Its a very long time since I have done server deployments so 2003 is new to me so please bear with me. I am doing a new server as part of a small project and wish to know the following. Do I need a mirror volume for the OS or can this sit on the raid 5 array? I believe that was the case with Server 2000 if memory serves me correctly? I will add the new server to the domain befor decommissioning the old server, will all th AD components copy across or will I need to specifically copy anything ie the global catalogue etc, As its a long time since I have done server work can someone give me the commands to force replication, anything I need to be aware of as obviously I dont want to replicate the blank AD on the new server to the old server wiping out AD. I intend to use the old server purely as back up up as its got 320gig drive will this be ok? Its quite a simple task just a few holes in my knowledge these days

regarding the hardware for exchange 2003: read this to get started - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998073.aspx ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- regarding your question about the domain: ADwill automaticly replicate to other domain controllers in the domain. Global catalog is part of this, but you must manually designate servers as a global catalog. you need at least one per domain. How to create or move a global catalog in Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Small Business Server 2000 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313994 make sure you run dcpromo on the older domain controller, and dont just yank it from the network. though AD will replicate, exchange isnt that easy. do you have exchange already? if so what version, and how many servers? its not recommended to put exchange on a DC. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- you're asking two small questions and expecting this will help you plan a much larger project. you really need to read some more background info on active directory design as well as exchange design before you just start clicking buttons...

I fully appreciate its a more compex task, as I said its a long time since I have done any server work havving majored on Cisco and wireless for the last few years. Its a job for a very samll company and its only one server, almost defineitely Small Business Server. I will be migrating all of the data to the new server so will have to verify all the permissions are retained. Also I am pretty sure they only run exchange for calanders and use a third party to provide mail, I may be asked to reintegrate this to the new server? WIll it be possible to pair up a mailbox and a calander from two different domains to 1 client?

depending on how small the deployment is, simply importing PST files may be the answer. exmerge can do this with exchange 2003.