Hi All I have searched the forums but am unable to find a response or thread matching my request. I am currently studying Exchange 2010 from the ground up using MCTS Training Kit 70-662. Everywhere I am reading states that the Forest functional level must be at least Windows Server 2003 - which I understand perfectly fine except for the fact that my current workplace infrastructure Forest Level is running as Windows 2000?! I guess I am querying the scenarios where this would be applicable? Would it be due to upgrades from previous versions of Exchange? Thanks in advance

Are you saying that you actually have Exchange 2010 installed in a 2000 AD Forest? This is not possible. Please verify. Also see the supportability matrix: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff728623.aspxTim Harrington | MVP: Exchange | MCITP: EMA 2007/2010, MCITP: Server 2008, MCTS: OCS | Blog: http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com | Twitter: @twharrington

When you say "This is not possible" you are, in fact, incorrect. I just got a call from a customer who has Exchange 2010 installed with both forest and domain at Windows 2000 level. I'm looking at AD Domains and Trusts and can say the following with absolute certainty: Exchange 2010 with SP1 was installed onto a Server 2008R2 SP1 machine. There was no previous Exchange installation in this environment. Two domain controllers exist, with 2003R2 and 2008 respectively. The forest is in Windows 2000 mode. The domain is in Windows 2000 mode. If this is supposed to be impossible, there is a problem with the setup in this configuration. I am planning to upgrade the forest to 2003 mode before the customer goes live, but this should not have been able to happen. EDIT I contacted Microsoft and was told, in writing, that I could upgrade to AD 2003 mode without causing any issues in my environment. I did so, and so far no smoke has come out of anything.

When you say "This is not possible" you are, in fact, incorrect. I just got a call from a customer who has Exchange 2010 installed with both forest and domain at Windows 2000 level. I'm looking at AD Domains and Trusts and can say the following with absolute certainty: Exchange 2010 with SP1 was installed onto a Server 2008R2 SP1 machine. There was no previous Exchange installation in this environment. Two domain controllers exist, with 2003R2 and 2008 respectively. The forest is in Windows 2000 mode. The domain is in Windows 2000 mode. If this is supposed to be impossible, there is a problem with the setup in this configuration. I am planning to upgrade the forest to 2003 mode before the customer goes live, but this should not have been able to happen.