Hi All, I am ready to install Exchange 2010 into a single Exchange 2003 server environment soon. I have run the Exchange pre deployment analyzer and one of the warnings it has come back is we have SMTP configured to route all messages to a smart host. "Remove this option if this SMTP instance wil be set as the source or target transport server of a routing group connector between Exchange Server 2010 and an Exchange Server 2003 routing group." I would like to keep routing all of our outbound emails through this smart host. What do i need to do here. When Exchange 2010 is installed will all of the email be routed through the new exchange server - if so do I remove the smart host from the Exchange 2003 server and just configure 2010 to use it? Thanks

Having a smarthost configured in the Virtual Default Server for SMTP (Delivery Tab -> Advanced button) will break mail flow from 2003 -> 2010. You will need to remove the smarthost entry from the Virtual Default Server for SMTP. Don't worry, you can still use your smarthost for outbound email. So you have two options going forward: Create a new SMTP connector in 2003 and point it to your smarthost on 2003 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/265293) Create a new Send connector in 2010 and point it to your smarthost on 2010 (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997285.aspx) Email flow will work automatically between 2003 and 2010 using the routing group connector that gets configured automatically during the install of your first 2010 HUB server and route outbound depending on which host has the outbound connector.Tim Harrington | MVP: Exchange | MCITP: EMA 2007/2010, MCITP: Lync 2010, MCITP: Server 2008, MCTS: OCS | Blog: http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com | Twitter: @twharrington

Hi Tim, Thankyou for you quick reply - I have marked your answer as correct. It would probably make sense to install the new send connector onto the Exchange 2010 server as I want to retire the exchange 2003 server eventually. Could I just ask one more thing (I hope you dont mind) when I install Exchange 2010 into my 2003 environment should I install the roles seperately or should I just select typical installation allowing it to install the 3 roles that I need. The reason I ask is I have read several articles saying do it seperatlely as it can cause issues. I also have the Exchange 2010 with SP1 iso and Exchange 2010 iso. Is it best to install SP1 afterwards or just use the combined sp1 media? Many Thanks Chris

I would wait to install the send connector on Exch 2010 until after it is stable and your are finished configuring it as a whole. Last thing you want is to have email flowing from the start through 2010 and then have to reboot or restart services and cause disruption to your 2003 users. You can install all roles at one time (typical install). There is no need to install them one at a time. Actually Exch 2010 SP2 is out and you should start your install from that media. The media with the SP's are complete media so no need to install RTM and then step through the SP's. You can get the SP2 media (and fully install Exchange from the start with it) from: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=28190Tim Harrington | MVP: Exchange | MCITP: EMA 2007/2010, MCITP: Lync 2010, MCITP: Server 2008, MCTS: OCS | Blog: http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com | Twitter: @twharrington

Thanks thats an excellent point. Would it be best to remove the smart host from the virtual default server first and setup the smtp connector in 2003 and get it working. Then setup 2010 so there is no disruption to outbound email. Many Thanks

That would be the way that I would do it. That way you can test out all functionality for coexistence and then move over mail flow once you are comfortable with it. Tim Harrington | MVP: Exchange | MCITP: EMA 2007/2010, MCITP: Lync 2010, MCITP: Server 2008, MCTS: OCS | Blog: http://HowDoUC.blogspot.com | Twitter: @twharrington