Upgrading to Exchange Server 2007

Checking for Readiness
You should now be able to run Setup and install Exchange 2007. Before you do, though, I recommend performing one last check: Run the Exchange Server Best Practices Analyzer (ExBPA) to make sure that the existing Exchange organization is ready. You can download the latest version of this free tool from http://www.microsoft.com/exchange/exbpa. At the time this article was written, the most recent version was 2.7. The machine that you install ExBPA on must be running Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 and must have the IIS Common Files installed.

You'll also need to download the latest updates for ExBPA because the Exchange 2007 readiness check isn't included in version 2.7. When the updates have been downloaded and installed, restart ExBPA and click the link to go to the Welcome screen, followed by the link to select options for a new scan. Now, verify that ExBPA is displaying the name of one of your DCs, then click Connect to the Active Directory server. You'll see a screen that lets you set the scope and type of scan you want to perform. As Figure 4 shows, an Exchange 2007 readiness check is one of the options you can choose. Use this check to verify that your AD and your existing Exchange organization are adequately prepared to accept Exchange 2007.

You're now prepared to complete the Exchange 2007 upgrade process. You can install Exchange 2007, then migrate the data from legacy servers that your Exchange 2007 server will replace. For a quick reference on the tasks to prepare your legacy organization for upgrading, see the sidebar "Step by Step to Exchange 2007."