TABLE OF CONTENTS I often describe the Active Directory Connector as the lightsaber of Exchange 5.5 migration because it's extremely powerful and seems straightforward to implement; yet much like its fictional counterpart, the Active Directory Connector is actually a sophisticated tool that takes a good deal of mastery and careful use if it is to ultimately yield success.
As you migrate from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2003, it's unlikely that you will be able to migrate all Exchange 5.5 users in one single action. What's more likely, especially when you have thousands of users in your environment, is a long period of coexistence during which there will be a mixture of both Exchange 5.5 users and Exchange 2003 users. Correct deployment of the Active Directory Connector and appropriate CAs is key to facilitating this coexistence.
Much of the information described thus far about the Active Directory Connector relates to discrete aspects of Active Directory Connector functionality. This chapter ties those functionality aspects together and gives a complete picture of Active Directory Connector usage in a coexisting Exchange 5.5 and AD environment.
Let's take a step back quickly and review some fundamentals. A Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 domain is said to be in native mode if it contains only Windows 2000 or higher DC. So long as you meet this requirement, you can have any mix of Windows NT4, Windows 2000, and Windows 2003 member servers in that domain...
