Several months ago, I completed a staged migration of our users (~90 users) from our Exchange 2007 on-premise server to Office365.  All is well, and I'm now ready to deprecate the aging Exchange 2007 on-premise box which I no longer use for any other purpose than to create users.

I'm using DirSync (recently upgraded to Azure AD connect actually) to sync AD to Office365.  Currently, if I have a new user, I create them via EMC to allow me to configure the proxy address and SMTP external address (contoso.onmicrosoft.com for example) and then edit remaining properties via AD once the user has been created.  In order to remove the Exchange 2007, do I simply decommission and uninstall, which will then allow me to manage Exchange fields for users in EAC Exchange Online for Office365?  Or do I need to keep a local on-premise server installation if only for the EAC 2013?  Or will I still be able to edit Attributes (AD is 2007) for Exchange, then allow Azure Sync to connect, then enable licenses?

Thanks in advance for any clarity.

-TarTech

You say you have an Exchange 2007 server but use EAC 2013.  Something is missing.

Hi,

You seem confused.

Are you creating the new users in on-prem environment? That's I understood...

Did you follow all the steps of staged migration?

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj874018(v=exchg.150).aspx

After you have completed the move of all users, you need to remove the Exchange Server 2007. 

Only with the EMC(Exchange Server 2010)  that you will can connect to O365...

Hi,

If you want to remove Exchange 2007 from an Exchange hybrid deployment, I suggest we can refer to the below article to execute it :

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn931280(v=exchg.150).aspx

Regards,

David

Correct.  Thank you.  I'm ready to remove the Exchange 2007 which I have only retained for creating mail users to populate the SMTP address fields and allow for simple editing of adding aliases.  Because I use DirSync (AAD Connect) my understanding is that I cannot use EAC in Office365 to edit these fields.  Is this correct?

My question is, what tool will I then use to manage Exchange specific fields (proxy address, etc..).  Do I need to purchase licensing for Exchange Server 2010 or 2013 in order to have the EMC (2010) or EAC (2013) to manage these fields without using Attribute Editor or ADSI to edit?

Thanks again.

Regards,

Brad

Sorry David if I wasn't clear.  I'm not using a Hybrid deployment, but rather completed a Staged migration and simply have not decommissioned the Exchange 2007 on-premise server that was in place.  This was/is the only on-premise server with Exchange.  All mail is being routed through Exchange Online in Office365. 

From the link you mentioned, this statement is what throws me off:

If you implement a single sign-on solution, we strongly recommend that you maintain at least one Exchange server so that you can access Exchange System Manager (Exchange 2003) or the Exchange Management Console/Exchange Management Shell (Exchange 2007, Exchange 2010, and Exchange 2013) to manage mail-related attributes on the on-premises mail-enabled users. For Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2010, the Exchange server that you maintain should have the Hub Transport, Client Access, and Mailbox server roles installed. For Exchange 2013, you should maintain the Mailbox and Client Access servers.

I'm not currently utilizing single sign-on, but am using AAD Connect and thus still need to 'manage mail-related attributes on the on-premise mail-enabled users'.  Is this incorrect?

• Edited by tartech1 14 hours 8 minutes ago

Hi Ed,

Apologies, I do not use EAC2013 currently.  I'm asking if after I decommission the Exchange 2007 server (which I currently utilize EMC to create mail users, which adds them to AD with the correct proxy address fields and prepares them for syncing with AAD Connect to Office 365) what tools GUI tools I will have available for editing these fields.  My understanding from Microsoft Support is that because I utilize Azure AD Connect (formerly DirSync) for AD and password synchronization, that I cannot/should not make edits to users in EAC within the Office365 Admin Portal.

Thank you,

Brad

I would install the Exchange 2013 server before decommissioning the Exchange 2007 server.  There's an advantage to using the Exchange 2013 tool for recipient administration in that it has the same interface as the cloud, at least for the time being.  If your cloud licensing permits you a hybrid product key, you can use that on the Exchange 2013 server.

Be sure to install both the CAS and Mailbox roles.  The CAS is a doorstop without a mailbox server.

Thank you Ed, very helpful.  

You're welcome, happy to have helped.