tcatlinins,

Thanks for your prompt response.

I would love to get a new box, then 'swing' the users from old to new, but how do I do that? Did you mean like migrating VM subscriber from old box to the new one? In that case can old and new version co-exist together and move subscriber from one place to others?

Thanks.

Personally, im not a huge fan of DIRT. So what I have been doing is the following:

install the new server with Unity 5.x, into the existing AD with current 4.x deployment. Integrate it to the old Exchange 2000.

You will need to make sure the existing Exchange 2000 and Exchange 2007 are in the same ORG. Or this will not work.

Digitally network the Unity systems together.

Re-create your CallHandlers, system settings, blah blah on the new Unity 5.x server. I do this by saving the wav files and copy and paste them to the new server.

If you have extensive CallHandlers, a DIRT backup/restore might be better. (time is a factor)

Using the Global Subscriber Migration tool, you can move subscribers from the OLD server to the new server. (fairly simple to do.) This will bring over all their personal greetings, passwords, recorded name, etc)

Once they are moved to the new server, test everything out. Let it run for a week or so all the bugs are worked out, etc. CH are tested, etc.

Now, when you are ready, have the AD people migrate the users from Exchange 2000 to Exchange 2007. ONce they are moved, you will need to run the Mailstore tool and associate the Unity 5.x server to the new 2007 server. It should sync everything back up update all the mailstore for each subscrber.

Of course, when you have another server, you can test some of this fairly simple without a lot of risk. If you are doing this in place, you need a rollback plan of attach. (DIRT, Pull a drive, etc)

hope this helps

tcatlinins,

Great info. I'd rather go with 'migration' option than 'in-place upgrade' as you suggested.

We have not deployed 2007 yet since it requires new facelift on AD schema. Everything will be tied into one ORG so no problem fo us.

I have several questions about your comments;

1. install the new server with Unity 5.x, into the existing AD with current 4.x deployment. Integrate it to the old Exchange 2000. <- I'm assuming that you want us to install new 5.x with home Exchange server pointed to Exchange 2000/2003, correct?

1. Digitally network the Unity systems together <- what do you mean by that? I noticed people with 5.x used this term quite often.

2. Re-create your CallHandlers, system settings, blah blah on the new Unity 5.x server. <- Can call handlers have the same extension# on different system?

3. If you have extensive CallHandlers, a DIRT backup/restore might be better. (time is a factor) <- I'm assuming that I would have to run DIRT from 4.x and restore backup from 5.x. I thought you could only restore information from the backup that was performed on the same platform.

Again I really appreciate your information.

Thanks.

1. Yes, because then you use and test the new Unity server with the existing Exchange 2000/2003. It's a two step process. Upgrade Unity first, then Exchange.

2. http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/788/AVVID/dig-ntwk-mixed-exchg.html

Digital networking basically means the servers are aware of each other and can share information. The only reason we digital network servers is that we want to use it for the Globals Migration tool in the Unity tools depot. You can break down the digital networking when you are done with the migration.

2. (numbers are off :) ) You want to recreate everything exactly, because this Unity server will be your production server. They are not used until you actually break the connetion between Unity 4.x and CUCM and then recreate the connection with Unity 5.x and CUCM.

3. You can run DIRT. DIRT backup the Unity 4.0.4 server. Then install Windows 2003, Unity 4.04, etc. and restore DIRT to the new server. This will have all your CH, subsribers, everything. But then you have to upgrade to Unity 5.x after that. So if you have time, and want to install unity twice you can. The breaking point is the CH in my opinion. If you have a ton of CH to recreate, then maybe DIRT is more effecient. if you dont then taking 3 minutes to recreate the CH, is not a big deal.

Cheers

Great!

So if I summarized your comments, what I wanted to dos are;

1. Install Unity 5.x on new server (homed to Exchange 2000/2003 server)

2. Digitally networked old and new Unity server.

3. Recreate CH and system settings.

4. Migrate VM subscriber from old Unity to new with using global migration tool.

5. Break digital networking

6. Evaluate new system

7. Decommission old Unity

8. Install Exchange 2007

9. Migrate mailboxes from 2003 to 2007

Please review and correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks.

Perfect!

Thank you so much for paying attention to this post and providing suitable solution for us.

Have a nice day.