Hi All,I am in very bad sitiuation ie. my company has been merged with another one therefore we have 2 forest and2 Exchange 07 on 2003 server. one of their CEO asked meto integrate 2 Exchange i.e. get rid of ouremail and use their one. Both side has about 100 usersHow can I go about that? Is there any tools that we can merge/ transfer a single mailbox from one forest to the other for the short term? and for the long term, I think I should merge 2 forest (how?) and is it possbile to merge 2 Exchange after merging 2 forest?Or is there any approaches for my scenario?Any help would be highly appreciated.Regards

Hello,I would like you to read the followingAD and Exchange Consolidationhttp://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/itanswers/ad-and-exchange-consolidation/Inter-Forest Migration/Consolidationhttp://forums.techarena.in/active-directory/1135548.htmDeciding to Consolidate Exchange Messaging Systemshttp://technet.microsoft.com/hi-in/library/bb124206(en-us,EXCHG.65).aspxServer Consolidation Recommendationshttp://technet.microsoft.com/hi-in/library/aa998499(en-us,EXCHG.65).aspxArun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

thank you Arun for your helpful links.Actually what I was looking for is that "how to move a Mailbox across forests" http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997145.aspxBut If you could explain to me what is the diff between a maibox content and entire mailbox, that would be great.Since using EXMERGE or even EXPORT cmd we can move a mailbox content only, and if we want to move an entire mailbox then we have to use move-mailbox cmd and the process is more complicated than EXMERGE and EXPORT.Thanks a lot again.Regards,

Yes you're following the right TechNet article for moving mailboxes, The difference between mailbox content and entire mailbox is, mailbox content is only the content inside the mailbox, like content inside the inbox, sent items, inside contact folder, etc and the entire mailbox with the whole hierarchy including, all the rules, folder permission, dumpster items, and almost everything inside mailbox.Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

Thank you for your explanation. So I think I should go for EXPORT since it is simple and all they need is inbox, sent items, contacts etc...Regards,

Howdy, yes, since both environments are on Exchange 2007 go with the Export from old XCH 07 and then Import to new XCH 07.Make sure the user accounts already exist and their mailboxes exist.You could consider migrating AD accounts to the new environment and then Exchange mail content.Many different ways to do it.BP - MCITP:EMA, MCTS

I would definitely choose here Move-Mailbox method to move across the forest because... Export-Mailbox cmdlet export the mailbox to PST and you need to import back to destination forest with Import-Mailbox cmdlet. When users try to reply old imported mails, it fails with NDR due to legacyExchangeDN will not be stamped as an x500 with Export-Mailbox cmdlet which stamped with Move-Mailbox (a big relief). Or else you need to add it manually in all user's proxy address of target forest... Auto complete, Reply-ability, I need my X500!!!! http://blogs.technet.com/mbaher/archive/2008/02/17/auto-complete-reply-ability-i-need-my-x500.aspx Amit Tank | MVP Exchange Server | MCITP:EMA MCSA:M | http://ExchangeShare.WordPress.com

Here I completly agree with Amit and would suggest to go for move-mailbox.here are points which you needs to consider before you choose option for import and export.1) Import and Export will break the SIS (Single instance storage) of mailbox store.2) As amit mentioned user will get NDR when they reply to old email.3) You have to recreated all the rules.4) Needs to re-configured all the folder permission.5) Mostly will loose the dumpster items.So the best to go for Move-Mailbox option.Arun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

Thank you all for your replies,Question on move-mailbox pls.Say I wanted to move a particular user (one of manager) across first, would I have to migrate this AD account into the other forest before we move his entire mailbox using move-mailbox cmdlet? At the moment, I already created his AD account and email account in the other forest so that he can send/receive emails with the new email address. Please adviseMany thanksRegards

vdz, check this article.Exchange 2007 Cross Org Mailbox Migration:http://msexchangeteam.com/archive/2006/11/02/430289.aspxThe target account should exist in the destination domain. best course of action would be to use ADMT to migrate the user to the new forest, then move-mailbox -allowmergeSee this link for more info:How to Move a Mailbox Across Forests:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa997145.aspxKeep in mind that a forest trust must be in place in order to do a AD Migration (consolidation) across forests. If you are doing a Domain collapse where you move users out of one domain and into another domain don't forget DNS and DHCP. those are likely managed by Active Directory as well.Good Luck!BP - MCITP:EMA, MCTS

Hi All,Thanks for your concern. Actually I got a "side effect" when I created a trust between 2 forest, somehow all appropriate users in "allow logon locally" in GPO were removed, so that no one could logon their Pc except local admin. It was fixed now.I have to undo everything, propably I will be doing on the week-end.Thanks guys

Hello,Strange - missing "allow logon locally" :S, well finally it fixed. However Keep on updating the same primary issueArun Kumar | MCSE - 2K3 + Messaging | ITIL-F V3

Hi All,First attempt failed.But I figured out thatIputwrong format of credential, I should put domain\username when prompted for username and password after issuing this cmdlet $T = Get-Credential $S = Get-Credential By the way there is any ways that I can do multiple users at the same time?Another issue related to adding multiple users using EMC, with my Exchange server 07, I have option"Add" to add more existing users at the same time, but their server it does not have that option, only "Browse" andlet me choose only one existing user ata time.... :( .I noticed that their Exchange server version is a bit older than mine. The main thing is I am doing move-mailbox in a test environment successfully. thank you guysCheers

Hi All,I thought I got it done, but when I logged on as a Test users, all empty like a new user, butduring move-mailbox processI saw clealry it transfered Inbox, sent items. and so on. It has been for 6 hours already it should be replicated. Have I missedany step at all? sorry this is the first time I have done it.Cheers

Hello All,update: I don't know what happened to the test user, but actually I am transfering the live production now. So far so good, but the thing is I have to do one by one and time consuming as well.Thanks