Exchange 2000 migrations are multifaceted involving changes to the server operating system, messaging architecture and directory services. This triggers interdependent changes that impact the entire IT infrastructure. Given the interdependencies of the new environment, it is advisable to use consulting services to assist with architecture design and migration.
Exchange 2000 requires careful planning, which includes consolidating the existing messaging system, implementing Active Directory, and assessing the network infrastructure. Dibon utilizes our extensive understanding of messaging systems and directory services to guide our clients through the critical area of planning and readiness.
Exchange 2000 implementations influence various business aspects of an organisation. These areas include staffing responsibilities, standard operating procedures, and the structure of the IT department. Dibon' experience in complex corporate projects, strong program management methodologies and commitment to understanding our clients' business enables us to lead our clients in addressing any organisational changes and business issues.
Dibon provides the best solutions on time and on budget. Dibon understands related technologies that are essential to a successful implementation. Our clients leverage our expertise from enterprise deployments. Knowledge transfer and detailed documentation of processes and systems equips our clients to successfully manage daily operations.
Dibon Expertise
 Experts in global and national Active Directory planning and design
Extensive experience with data migration from multiple messaging solutions and managing coexistence issues
in heterogeneous environments
Complex Exchange clustering experience with Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Expertise with developing Exchange 2000 management and storage solutions
Microsoft Certified Solutions Developers (MCSDs) on staff to extend Exchange's workflow and collaboration
capabilities
Exchange 2000 Architecture and Design
Windows 2000 and Active Directory
Network Infrastructure
Server Clusters and Disaster Recovery
Exchange 2000 Security and Windows 2000's Security Model
Exchange Server and Data Consolidation
Data Migration, Coexistence and Heterogeneous Environments
Implementation of Exchange 2000 Features and Technologies
Monitoring, Management and Tuning
Data Availability and Integrity
Configuration Management
Customizing Exchange 2000 and Outlook for Workflow and Collaboration
Exchange 2000 Architecture and Design
An Exchange 2000 design includes many aspects such as naming conventions, organisational unit architecture, server topology, replication, connectivity, and scalability of front and back-end servers and SMTP gateways.
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Windows 2000 and Active Directory
Exchange 2000 relies entirely on Windows 2000 Active Directory for all directory and security information. In planning an Exchange 2000 deployment, it is necessary to understand how Exchange and Windows 2000 interoperate. Any Exchange deployment plan must take into account the relationships between Windows 2000 sites and domains, domain controllers, global catalog servers, and Exchange 2000 administrative and routing groups.
A properly designed Active Directory is fundamental to obtaining services such as high availability, scalability, and fault tolerance. Designing an Active Directory requires not just technical expertise, but the ability to understand corporate organisational structures, business practices, and operations.
Dibon' proven methodology, and strategic relationship with Microsoft Consulting Services ensures that our clients receive the design best suited to their organisation's technical and business requirements.
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Network Infrastructure
In designing the Exchange architecture, one must consider any impact on the network infrastructure. Dibon has a network services team comprised of high level engineers and consultants to work with our clients in areas such as network infrastructure, assessment and management. This team addresses network considerations related to an Exchange 2000 implementation and provides any necessary upgrades or modifications.
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Exchange Server Clusters and Disaster Recovery
Requirements for high availability and data integrity are crucial factors in any exchange design. Dibon designs comprehensive clustering solutions that enable disaster recovery and storage management. Dibon designs mission-critical fault tolerant solutions that protect the vital data of leading corporations. This includes complex Exchange clustering solutions designed for fault tolerance, scalability and manageability.
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Exchange 2000 Security and Windows 2000’s Security Model
Exchange 2000 leverages Windows 2000's security model. Dibon’s Windows 2000 expertise guides our clients in integrating Exchange with Windows 2000's security features.
Exchange Server and Data Consolidation
Dibon designs storage solutions that enable the consolidation of Exchange servers and storage systems. There are many approaches to achieve server and storage consolidation. Our consultants design solutions appropriate for each individual client. Consolidation can reduce the number of servers required to support the enterprise and improve storage utilisation. This is primarily accomplished through various methods that decouple storage from the CPU, which allows each to scale independently.
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Data Migration, Coexistence and Heterogeneous Environments
Dibon specializes in working with heterogeneous environments and has experience with data migration from multiple messaging platforms such as Exchange 2000, 5.5, Lotus Notes/Domino, Novell GroupWise and others.
Dibon develops coexistence strategies to ensure dependable communications throughout the migration process. For clients with a heterogeneous messaging environment, Dibon' approach will improve message transfers while laying the groundwork for a complete migration to Exchange and Outlook.
Dibon' deep knowledge of multiple messaging solutions is also important in the planning phase of an Exchange 2000 project to aid in organizing, consolidating and migrating the existing data. Most enterprises have out-of-date or redundant data in their Exchange 5.5 environments such as public folders or distribution lists that are no longer used, orphan mailboxes (mailboxes with no associated NT ownership), and mailboxes with duplicate display names and out-of-date permission structures. Inconsistent structures and bad data must be identified, assessed and cleaned up.
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Implementation of Exchange 2000 Features and Technologies
Dibon assesses our clients' business requirements to identify additional Exchange 2000 features that may contribute to their organisational goals. These technologies include:
Outlook Web
Access and Customisation
Instant Messaging
Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server: including implementing Conferencing Server in a mixed mode and using
Conferencing Server over the Internet
Exchange 2000 Chat Features/IRCX
Integrating Microsoft Site Server Search with Microsoft Exchange
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Exchange Monitoring, Management and Tuning
Dibon implements leading management tools to extend Exchanges' administration and management capabilities. All critical aspects of the Exchange 5.5, 2000 and OS environments are analyzed and monitored. Root causes are identified and sustained problems are differentiated from temporary performance spikes. These solutions provide proactive control, which ensures availability and performance.
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Ensuring Exchange Data Availability and Integrity
Exchange 2000 is increasingly being utilized as a "repository" for files and crucial data. Thus, implementing an effective storage, backup and recovery solution is critical. Dibon designs scalable solutions that provide a comprehensive and flexible storage infrastructure while balancing requirements for capacity, availability and performance.
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Configuration Management
Configuration reports are key to monitoring progress during the actual migration and provide a baseline, project tracking and "back-track" capability. Dibon utilises automated tools for configuration management with agent less software that installs and runs from one workstation. These tools also provide automatic discovery and visualisation of the distributed Exchange architecture. Our configuration management solution reduces the administrative burden for gathering, reporting and tracking current configuration data about the Exchange organization. This is valuable even after the Exchange migration for rebuilding servers after a disaster and reducing the time spent troubleshooting configuration changes.
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Customizing Exchange 2000 and Outlook for Workflow and Collaboration
Exchange 2000 increases team productivity through built-in collaboration applications and workflow tools. Dibon has a team of Microsoft Certified Solution Developers (MCSDs) to extend Exchange's capabilities. Our solution developers have expertise with Outlook 2000 Object Model, Extensible Markup Language (XML), Distributed Authoring and Versioning (DAV), Active Server Pages (ASP), and data access technologies such as OLE DB, Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and Collaboration Data Objects (CDO). |
