Hi, I need to do an Assessment for our customer and come up with any suggestions on the best practices to be followed and any kind of change in their current server/excahnge configuration based on these best practices, if any. The customer is currently running 2 exchange 2003 server and a 5.5 server which they are goind to decomission it in near future. They are not using any Public folder and Webmail.I know that I can run Exchange BPA tool for this.Pls let me know what else I can do here like if any one can provide me with the standard checklists of best practices. (though, I have create one such list). Just looking for a kind of framework..

These are some of Transition Checklist that u may follow: Decide which version you need before you order the Exchange Server 2007 DVD. (RTM or SP1. Standard or Enterprise. 64-bit.) Which underlying operating system will you use? (Windows Server 2008 best) Which version of Active Directory will you use? (Windows Server 2003 or 2008) Prepare Active Directory so that you can install Exchange Server 2007. For example, extend the Schema. The domain controller holding the Schema Master role must be Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later. Each site that you install Exchange Server 2007 must also have a Global Catalog server running Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later. Verify DNS can resolve the names of your Exchange 2007 Servers. Which Functional Level will be best for your domains? (Windows 2000 Native or later) What about the Forest Function Level? Check the names are as you expect, Exchange Organization name, default email address. Change the Exchange Operaional Modefrom mixed to: Native Mode. Validate all configurations with the Exchange Best Practice Analyzer. Will there be an extended period with heterogeneous Exchange Servers?How long will it last, what will be the replacement sequence for Exchange 2000, Exchange 2003. A good question is: 'How can we use the Exchange 2007 transition to become more efficient?' For example consolidate with fewer Exchange 2007 servers than Exchange 2000/3 servers. Supplementary question: 'What other email improvements can we implement at the same time?' For example, Embrace Unified Messaging, take more advantage of OWA, and implement Journaling so that we conform to legal requirements to keep company email. Plan for co-existence with different versions of Exchange Server. Remember that there is no in-place upgrade even from Exchange 2003, thus there will be phase of co-existence where communication between all Exchange servers is vital. Repercussions when you decommission the Exchange 2000 / 3 servers. For example, move the Offline Address Book and the Recipient Update Service to Exchange Server 2007. Check, and if necessary, remove legacy routing groups and also legacy connectors. Once again, check your installation by running the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer for a second time. I prefer the version on the Exchange DVD as it avoids conflicts with .NET framework. Check these scans: Health, Permissions, Connectivity and Exchange 2007 readiness. Plan your sequence of Exchange roles, CAS role first. The Mailbox Server is probably the biggest job, but don't forget no email gets delivered without a server configured with the Hub Transport role. (Do any of the later checklist items affect your original choice of Exchange Server 2007 DVD?) regards from www.windowsadmin.info ManuPhilip

Sorry, Probably I was not very clear when I mentioned "The customer is currently running 2 exchange 2003 server and a 5.5 server which they are going to decomission it in near future. " I just meant to say that the 5.5 server will be decomission soon as all the mailboxes are migrated to E2k3 server. Actually, they are not transitioning there system to E2k7 right now, but they just have migrated from 5.5 to E2k3 and do not have any further plan to go for E2k7 right now. This assesment is for their current Exchange setup/environment.

I think the suggestions from ExBPA would be enough. If you need to know more about the best practices for daily operations on exchange 2003, please refer to the articles and documentations in Maintain Exchange Server 2003 Other materials you may need in the future: Exchange Server 2003 Deployment Tools overview How to remove the last Exchange Server 5.5 computer from an Exchange Server 2003 administrative groupJames Luo TechNet Subscriber Support (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/ms788697.aspx) If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com