Why one of my BE depends from the other? (Ex2003)
Recently I needed to move the Exchange Server from Virtual to Physical. The same Virtual Server was the DC and Exchange 2003 Server. What I did is deploy two new physical servers. One is a new Front-End and the second is a new Back-End. Then I have changed the entire configuration for the existing VM so that it uses the Front-End, changing the topology now for one FE and two BE servers. Everything is working fine, so that I could begin to move mailboxes from VM-BE to physical BE. Now all the mailboxes are in the new physical BE server using an SMTP connector to send through the new FE server. Everything continues working fine till here. Now I need to remove the old VM Exchange Server from the Organization, but before remove it, I’m trying to test stopping all the Exchange, WWW, NNTP, SMTP services on VM server, but when I do that the new BE server is retaining the messages in a queue. The queue name is the VM (old Exchange) host name. Going to the VM server and start the SMTP service empty the queue. The question is: Where can I identify the communication between both BE servers? Why the new BE server with the mailboxes need the SMTP on the old Exchange BE to send the messages? Is needed the services on the VM old Exchange server just because it is part of the organization, and just removing the server it should works? Thanks in advanced for any sugestion.... Regards, Jorge
June 10th, 2011 3:11pm

I think those messages are for PF replication. Have you replicated the PF from VM BE server to new BE server? If yes and you don't need the PF on VM BE, move replicas and then stop the services and then eventually uninstall Exchange.
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June 10th, 2011 3:32pm

1. Check to see what messages they are. Send a test message to an external address and see what route it takes with MT. Do the same with a internal message. 2. Check winroute to see check your routes 3. Check for any smarthost settings on the virtual smtp server via ESMSukh
June 10th, 2011 5:05pm

Hello Jorge, Any update on the issue?Gulab | MCITP: Exchange 2010-2007 | Skype: Gulab.Mallah | Blog: www.ExchangeRanger.Blogspot.com
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June 13th, 2011 6:25am

Hello All, I verified some of your recomendations but the problem is still there.... The thing is when I just stop the SMTP server in the VM old Exchange Server. The queue created in the new Backend with the name like the old server, in the more info bar below said: The remote server did not respond to a connection attempt. Then in the message tracking center one of the message stuck in queue has: ... SMTP: Started Message Submission to Advanced Queue SMTP: Message Submitted to Categorizee SMTP: Message Categorized and Queued for Routing SMTP: Message Sent to Badmail PF replication is stop on the old server, but I cant move the replica because of SSL certificate error.... I changed the Routing Master for the New Backend server..... Now winroute showme the new server as master. The issue is still there and is ocurring with internal (same domain) messages. No smart host configuration. Just only using SMTP connector with the FE as bridghead..... Again starting the SMTP service on the old server, empty the queue on new server.... Thanks for your recomendations, if any other hints just let me know. Thank you guys!
June 13th, 2011 4:15pm

Hi Jorg, Do you still have a internet smtp connector on the old VM server? Please check belwo, and remove it, and then make some test. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996068(EXCHG.65).aspx Regards! GavinPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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June 16th, 2011 5:50am

Hello Gavin, Thanks for the article, it is great... Look I did some changes to simplify the things but still a weird behavior. I have removed the SMTP Connector and now I have configured the SMTP on BE to use the FE as Smart Host. Seems like everything is working, but If I stop the SMTP on the old-BE, some messages (not all) comming from outside (internet) remain on queue in FE (queue name like the old-BE host name).... As soon as I start old-BE smtp service, the queue is empty. The question is: Why the FE needs to deliver to old-BE if all the MailBoxes are in new BE.... ??? There in some place may be a wrong route or something like that..... Any help I appreciate it.... Thanks!
June 16th, 2011 11:01am

Hi Jorg, Do you still have a internet smtp connector on the old VM server? Please check below, and remove it, and then make some tests. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996068(EXCHG.65).aspx Regards! Gavin Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
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June 16th, 2011 12:49pm

"The same Virtual Server was the DC and Exchange 2003 Server" Do you have new DCs and Global Catalog ? before you trun of this virtual server ? Dhruv
June 17th, 2011 9:48am

Yes, the same Virtual Server is a DC and Exchange 2003. I have another GC and DCs, but the New Exchange is using also this one (VM) as DC and DNS....
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June 17th, 2011 11:42am

Hi jorgeantoniopr, Per your description, you have the old Virtual Server with DC and exchange installed, do you just want to remove the exchange 2003 from the virtual server? If you have other DC server, I would suggest that you could move the FSMO to the new DC server, and then shutdown the old virtual server to make some tests to confirm the mailflow correctly. Or, you could use the tool winroute to check the mail routing to analyze the issue: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=10947 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281382 Regards! GavinPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.
June 20th, 2011 1:36am

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