I have a Exchange 2007 server in an AD that i have to move out from. The server is a WIndows 2008 server.  

Any ideas on what the best solution would be?

One of my ideas was to promote the exchange server to a DC and then move it out from the AD 

Hi

Not a good idea to have Exchange as a DC and still run the exchange services. you will run into more problems.;

Best would be to install a new DC, server 2012 perhaps, seize the roles to the new servers and demote the current 2008 server. i would have 2 DC's, one for redundancy if you ever lose one.

Is this what you want to achieve?

Hi

You cannot move Exchange servers between domains (or forests) so you would have to set up a new Exchange server and move the mailboxes over to it.  This is a complicated process but with the correct planning can be done with minimal impact to your users.

Steve

Hi,

Its not clear what you are trying to achieve. I understand that you have exchange 2007 server also running a domain controller (corrent me if I am wrong) and you want to make it a member server with only exchange running on it. Well it is not recommended to have exchange server install on top of domain controller. DCPROMO is unsupported on server running exchange.

The best way is to install exchange 2007 server on a member server in the same domain and move the mailboxes from existing exchange 2007 server to the new exchange server. ONce done, you can remove the exchange 2007 from the domain controller.

Regards..

Himanshu Rana

Hi

You cannot move Exchange servers between domains (or forests) so you would have to set up a new Exchange server and move the mailboxes over to it.  This is a complicated process but with the correct planning can be done with minimal impact to your users.

Steve

• Proposed as answer by Martina_MiskovicMVP 17 hours 43 minutes ago

Hi

You cannot move Exchange servers between domains (or forests) so you would have to set up a new Exchange server and move the mailboxes over to it.  This is a complicated process but with the correct planning can be done with minimal impact to your users.

Steve

• Proposed as answer by Martina_MiskovicMVP Monday, February 03, 2014 6:10 PM

Thanks for all replies. My Exchange 2007 server is not a DC at this moment. 

I simply want to find a way to migrate to Exchange 2010 in a new AD with so little downtime as possible

Hi

The is no downtime required and various ways to achieve your goal.  This guide is shows how you can do this with the Exchange native tools and commands: http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/06/10/exchange-2010-cross-forest-migration-step-by-step-guide-part-i.aspx

If you have the budget you can also use 3rd party tools like Quest.

Steve