Upgrading from Exchange 2003 to 2010? Plan for These Changes
Filed under: Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2010, Unified Communications
Among our Exchange 2010 upgrade projects, we encounter a few more clients still using Exchange 2003 than we do on Exchange 2007. We also see a lot of the 2003 clients struggle following a 2010 upgrade.
The differences between Exchange 2003 and 2010 are more severe than those between 2007 and 2010. Clients jumping from Exchange 2003 are faced with differences in administration, potential for backwards-compatibility issues, etc. For 2003 admins, it's like getting out of an SUV and getting into a racecar - some adjustment is needed!
Last week I came across this TechRepublic article. It lists 10 reference points for those moving up from 2003 to Exchange 2010:
10 Things to Consider Before Transitioning from Exchange 2003 to 2010
I wanted to highlight this for our blog audience, so future clients have some advance notice on changes they'll have to make.
In particular, I wanted to emphasize these points:
- Exchange Server 2010 is 100% 64-bit. 32-bit servers (such as those used by Exchange 2003) will not work.
- Your admins WILL need retraining. The difference in server roles between 2003 and 2010 alone merits it. Not to mention the new Exchange Management Console.
- In 2010, OWA is now located on the Client Access server. Setting up OWA is not required at first; setting up a Client Access server is.
- Plan to keep your 2003 Exchange servers active until the 2010 transition is made completely. If you remove the 2003 servers too early, users with Exchange 2003 mailboxes may not be able to get their email.
- And one point partially covered in the article: If you're running Windows Server 2003 or SBS 2003 and want to move to Exchange 2010, upgrade your primary servers too. 2008 versions of Windows Server and SBS are out; a clean upgrade on both sides is easier. And doing both at once just makes sense - saves you additional headache later.
This is a free warning from us ahead of time. Exchange 2010 is a big step ahead in terms of Unified Communications, new capabilities like Auto-Archive, etc. It just has a learning curve, like all rebuilt software.
A Basic Plan for Unified Communications User Adoption
Filed under: Exchange Server 2007, Exchange Server 2010, Instant Messaging (IM), OCS 2007, OCS 2007 R2, OCS 2010, Reference, Unified Communications, Voice over IP
Last week I said I'd go into more detail about UC user adoption. In keeping with that, I thought I'd write out an adoption plan from some of our OCS/Exchange deployments.
As you probably know by now, user adoption is the other half of a successful server installation. It’’s one thing to get new systems up & running. And another thing entirely to convince/persuade/poke people into using them.
One way to push user adoption is, as I mentioned last time, to take away the users' existing option. I discuss this in Step 6 below. But if you do that, you have to give them something else. (It's kind of required.) That's what the rest of this plan is for.
Note: Technical specifications on implementing UC components (Exchange 2010, OCS 2007) will not be included here due to their length. Full implementation processes can be found in the following Microsoft resources.
Deploying Exchange Exchange Server 2010: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd351084.aspx
Deploying Office Communications Server 2007 R2: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd425168(office.13).aspx
Step 1 - Sketch out implementation plan.
Essentially, “plan out Steps 2-6 ahead of time.” Also, consider file transfer times. Factor out any offline time needed to build the new UC servers. Check on the Web for any possible hardware issues before and during implementation.
Step 2 - Determine a Switchover Point. Announce it.
Send 2 emails and make an internal communications post (forum, intranet, whatever you use). Announce a point at which the company will switch to Unified Communications. Make this unavoidable. (Someone WILL claim they didn't hear about it when it's too late.) Provide a brief how-to and benefits statement, so they know they're getting something good out of it.
Step 3 - Implement UC technology at server-level.
Self-explanatory. Refer to the above URLs for documentation.
Step 4 - Invite a group of users to test it.
Deploy all UC tools to a select group of people who are technically savvy. Preferably people from multiple departments and/or branch offices. Having them test for system errors accomplishes two things.
One, it tests the UC technology in real-time from different physical locations.
Two, testing creates a small group of advocates within the organization. (Make sure to tell the group ahead of time that people may ask them for assistance during adoption. And get their OK.)
Step 5 - Furnish all users with a training kit.
Instruct them to familiarize themselves with the new UC interface. Here's an OCS 2007 R2 Adoption and Training Kit from Microsoft. You'll probably want to add information about your organization's specific setup to this too.
Step 6 - Evaluate alternatives.
I refer to two things here when I say “alternatives.” One is your existing communication options. Which of these options should you phase out? When should you do it?
The following can usually be phased out following Unified Communications implementation:
- Non-OCS desktop phones
- Third-party IM clients
- Fax machines
- Voicemail systems
- Third-party conferencing solutions
Two is Communicator Web Access (CWA). Will you need to implement CWA? I would say yes, as it makes a good backup when someone can't access their own system or is having trouble connecting with Office Communicator. CWA should be in place at switchover.
Step 7 - Remind users of Switchover Point.
Email all users again. Make it a short interval - 7 days, for example. Mention your advocates as people to ask if someone has a quick question. (This way people don't all hound one person–namely you.)
