Hi, we would like to move our 2013 exchange server to a hyper-v guest. I am thinking of using windows backup to back the whole server up and restore it to a guest machine with the same server name. Will that work? We don't want to setup a coexisting scenario, where we have to go and get new ssl, dns setting, mailbox migration etc.

Thank you all,

Kuby

Hi Kuby,

Based on my knowledge, I suggest we can install a new Exchange 2013 in your Hyper-v then do a migration from your physical Exchange server. Then you can down the physical Exchange server to only use the Hyper-v Exchange server for several weeks.

If there is no issue without the physical Exchange server, then you can remove it and only use the virtual Exchange server for mail service.

In your scenario, I am not sure if there is any issue during your backup and restore from Physical to Hyper-v. For your reference, here is a similar thread:

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/51dad20e-ddc6-42ad-a051-63ee3fff24a2/physical-exchange-server-convert-to-virtual-hyperv?forum=exchangesvrdeploy

About recover an Exchange server, please refer to:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd876880%28v=exchg.150%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Regards,