Migrating from outsourced POP3/SMTP to Exchange 2003

[techleet]

Hey all

We're in the process of migrating from external outsourced POP3/SMTP email to our own internal Exchange 2003 implementation on Win2k3 Advanced server. There are about 200 employees in the company, so this shouldn't be too nasty. Any ideas on good migration techniques?

My first thought was to configure client workstations with both Exchange and the existing POP3 accounts, once everyone had both, switch the MX record and then remove the POP3 account. This seemed like a decent approach, but it would require touching each client workstation twice.

My second thought was to install an addon Exchange POP3 connector to configure Exchange to download email from the existing external POP3 server on a per-user basis, and then setup each user, one at a time, on Exchange, thus the Exchange server is almost acting like an email-middleman. When all users are switched over to exchange, change the MX record and remove the POP3 connector. This also seemed like a decent approach, but costly (for the pop3 connector).

Are there any other solutions out there for this type of migration? All answers/tips appreciated!

Thanks!

[Ya_know]

I wish that I had the answers for you; I have zero exchange experience. I am looking to do the exact same sort of migration in the very near future...so I am certainly going to be all ears here...

[Reddman]

Came across this article...hope it helps in your migration quest.

Exchange Migration

[silencio]

Here's one tip, don't switch to delivery locations from the pst to the exchange server. It can be a real headache to import, start enforcing mailbox limits, and backup/restore.

[drewmaztech]

I have used a couple of those pop downloaders and was pretty impressed. msexchange.org has some good ones listed.

That was it's almost seamless for the end-users.

[techleet]

Came across this article...hope it helps in your migration quest.

Exchange Migration

This article is unfortunately for internal pop3, not external, so I don't believe you can use the M: drive.

[dddwarp]

Can your outside email server provider forward emails for accounts not listed? We have been migrating about 400 users from an old service provider to our new exchange 2000 system (I hate exchange) for the last year. We set up the old system to forward any emails for any acount not on their system to our new exchange. Then we change an user over (including joing a new 2000 domain) and cancel the account on the old. One touch. When we were done with the migrating, we changed the MX record on our DNS. It saved trips to the users.