Friday, April 4, 2008

Really going to Exchange? Have you seen this?

From Microsoft's technet forum, you know the site where they help you with your problems?
Redmond, we have a problem:
Go here for the whole article

How to Upgrade to Exchange 2007 SP1
Applies to: Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Topic Last Modified: 2008-03-11

"It is not supported to upgrade your operating system to Windows Server 2008, and then upgrade to Exchange 2007 SP1. It is also not supported to upgrade to Exchange 2007 SP1, and then upgrade your operating system to Windows Server 2008. To deploy Exchange 2007 SP1 on Windows Server 2008, you must install Windows Server 2008 on a computer that does not have Exchange installed, and then install Exchange 2007 SP1. "

So not only do I have to get another piece of hardware, but I can not do an inplace upgrade? Of either my OS or my email server.

And this makes perfectly logical sense does it?
A nice ROI and TCO....for Microsoft, not for you the customer.

Because last night and most days I upgrade Domino servers to R801. Takes not even 5 minutes from R8. Maybe 30 from R7 to R8 if that much.

That is ROI and TCO at it's best. Do I need any configuration changes, not usually and it JUST WORKS!

7 comments:

  1. So Keith are you working with customers who want to do this? Why else would you blog about it? :-)

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  2. He probably has customers who think this is the lamest, most ridiculous approach to server upgrades in the history of the Internets. If they have to nearly rip and replace to do an upgrade, why not move to a competitive platform that offers so much more than e-mail?

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  3. Chris,

    Lots of companies require upgrades to be done on separate hardware as to not effect business. I for one work for a company that no longer allows us to do a version upgrade without putting it on new hardware/software.

    While inplace is cool - it isn't cool when something goes wrong and you and I both know it does.

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  4. Bruce,
    It's great if you work for a company that requires (and is willing to pay for) new hardware every time you need to do an upgrade. However, it's ridiculous that in 2008, you have a vendor that requires you to get new hardware in order to upgrade to the new version of their software (especially just a service pack).

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  5. Bruce,
    We have customers who tell us they are going to Exchange and we like to offer our services to them, but let them know upfront the costs they will face.
    Additionally, sure, many will get new hardware, no question. but my point is, if you have perfectly good and newish hardware this is just not right.
    Have I had server upgrades go bad? Sure. that is why i do a backup, to a SAn or HD before starting one.
    I can then revert everything back in minutes.
    Not something you can easily do in an Exchange environment, evidently from this technote.

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  6. Keith,

    How are you letting your customers go as far to even consider migrating? What aren't they seeing in their current Notes/Domino environment?

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  7. Bruce,
    These are customers/clients from my partner's firm and in some cases, as usual, it is politics.
    However, I am finding many sites which have had terrible admin headaches and server issues, usually because of a lack of knowledge in house, that now just want out.
    I try to save them by cleaning them up but you know it's too late sometimes.

    However, doing the demo's of R8 online or them hitting our server does get them very interested.
    See me previous posts on the DAMo demo and other R8 demos.

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