Exchange and DC

[Badaz52]

We have an Exchange 2010 server on site at the moment which is configured to use one DC for its AD information. I want to upgrade that DC to Server 2012 R2 this summer so need to temporarily have it talk to one of our other DCs which are already Server 2012 R2, I have tried to do this by using a static DC/GC record but it didn't work and just caused massive problems.

 

What is the best way to achieve this?

 

We are also going to move to Exchange 2013 this summer so I'm not sure which would be the best way to go.

[IanT]

This would need careful planning of course.

 

Useful...

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh994618.aspx

 

Exchange Support For Windows Server 2012 R2 - 250 Hello - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj898583%28v=exchg.150%29.aspx

 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee332309%28v=exchg.150%29.aspx

 

https://4sysops.com/archives/how-to-migrate-exchange-2010-to-2013-part-1/

[3s-gtech]

I can't help massively atm as I'm not in front of my Exchange box currently, but can look tomorrow. Where have you set it to look at one DC only? Ours has only ever been set to talk to the whole domain, so when we upgraded the DCs there was no issue. That's better practice if possible. As for upgrading, the key is to avoid in-place, it won't work. Shift your existing install to a VM or other host, build new and follow the migration procedures above.

[ITGURU]

Not sure why you'd only have it configured to talk to only 1 DC - just let it use all of them by default. Gives you some redundancy especially if that DC goes down, and if you've made all DCs GC servers it won't affect your users.

[Badaz52]

Not sure why you'd only have it configured to talk to only 1 DC - just let it use all of them by default. Gives you some redundancy especially if that DC goes down, and if you've made all DCs GC servers it won't affect your users.

 

If I check in EMC it does say under configuration domain controller "use a default domain controller". However under system settings in server configuration it only shows one server under DC and Global catalog that are being used by Exchange. When I powered off this particular DC, Exchange disconnected. I did read somewhere though that it can sometimes take upwards of 15 minutes for Exchange to discover another DC but to be honest I panicked and switched it back on lol!

 

I could be getting confused with Exchange 2003 though because that definitely did not work with any other DCs only the one it was setup to use.