Another note, if you do a server swing, you will not need to restore
your mailboxes from tape, just use the Exchange System manager move
mailbox task/feature. 

Regards
Ben
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Matthew Joyce
Sent: Friday, 10 December 2004 9:56 AM
To: Exchange Discussions
Subject: My mail server; advice please.


Hi,

I have to make a decision about our mail server, I value the opinions on
this list and want to ask you advice.

Back story:
We run Exchange 2003 sp1, on a Dell 2650.
It has three nics which are teamed for load balancing.
It is a DC, GC and several FSMOs
The OS was upgraded from NT4(pdc) SP6, and so there is 4GB C: and 100GB
D: (these are both on the same raid5 volume)(4x36gb)
This was the first system when we moved to AD.
The server performs it's function and systems have a reputation for
stability here.

Factor1:
I have had a niggling problem for a while now, basically this mail
server is the master browser and nothing I do seems to change that.
I changed the reg setting 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Browser\Parameters\
IsDomainMaster=FALSE

And set to TRUE on another server, but nothing changes.
Browcon fails saying it cannot find the master browser, but browstat
says Mail01 is the master.
I get occasional event log entries saying some server or other is
forcing an election.

Factor2:
I don't like the way the disks are configured in to one large volume,
and I don't like the 4gb C:.
With a maximum drive capacity of 5, I could add another drive and have
[1+2] Mirrored for system and logs and [3+4+5] raid 5 for stores.
Is that a good plan ?

Factor3:
I have to upgrade to Enterprise Edition, for what I have read this is
not a big issue, but if I'm configuring the system, I'd rather do it all
at once.

Question:
Should I just rebuild this system from scratch ?

This is what I want to do, but I just am not sure about the whole
process.
Do I...
        move gc role and fmos to different server
        backup the stores
        backup system state
        reconfigure the drives
        install OS
        promote to dc
        restore system state
        install exchange
        restore stores

Any advice would be appreciated.

thanks



Matt Joyce
Children's Cancer Institute Australia
http://www.ccia.org.au


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