Hello,I have just one exchange 2003 server in Site A which has all the user's (not a lot, maybe 100) mailboxes. Site A has a DC of course, and site B has a DC too. Plan is to install another exchange 2003 server in Site B which will host all mailboxes of user's local to site B. The two sites are connected via a site to site VPN which seems to be cruising along just fine (for now), at a bandwidth of around T1 speeds. Now, for setting up the new exchange server here are the steps I have in mind, I would like know if I am missing something or something is wrong with my logic here. If so, please correct me. Incidentally both sites are in the same domain. And AD replication etc works just fine.1. Install the new exchange server in site B, into the same exchange org2. Create routing groups, move the correct servers into the respective routing group and create a routing group connector from both sides3. Move the mailbox of users who are local to site B to the exchange server in site B.Will these three steps make it work? Also, wouldn't this work even if I omitted step-2? (and assuming bandwith is of no concern)Thanks a lot in advance for your opnions and recommendations.Ross.

Assuming that new server is going to be a 2003. I think you are doing it good.Just one query. why you are going for seperate routing groups??Raj

Thanks for replying, Raj.yes, it's going to be 2003. Are the steps much different if it was exchange 2007? I came across a good link which describes the same situation, but they seem to be talking about exchange 2007 and the solution the author suggests is completely different from the steps I had in mind. That confused me, which resulted in this post. Or maybe that's another way of doing it? . For your reference, here is that link:http://fawzi.wordpress.com/2008/07/05/exchange-2007-two-servers-in-two-different-sites/Regarding separate routing groups, as you can see from my post, I have a doubt as to whether I really need it or not. I am under the impression that a routing group connector is not needed if the servers are connected via a fast enough link where there is no need to limit/control bandwidth. Did I get that right?Ross.

Hi Ross, Your plan seems to be good. I thought of putting in this way. It worked for me. Plan: 1. Goto Site 2 2. Make sure IP Configuration, DNS Configuration are in place. 3. Insert the Exchange cd, Run the Installation. 4. You will get an option to Select the Administrative group. Please allow the server to join in the Existing Administrative group. ( I assume it will be "First Administrative Group" by default) 5. Complete the Installation & Restart the Server if possible. 6. Now you may see both servers are in Same Administrative group. 7. The mail flow will work fine between two servers by default, as they are in Same admin group. No Routing group required. ( Even though you are in different sites ) 8. You may start moving mailboxes. ( If you install second server in different admin group, you may not able move mailboxes across admin groups until you upgrade your exchange server to Exchange 2003 Native mode) All the best :) Sathish Kumar Elango, MCSE 2003 & MCSA Messaging, Chennai. http://msexchangehelp.wordpress.com

Thanks for the steps, that will help.When you say DNS configurations in step-2, I was thinking of having the public MX records for both the exchange servers to have the same priority. And the internal MX records will have the same priority as well. Is there anything else in DNS that I need to do here to ensure proper mail flow to, from, and between the sites?Ross.

Hi Ross, That sound like a perfect DNS Config. Basically , Lets make sure the followings. DNS Configuration: 1. We are able to communicate with internal network. We may use the internal DNS Ip address asPrimary DNS. 2. We should be able to resolve external domains ( ex. Yahoo, Google) . We may use the external DNS Ip address as Secondary DNS Sathish Kumar Elango |MCSE 2003&MCSA Messaging |http://msexchangehelp.wordpress.com