Hi Exchange Gurus Exchange 2007/2003 SP2 environment with Windows 2008 DCs. We have multiple AD sites, most users are on Exchange 2007 but we have some 2003 servers left too. In SiteA, we have Windows 2008 DC's and Exchange 2007 SP2 only. Exchange wise we have 3 Exchange clusters (SCC Active/Active/Passive), 4 Hub Transports and 2 CAS's. There are also 3 Windows 2008 GC's (GC1, GC2, GC3). One of those GC's is running on hardware that is End of Life, so needs to be shut down. We are going to DCPromo it down next week. I'm worried about the effect on Exchange. During the DCPromo exercise, will Exchange run into problems if it's using that GC? Is there anyway to configure Exchange NOT to use that GC without hardcoding static GC's? At the moment, GC's are chosen by Exchange automatically.

If you take away the global catalog role, then restart system attendant shortly afterwards, then it will not be an issue. Exchange will only use a GC/DC, and system attendant being restarted forces Exchange to look for another GC. That way it is all under your control. Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

Hi, You needn’t worry about the effect on Exchange. DSAccess will detect the topology. Firstly, it would detect the configDC role in your site, then detect working DC list and working GC list. In case of some error, you can manually specify a DC/GC to work.

Hi, You needn’t worry about the effect on Exchange. DSAccess will detect the topology. Firstly, it would detect the configDC role in your site, then detect working DC list and working GC list. In case of some error, you can manually specify a DC/GC to work.