Step 8 - Switch Over to UC!
On the appointed day…
–Deploy the Unified Communications technology for all users.
–Deactivate the communication options being phased out. See previous post.
And prepare for the inevitable grumbling that comes with change.
Have you used a user adoption plan like this? Planning to use this one in future UC upgrades? Please let a comment and let us know. Same if there's something you think should be added here. I have an Edit button and everything.
Is Lack of User Adoption Hampering Your UC Plans?
Filed under: Conferencing, Instant Messaging (IM), OCS 2007, Unified Communications, Voice over IP
How familiar is this little IM scenario to you?
Bob's IM: Hey Frank, do you have the project specs ready yet?
Frank's IM: yeah, busy right now can I send it later?
Bob's IM: Sorry Frank, your Presence didn't say you were busy. Later's fine.
Frank's IM: ok
(Frank's Presence status doesn't change at all for the next week. Bob gets his specs the next day.)
What's the problem here? User adoption. Or lack thereof. In this case, lack of adoption of OCS' Presence tool.
One of the biggest hurdles in Unified Communications is getting users to start using it. People “don't have time” or “aren't used to it” (how are you supposed to get used to something if you never use it?).
Why We're Nervous About Switching to Unified Communications
There's a simple reason why people don't want to switch to new technology like UC - we're afraid.
Oh, not of UC itself. It doesn't bite. It's just another manifestation of the human fear of change.
Nothing wrong with that. (Fear of change evolved for very good reasons at the time!) But it does get in the way of adopting newer technologies like Office Communicator or Exchange 2010.
Unified Communications contains new ways for users to communicate among themselves (and with customers). Disrupting the long-standing order of Phone and Email? People are bound to hesitate.
Someone will have to push the office to switch.
If you're the sysadmin or IT manager…that's you. (Sorry.)
Two Ways to Spur Adoption
Make it Dead Simple
Offer a training course. Mandatory.
Provide reference material. (The Unified Communications Strategies blog has solid UC material.)
Indicate what aspects of Unified Communications should be used for which activities. For example, all internal phone calls will be done through Office Communicator. Any non-critical project discussions should use IMs. And so on. Write up the complete list and post it someplace everyone will see it.
Remove Alternatives
Schedule the “old system” for deactivation at some point in the future (say 30-60 days from UC implementation). Now this may not always work - in some cases, the “old system” is the phone!
If adoption is the goal however, you may not have a choice. You'll have to make it difficult for people to use anything except the UC channels.
Remove any old phones. Make a big announcement that everyone will use Unified Communications channels from now on. Change company cellphone plans if necessary.
People will grumble and complain about it for a few days, maybe weeks. But they'll adapt.
I think I'll go into more detail on these next week. In the meantime, how have you spurred user adoption of a new product or technology? Share your story in the comments.
How Will OCS 2010 Fit into the Cloud
Filed under: OCS 2010, Unified Communications, Voice over IP
I spent yesterday at the Web 2.0 Expo. (It's still going on, go see!) While there I talked with reps from Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, O”Reilly Media, a new TLD (.CO), and several different cloud-based software companies.
It gave me a lot of information on where the IT industry is going in the next few years.
As far as anybody knows, the coming business trends will look like this:
- More competition in the social media space.
- Social apps becoming social business platforms.
- Cloud computing becoming an integral part of business operations and offered products.
- Software-as-a-Service growing into Platform-as-a-Service at all levels of business.
- Mobile already on its way to becoming a central piece in marketing strategy.
- Touch interfaces becoming commonplace.
And I thought, where does OCS fit into all this?
I brainstormed on this a bit on the BART ride back. Somewhere in the tunnel I thought of using the new OCS 2010 for an Exhibit A.
Competition? What Competition?
Now, the big thing with OCS 2010 is that it's intended to act as a completely Voice-over-IP replacement to PBX phone systems. Given that every business uses phones , there's clearly a need. But how many companies are responding to it?
Here's the really interesting part. At the Web 2.0 Expo, I only found TWO companies offering a voice over IP solution: MangoSpring and babyTEL. babyTEL's solution is for Web applications like Facebook. So it's complementary to OCS, not a competitor. (And I'm not sure about MangoSpring.)
Is OCS 2010 the Voice Option for Platform-as-a-Service?
OCS 2010 is coming into Web 2.0/3.0/whatever-version-it-is-now as the vanguard of a potentially-huge trend: VoIP in the cloud. (Yes, it can run as a managed service just as easily as local.)
So let's look at those trends again. More competition means more communication. Social business platforms will need voice. Cloud-based VoIP? Check.
And for the last point: the new Windows Phone works with OCS via Office Communicator Mobile. So mobiles are covered too.
It looks like OCS 2010 fits in pretty well with the IT industry of tomorrow. In fact, I think it'll be the centerpiece for business communication in the coming years.
What are your thoughts on the Web 2.0 Expo? On OCS 2010? Leave a comment, let us know.
