We currently are in a SBS 2003 environment and are moving to a standard active directory model away from SBS. I am adding a brand new server and installing Exchange 2010 on a new server. Can I just move the mailboxes from the 2003 server to the 2010 server or do I need to migrate using the coexist methodolgy?

If you are building a new Forest then you cannot use any of the automated methods because they require a trust, which SBS doesn't support. If you are simply adding enough servers to the existing Forest so that you can remove SBS 2003 (so a full domain controller, Exchange server etc) then you can use move mailbox to move the data between the servers. Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

yes, its the same forest. I am literally just adding a new 2010 server and removing the 2003 server. I will be transfering the FSMO rolesfrom the SBS server to a new domain server first before I install and add the new 2010 exchange server.

Don't move the FSMO roles, that will upset SBS. You will need to remove them just before you decommission the SBS server, so that will be a long way down the path. Exchange only needs the global catalog function which can be on multiple DCs so if you are building a new domain controller then make it a GC. Otherwise it is a standard migration, nothing special, all of the guides for the process are the same. Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

ok, so , to be clear, your saying I shouldn't do the domain server migration before I move to Exchange 2010? I have several articles and processes that show I have to transfer the FSMO roles when moving from the SBS 2003 to Standard 2008R2. I want to make sure I do these in the correct order and verifiy I am ok to move exchange servers before the server migration.

You will have to move the FSMO roles at some point, but as SBS likes to be in charge and have the five roles and will complain and then shutdown when it doesn't, you have to do it last. It makes no difference from a migration point of view, as SBS 2003 meets the requirements to support Exchange 2010. Simon.Simon Butler, Exchange MVP Blog | Exchange Resources | In the UK? Hire Me.

Great, thanks Sembee, this was very helpful.