Hi,I have administered Exchange 03 for years, good solid system. I have a new job now and we are using Kerios Mail Server atm.I want to install on Exchange, We have a small AD domain, 1 forest, 100 users(300 mailbox limit will do).I am going to split the mailstores so everythings not writing to the 1 controller.I have been doing my reading up on the deployment guide and prep guide. Installing these things is a whole new ball game from administering them.the only concern I have is how my Active directory will hold up during all the setup steps? anyone got any tips? Anybody done an install similar to this before? So far my plans are to use a new server with vmware server splitting to two powerfull servers(1 for backup(we dont have any!) one for exchange 03)Get it up and running while the Kerio mailserver is still in operation, confirm its working, migrate kerio mailboxes to psts. import into the new live exchange system.Before putting Exchange in I will have to do a Forest Prep , what are the implications of this or anything else I will be trying? TYMark

Anyone :O Please!

The implication of /ForestPrep switch would be: Extend the AD schema to add Exchange-specific classes and attributes since exchange needs to store own configuration object into AD, and create the container object for the Exchange organization in the domain naming context of AD. I believe you have seen these in deployment guide You shall use KB 274737 to verify the completion of forest preparation Notes: We shall use Microsoft supported virtualization environments. Microsoft has three software offerings, Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Virtual PC, and Microsoft Virtual Server; or we can use the 3rd-party products on the SVVP list Microsoft server software and supported virtualization environments Support policy for Microsoft software running in non-Microsoft hardware virtualization software