E2K3/E2K7 co-existence design/deploy - Public Folder related
Our Scenario: E2K3 & E2K7 SP1 co-existence. E2K7 installed on Windows 2003. Mail clients in use Outlook 2000, 2003, 2007, mobile devices, blackberry. Presently, all users are in Exchange 2003 environment and only a few test users exist in Exchange 2007 environment Multiple E2K3 BE and FE servers with PF database 2 CCR pairs in E2K7. No standalone Exchange 2007 mailbox server exists. No PF database exists on any CCR (in other words no PF Database in Exchange 2007 environment) E2K7 CAS and HUB Roles exist on dedicated servers Currently, Routing Group Connector is between Exchange 2003 RG (contains only FE servers) and Exchange 2007 RG (contains all Exchange 2007 servers). Public Folder Referrals are allowed between the 2 Routing Groups Currently, All Exchange 2007 mailbox databases are associated with Public folder database on FE server All E2K7 mailbox databases are configured to use either of Exchange 2003 PF store as default PF database. OAB points to Exchange 2003 inherited/generated Offline Address bookQuestions/Clarifications:1. Is it mandatory to create a PF store in E2K7 during co-existence phase, particularly to avoid issues such as OAB and F/B?2. Will F/B information be shared/replicated between E2K3 & E2K7 (using Outlook 2003/2000) if PF database doesn't exist in Exchange 2007 environment?3. Is it advisable to create PF database on CCR, given the compatibility issues between continuous replication & PF replication? If a PF has to be created on CCR, will it replicate & co-exist with Exchange 2003 Public Folders.4. If PF Database doesn't exist on CCR, will OWA 2007 users be able to access the PF database via OWA?5. If a E2K7 mailbox user uses Outlook 2003, will the F/B information of this user be saved in Exchange 2003 Public folders (Currently, Exchange 20007 Mailbox store is associated with Exchange 2003 Public Folder Database)6. Given that F/B / OAB information for E2K3 users resides on PF database & F/B / OAB information for E2K7 users reside in the user's mailbox retrieved via EWS Vdir, how would the OAB & F/B update syncs between E2K3 & E2K7 in case we don't create a PF database in E2K7?Hope to hear from you in detail ASAP. Harry
February 7th, 2009 7:43pm

All depends on what your long term goal is.Is it correct that you want to move everything to Exchange 2007 and remove all Exchange 2003 servers? If you need a PF depends on your clients, only Outlook 2007 can function without PF in the Exchange environment. If you have earlier versions of outlook you need to have at least one PF database in the environment, prefferable two PF DB for redundancy. I would not create a PF DB on a CCR system until absolutely needed. It will work as long as everything else is working, but if something happens that cause a failover, there is big chance that you will end up with a PF that cannot be mounted. During the transition, there is a window when you have to have a PF DBon a CCR system when you replicate PF's to it. Keep this time window as small as possible to minimize the possible problem with non mountable PF DB. You can also skip to have a PF DB on CCR and leave it on one or two Exchange 2003 servers or install one or two Exchange 2007 servers with only mailbox role to host the PF DB. This would be my recomendation. lasse at humandata dot se, http://anewmessagehasarrived.blogspot.com
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February 8th, 2009 1:46pm

Lasse,It would be wonderful if get all the answers per question manner - so that nothing misses please :) Thanks in advance...my scenario is mix of legacy outlook & OL 2007 & the co-existence period is near 6 months - so we need very good redundancy in the interim as well.my scenario is detailed in my post above.4 questions for you:1. Given that i would have OL2000, OL2003 & OL2007 clients - with mailboxes across E2K3 & E2K7, do I need to have a PF store in E2K7 compulsorily? (i dont mind to install standalone mbx inE2K7 - but dont want to bring in extra server). Note - there are 7-8 servers in E2K3 which hold PF stores. Can I avoid creating PF store in E2K7, without any loss in functionality/availability?2. one confusionif OL2003 user (mailbox on E2K3) logs in, F/B info is stored in public folderif OL2007 user (mailbox on E2K3) logs in, F/B info is stored in public folderif OL2003 user (mailbox on E2K7) logs in, F/B info is stored in public folderif OL2007 user (mailbox on E2K7) logs in, F/B info is stored in the mailboxis it correct?3. In above case, if a user OL2007 user(mailbox on E2K7) updates F/B data & then the same user logs into OL2003, how would the F/B data syncronize at the server end - both for self & other users in the entire org?Similarly - in case when mailbox is on E2K3, & user swithces between OL2003 & OL2007, how would F/B & OAB data syncs/updates in across te org?4. If I have PF databases in E2K3 & no PF databases in E2K7, in a coexistence scenario, how would the F/B & OAB information syncs/updated across. I know that the default period of 15 minutes for 2 months period for F/B. But how would PF in E2K3 & EWS/MBX in E2K7 sync up?Also, need answers from the post above:Questions/Clarifications from post above:1. Is it mandatory to create a PF store in E2K7 during co-existence phase, particularly to avoid issues such as OAB and F/B?2. Will F/B information be shared/replicated between E2K3 & E2K7 (using Outlook 2003/2000) if PF database doesn't exist in Exchange 2007 environment?3. Is it advisable to create PF database on CCR, given the compatibility issues between continuous replication & PF replication? If a PF has to be created on CCR, will it replicate & co-exist with Exchange 2003 Public Folders.4. If PF Database doesn't exist on CCR, will OWA 2007 users be able to access the PF database via OWA?5. If a E2K7 mailbox user uses Outlook 2003, will the F/B information of this user be saved in Exchange 2003 Public folders (Currently, Exchange 20007 Mailbox store is associated with Exchange 2003 Public Folder Database)6. Given that F/B / OAB information for E2K3 users resides on PF database & F/B / OAB information for E2K7 users reside in the user's mailbox retrieved via EWS Vdir, how would the OAB & F/B update syncs between E2K3 & E2K7 in case we don't create a PF database in E2K7?Thanks,HarryHarry
February 8th, 2009 4:46pm

