Topic: Mail setup

[Dan Slagle]

We are currently trying to replace our exchange server with a e-smith server.  The only way I could get the e-smith server to send mail correctly is putting the exchange mail server (as known in the MX record) as the delegate mail server.  If I did not do this mail would not be sent because it would try to find users still on exchange as users on the e-smith box.  Currently, only subset of users has been fowarded to the e-smith box.

Now it seems nothing is being forwarded to the e-smith box but mail still goes out fine.

example dan@domain.com would be forwarded to dan@e-smith.domain.com

Suggestions?

[Darrell May]

Dan Slagle wrote:
>
> We are currently trying to replace our exchange server with a
> e-smith server.  The only way I could get the e-smith server
> to send mail correctly is putting the exchange mail server
> (as known in the MX record) as the delegate mail server.  If
> I did not do this mail would not be sent because it would try
> to find users still on exchange as users on the e-smith box.
> Currently, only subset of users has been fowarded to the
> e-smith box.
>
> Now it seems nothing is being forwarded to the e-smith box
> but mail still goes out fine.
>
> example dan@domain.com would be forwarded to
> dan@e-smith.domain.com
>
> Suggestions?


Hi Dan,  you don't mention how many users or Exchange sites you're dealing with which might change my suggestion.  For now, I'll make a lot of assumptions...

I'll assume you are using Outlook currently to access your Exchange Server and all end users have a valid Exchange Server profile in their Outlook profile.  Normal outlook set-up.

Why don't you leave the Exchange Server alone and acting as it was before as the mail server for the office.  Set up the e-smith server as appropriate to replace the Exchange server and simply give it a different IP address for now.  Move every users Outlook message store to an Outlook Personal Folder but leave the Exchange Server as the default delivery and addressing server.  In addition simply add a new Internet-E-mail service for all your users to connect to the e-smith server.  Again leave the Exchange Server and services running as default.

Finish the above for all users and then it is simply a matter of coordinating the Exchange Server to e-smith-server switchover all in one swoop.  All that is required, in coordination of course, is switch the IP of the e-smith server to match the Exchange Server and take the Exchange Server offline.  E-smith will assume the e-mail server role without a pause.  Then for every user, visit and delete the Exchange Server profiles from their Outlook Services.  Immediately the user profile will switch defaults to their Internet E-mail service and your done.

Again, I made a lot of assumptions...

Regards,

Darrell