Critique my Exchange 2007 SP1 to SP3 migration plan
Background: I have multiple Exchange 2007 SCC Mailbox Clusters at various datacenters hosting thousands of users each, each of these sites has multiple CAS/HT servers and a few smaller branch sites have "stand alone" Exchange 2007 servers hosting all roles at some larger branches. I am using SCR to copy all databases to several stand alone MB servers at my DR site which also has two CAS/HT. This site hosts no users production mailboxes, just the SCR replicas of all mailboxes in the enterprise. All Exchange 2007 is SP1 UR9 running on Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2 x64. I have a couple cross-forest availability address spaces set up and working between partners. Goal: To upgrade Exchange 2007 infrastructure to Exchange 2007 SP3, while retaining Windows Server 2003 as the base OS. Plan: 1. Do forest prep and domain prep of Exchange 2007 SP3. 2. One at a time, upgrade all servers running just the CAS/HT roles in the enterprise to SP3 (cross fingers that this does not break autodiscover/cross-forest availability and activesync). 3. Once server/site at a time, upgrade the Branch servers running CAS/HT/MB servers to Exchange 2007 SP3. 4. One datacenter at a time, upgrade the SCC Exchange cluster servers to SP3, by upgrading the PASSIVE node of the SCC cluster first, then moving mailboxes to the passive node (move-clusteredmailboxserver) then upgrading the now passive node, rinse repeat. 5. Repeat step 4 for the other SCC Clustered Mailbox servers at the other datacenters 6. Upgrade "DR" Exchange mailbox servers to SP3 7. Set up/seed SCR back to my DR site for all databases (necessary?) 8. Profit? I know this may seem overly cautious, but since this process is actually a re-installation of Exchange rather than what normally would be considered a service pack, I am very leery about doing these upgrades in-place. Is there any "gotchas" in regards to upgrading a SCC Cluster? I am particularly leery about doing this on my "public facing" CAS server because of all the customization I had to do on it in regards to outlook anywhere and autodiscover and activesync config and the cross-forest availability services we have running on them. I do not want to deal with moving these to Windows 2008R2 at this time either. I have carved out an entire weekend when I can have Exchange down.
June 23rd, 2011 11:03am

Also, if it matters, domain controllers are mixed 2003 sp2 x86 and 2008R2 with domain in server 2003 native mode, single forest, single domain AD.
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June 23rd, 2011 11:11am

Regarding step 4, here is my detailed low level procedure. (assumes schema updates done, and CAS/HT servers already upgraded to SP3) 1. Download SP3 install binaries and Windows Installer 4.5 to c:\download on all active and passive nodes of the SCC('s) 2. Install Windows Installer 4.5 on passive node(s) of the SCC, move cluster group off of this passive node (if applicable), then reboot passive node 3. After reboot of passive node, stop all exchange services, SMS / perfmon services, stop / disable antivirus services 4. Open command prompt on passive node, then run %path to binaries%\setup.com /m:upgrade . Reboot passive node when setup completes 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 on any other passive nodes of this SCC (if applicable) 6. After reboot of passive node, open EMS on the passive node and do a "stop-clusteredmailboxserver" on the first clusteredmailboxserver we want to upgrade 7. After CMS stops, from the passive node do a "move-clusteredmailboxserver" on the first clusteredmailboxserver we wish to upgrade, moving it to one of the passive nodes 8. From the passive node, in the EMS, do a setup /upgradecms (does some kind of database upgrades, then brings the CMS online on what WAS the passive node) 9. Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the server which WAS an active node, but is now a passive node. Reboot when setup completes. 10. Use the "move-clusteredmailboxserver" command to move the "just upgraded" clustered mailbox server back to the passive node which you upgraded in step 9. (optional) 11. Repeat steps as necessary on the other active nodes/cms Am I missing anything here? One confusing tidbit I found in some documentation is this: Domain controllers The following applies to domain controllers: For the release to manufacturing (RTM) version of Exchange 2007 and for Exchange 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1), in each domain (including child domains) where you have the Exchange Enterprise Servers and Exchange Domain Servers groups and therefore must run Setup /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions, you must have at least one domain controller that is running Windows Server 2003 SP1 or a later version. I was unaware I needed to run this command. I seem to remember this from the initial exchange 2007 setup, however, that was only if you had Exchange 2003 or earlier, my organization did not. Is this step necessary, if so, when in the process should it be run.
June 23rd, 2011 4:16pm

One further thing. I think I mentioned, that I am doing SCR from all my MB servers to a set of Exchange MB servers at my DR site. Is it advisable to disable SCR (disable-storagegroupcopy) on all my SCR groups PRIOR to beginning my upgrade and re-seeding them later or let it ride? My DR Site servers consist of a pair of CAS/HT servers and several stand-alone MB servers.
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June 23rd, 2011 4:38pm

1. Seems like a good plan and you seem to have covered most things, good job. 2. I would obviously play close attention to the internet facing CAS and make sure backup the config and the server, in fact just make sure your Friday night's backups are all successful. 3. You might want to mobe your cluster group over too when you move your CMS over at the same time to yoyur passive nodes. 4. You dont have to run those legacycommands again, and you dont even have 2003. 5. I would suspend then resume your repl for the SCR targerts, it's more cleaner and controlled. 6. You may want to just runt he ExBPA before your execution just to give it a one over and give you more confidence that your exch org is ok, then run again after upgrades. 7. Again, some minor testing before and after the upgrade would be good so you know key functionality is still there. 8. You havent mentioned PF folders, dont you have them? If not then all good. Sukh
June 23rd, 2011 4:52pm

Thanks for the reply, I am kind of surprised I have just had 1. To your points: 6. Will do. The only issue I usually have when I run exBPA is it warning of "exchange is not fully installed" on my SCC MB servers which from everything I have found online is a known issue relating to installing the SCC and a bogus message. 8. I do have public folders, but am only using them for a couple applications which use them to publish custom forms, we do not allow users to store data in them or have access to them outside of the FORMS which are available. What, if any attention should I pay to them?
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June 24th, 2011 3:04pm

If the ExchBPA issue is known then not to worry. I mentioned PF folders as you didnt mention and just wanted to remind you to patch them too. There is no special or specific attentsion you need to pay to them as youve got downtime so users wont be accessing them any. They are straight forward to apply SP3 to. Good luck.Sukh
June 24th, 2011 3:22pm

Hi Troy12n. Some related information for you: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb691226(EXCHG.80).aspx http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/exchangesvrdeploy/thread/d1e853eb-5eab-492c-b0b2-1206c1c0cde8 Regards! GavinPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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June 27th, 2011 2:29am

So here's another quick question: When upgrading a specific node, regardless of role: Stop Exchange services or leave them running? On Mailbox servers, dismount stores or leave them mounted? I have a window this weekend when I am going to upgrade everything. On 2 of my CMS clusters, I have an issue with the install watermark? I have been told conflicting things about this, one says reinstall Exchange 2007 sp1 and let the install complete BEFORE installing SP3, the other says install SP3, it will disregard the watermark.
July 12th, 2011 4:48pm

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