5.5 to 2003 should give you an overview of setting up trusts and moving mailboxes.

Good luck, and hth.


gm

 

[ITJunkie]

I could be wrong but I don't think you will be able to successfully mount a backup of a different domain to a new server in a different domain. Your best bet would probably be to follow GreyMittens advice.

 

[EatSpam]

I was thinking about doing this too... I was wanting to restructure the family domain.

From what it sounds like the "Recovery Storage Group" will only mount a mail store with the same Administrative Group...I'm not sure if it requires the same server name or same forest. I was hoping that I could just mount the old store, copy the mailboxes out and associate them with the new AD accounts, but it doesn't look like that would work.

Anyone ever moved Exchange 2003 mailboxes cross-forest? All the Microsoft documents say its possible, but are short on details. It also sounds like rules are lost in that transfer...

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: EatSpam
I was thinking about doing this too... I was wanting to restructure the family domain.

From what it sounds like the "Recovery Storage Group" will only mount a mail store with the same Administrative Group...I'm not sure if it requires the same server name or same forest. I was hoping that I could just mount the old store, copy the mailboxes out and associate them with the new AD accounts, but it doesn't look like that would work.

Anyone ever moved Exchange 2003 mailboxes cross-forest? All the Microsoft documents say its possible, but are short on details. It also sounds like rules are lost in that transfer...

The Recovery Storage Group is only useful if the same accounts exist in the new Domain as in the old Domain. Otherwise, you'll recover emails...but they will belong to inaccessible accounts. All mailboxes have to belong to a GUID. New Domain = New GUIDs.

There are ways of doing this, but the best way will depend upon how many mailboxes must be moved. If there's only a few mailboxes, then using Exmerge and exporting and importing PSTs is fine. If there's thousands of mailboxes, you'll have to migrate the old Domain accounts over to the new domain before you successfully import the old mailboxes and assign them to Domain users.

 

[klnyc]

Woowee, I just finished backing up(82Gig small). Oh thanks for the tips, but sofar I scouted entire google, I havent seen step by step on how to move mailbox to another domain. Brb, let me see if M$ can give me a hand. My company its a MSDN parnter btw.

 

[EatSpam]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: EatSpam
I was thinking about doing this too... I was wanting to restructure the family domain.

From what it sounds like the "Recovery Storage Group" will only mount a mail store with the same Administrative Group...I'm not sure if it requires the same server name or same forest. I was hoping that I could just mount the old store, copy the mailboxes out and associate them with the new AD accounts, but it doesn't look like that would work.

Anyone ever moved Exchange 2003 mailboxes cross-forest? All the Microsoft documents say its possible, but are short on details. It also sounds like rules are lost in that transfer...

The Recovery Storage Group is only useful if the same accounts exist in the new Domain as in the old Domain. Otherwise, you'll recover emails...but they will belong to inaccessible accounts. All mailboxes have to belong to a GUID. New Domain = New GUIDs.

That makes sense... in the new domain, I'd recreate the accounts. The new accounts would have new GUIDs, obviously. But can the Recovery Storage Group attach mailboxes to new accounts with the different GUIDs? That's the question.

I'll figure that one out when I buy new hardware in a few months... hoping Yonah core CPUs are out by then, but probably not.

 

[RebateMonger]

That makes sense... in the new domain, I'd recreate the accounts. The new accounts would have new GUIDs, obviously. But can the Recovery Storage Group attach mailboxes to new accounts with the different GUIDs? That's the question.

Nope. The Recovery Storage Group can't do that for you.

Here's a UseNet posting of how one person accomplished a similar task. But he had to do a lot of manual work - deleting Exchange Attributes for each User......there are probably better ways, including the account migration tool.

 

[klnyc]

You know what, Im going do a small test on my office. I'm going try move all the mail box into a different server, BUT its same domain. I'm going see, how hard its this going do.

 

[RebateMonger]

Moving mailboxes within the same domain is trivial. There's a wizard for it in ESM.

 

[GreyMittens]

Originally posted by: klnyc
You know what, Im going do a small test on my office. I'm going try move all the mail box into a different server, BUT its same domain. I'm going see, how hard its this going do.

If you're going to run this through in a lab, do it right. Get 2 PCs of any type and install server and exchange on each one and setup each as it's own domain. Moving mailboxes withing the same domain between exchange servers won't give you any idea of the issues you may encounter in the goal you're trying to reach.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: GreyMittens
If you're going to run this through in a lab, do it right. Get 2 PCs of any type and install server and exchange on each one and setup each as it's own domain. Moving mailboxes withing the same domain between exchange servers won't give you any idea of the issues you may encounter in the goal you're trying to reach.

Actually, this MAY be an exercise in one of the Microsoft Exchange Server Virtual training labs, available for free online.

 

[klnyc]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: GreyMittens
If you're going to run this through in a lab, do it right. Get 2 PCs of any type and install server and exchange on each one and setup each as it's own domain. Moving mailboxes withing the same domain between exchange servers won't give you any idea of the issues you may encounter in the goal you're trying to reach.

Actually, this MAY be an exercise in one of the Microsoft Exchange Server Virtual training labs, available for free online.

Got Link?

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: klnyc
Got Link?

Microsoft TechNet Virtual Labs

 

[klnyc]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger

Originally posted by: klnyc
Got Link?

Microsoft TechNet Virtual Labs

Thanks for the link, but how you suppose to work it ? I need to register or something? I dont see download :-(

 

[RebateMonger]

There's a "Register" button on each lab's detail screen. You then log in with your MS Passport. I don't THINK you have to be a Microsoft Partner to do this...

I've run these Exchange Labs before. They DO work....
There are "Lab Manuals" associated with each. You might find your answers in the Lab Manuals.

 

[klnyc]

Rebatemgr,

I registered and got in, but how you do ctrl,alt,del? I clicked all 3 those server on the far top right coner and if I try C-A-D it will log my machine out.


edit:

 

[imported_Phil]

I'd also like to know how to do this, as I'm in a similar situation with a client's Public Folder store, which someone hosed, and we're having enormous difficulties restoring it, even to a Recovery Storage Group on a different server (same name, same domain, different location).