Just over 40% of all EXRAP’s (Exchange Risk Assessment Programs) performed last year (2012) by Microsoft, involved Exchange 2003 servers. This means many companies are going to think about migrating from Exchange 2003 to 2013, and they'll ask you, the Exchange Engineer, to implement it. However, you’ll be out of luck. You’ll have to do at least a double hop migration from 2003 to 2010 to 2013.
Think you can trick the install? Guess what, this is the error you’ll get when you try:
That’s right, if any Exchange 2003 servers are detected in the forest, the install will not be allowed to proceed. You could do an Export-Import process using .pst files from one Exchange 2003 organization to another completely new Exchange 2013 organization, but who really wants to do one of those?
To help you with your migration steps, here is the Exchange 2013 Deployment Assistant: http://technet.microsoft.com/exdeploy2013 and the Exchange 2010 Deployment Assistant: http://technet.microsoft.com/exdeploy2010. As you can see, the process isn’t necessarily difficult to get your organization to Exchange 2013, but one that will include some engineering work and careful planning. Listed here are the requirements for an Exchange 2013 environment: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa996719.aspx
Exchange 2013 planning:
As of today’s post, we do not currently have the Exchange 2013 MBX Calculator ready for public consumption. Here is the Exchange 2010 one: Exchange 2010 Storage Calculator. Rest assured that the product group is working feverously on updating the document and will publish it as soon as it is ready. This document will have the current guidance on memory and disk design to help build out your Exchange 2013 environment. Watch the Exchange Team Blog site for updated information. Internally we consider the blog site comparable to full TechNet documented information. If it’s posted there, it can be considered best guidance, best practice, or “because Microsoft said so” form of advice.
And as always, we’re here to help in your migration steps as you move forward to the next on premises version of Exchange in your company, or to our Office 365 offering. From a small business, to medium, to enterprise class companies, and even families at home, being able to empower your employees and family members with virtually anywhere access to e-mail, Microsoft is here to help.