Applies to: Exchange Server 2007 SP3, Exchange Server 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2007-03-13

This topic explains how to move a Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Mailbox server to new hardware and keep the same server name.

Before You Begin

To move an Exchange 2007 Mailbox server to new hardware, the account you use must be delegated the Exchange Organization Administrator role

For more information about permissions, delegating roles, and the rights that are required to administer Exchange 2007, see Permission Considerations.

See Mailbox Server Data which covers what needs to be backed up on a Mailbox server to make sure that you do not have any custom settings that might be missed with the following procedure.

Procedure

To move an Exchange 2007 Mailbox server to new hardware keeping the same server name

  1. Make a full backup of all the Exchange 2007 databases on the existing Exchange 2007 server. For more information, see How to Perform a Basic Backup of Exchange Databases.

  2. Shut down the existing Exchange 2007 server.

  3. Reset the computer account for the existing Exchange 2007 server. To do so, follow these steps:

    1. Using Active Directory Users and Computers, locate the computer account for the existing Exchange 2007 server that you are moving, right-click the computer account, and then click Reset Account.

    2. Bring the new computer online, and then confirm that the new computer is running the same operating system that was installed on the existing Exchange 2007 server.

      Note:
      When you first bring the new server online, make sure that the new server has a unique computer name on the network.
    3. Rename the new server to the same name as the original server that you are replacing, and then join this computer to the domain.

      Note:
      You must not delete the original computer account from the domain before you join the new server to the domain. Also, do not delete the original Exchange 2007 server using either the Exchange Management Console or the Exchange Management Shell.

  4. For drives that contained Exchange 2007 data, configure drive letters on the new server to map to or match the configuration of the old server. Verify that the drives have sufficient space to accommodate the restored data.

  5. Run Exchange 2007 Setup with the following parameter:

    Copy Code 
    Setup.com /M:RecoverServer
    Note:
    For more information about running Setup.com /M:RecoverServer, see Understanding Setup /M:RecoverServer.

  6. When the Setup program has completed, install the Exchange 2007 service pack that was installed on the existing server.

  7. Install any Exchange 2007 post-service pack hotfixes that were installed on the existing server.

  8. Restore the full backup of all the Exchange 2007 databases that was made previously. 

  9. Mount all the Exchange databases after the restoration is complete. Make sure that clients can connect and that mail can flow.

    Note:
    For more information about mounting Exchange databases, see How to Mount a Database.
    Note:
    If the IP address of the Exchange 2007 server changes, make sure that you update Domain Name System (DNS) records. If you do not update DNS records, other servers may try to connect to the previous address.

For More Information

For more information about moving servers that are running Exchange 2007, see Moving Exchange Servers to New Hardware and Keeping the Same Server Name.