A1: Yes. In a mixed exchange environment, one default public folder database will be created automatically to ensure backward compatibility to exchange 2003, which will support legacy Schedule+ free and busy functionality A2: As said in A1, a default public folder database will be necessary for a mixed exchange environment, and a standalone public folder server in the exchange 2007 is good as Lasse suggested A3: It depends on your demand. Yes, theres something you need to know between continuous replication & PF replication: If more than one Mailbox server in the Exchange organization has a public folder database, public folder replication is enabled and public folder databases should not be hosted in CCR. If a public folder has to be created on CCR, it won't replicate with Exchange 2003 Public Folders, public folder replication is disabled in such scenario Notes: For more info, please see Cluster Continuous Replication and Public Folder Databases section in Planning for Cluster Continuous Replication A4: Yes, OWA 2007 users can still access public folder via OWA under certain condition, which is that your exchange organization must have Exchange 2003 public folder servers, and you have associated those public folders store with users mailbox store as default public folder store Notes: For more info, please see Outlook Web Access and Exchange 2007, Exchange 2003, and Exchange 2000 Coexistence A5: In such scenario, client will always attempt to retrieve free/busy info from Schedule+ free/busy system folder. So per my knowledge, the free/busy info will save in exchange 2003 public folders. But, a default public folder database in the exchange 2007 will always be recommended Notes: Please see Considerations with Mixed Exchange 2007 and Exchange 2003 Organizations section in Understanding Public Folders A6: In such scenario, you must ensure theres public folder store associated with mailbox store, and enable public folder distribution when you create an OAB Notes: You may create a lab for testing, which can prepare yourself better before the transition Resources: For the different access methods for free/busy information retrieval are used in environments that consist of Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007 as well as Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007, please see Version Issues section in Exchange 2007 Availability Services Cannot View Default Public Folder from Outlook 2007 in Mixed Topology When Public Folder Resides on Exchange 2007 Mailbox Server Best Practices for Transitioning an Exchange Organization
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February 10th, 2009 6:31am

Cool James...Q1. The most important question: I understand the best practise to have a PF database on a standalone MBX server in case of a coexistence scenraio.Given that F/B / OAB information for E2K3 users resides on PF database & F/B / OAB information for E2K7 users reside in the user's mailbox retrieved via EWS Vdir, how would the OAB & F/B update syncs between E2K3 & E2K7 as we dont intend to create a PF database in E2K7? Can we live without a PF database in Exchange 2007 at all in a coexistence scenario without loosing any F/B, OAB & OOF backward & onward functionality?Q2.Given that i would have OL2000, OL2003 & OL2007 clients - with mailboxes across E2K3 & E2K7, do I need to have a PF store in E2K7 compulsorily? (i dont mind to install standalone mbx inE2K7 - but dont want to bring in extra server). Note - there are 7-8 servers in E2K3 which hold PF stores. Can I avoid creating PF store in E2K7, without any loss in functionality/availability?Q3.one confusionif OL2003 user (mailbox on E2K3) logs in, F/B info is stored in public folderif OL2007 user (mailbox on E2K3) logs in, F/B info is stored in public folderif OL2003 user (mailbox on E2K7) logs in, F/B info is stored in public folderif OL2007 user (mailbox on E2K7) logs in, F/B info is stored in the mailboxis it correct?Q4.In above case, if a user OL2007 user(mailbox on E2K7) updates F/B data & then the same user logs into OL2003, how would the F/B data syncronize at the server end - both for self & other users in the entire org?Similarly - in case when mailbox is on E2K3, & user swithces between OL2003 & OL2007, how would F/B & OAB data syncs/updates in across te org?Q5.If I have PF databases in E2K3 & no PF databases in E2K7, in a coexistence scenario, how would the F/B & OAB information syncs/updated across. I know that the default period of 15 minutes for 2 months period for F/B. But how would PF in E2K3 & EWS/MBX in E2K7 sync up?Harry
February 10th, 2009 1:21pm

Harry,Have you got anymore info on this type of medium-term coexitence between 2003 and a 2007 CCR regarding Public Folders ?We are in the same situation here, and looks like a catch-22 and we don't want to dedicate a 2007 PF server ...Thanks in advance !Raphael.
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August 25th, 2009 1:52am

Raphael, For co-existence, there's no compulsion on you to create any PF database on Exchange 2007 side. In a longer run, you either need to dedicate a PF DB on a standalone server or if you've got only one CCR pair, then you can go for PF DB on the CCR. Do let me know if I need to elaborate on any point. Regards, HarryHarry
August 26th, 2009 3:03pm

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