Tangential Thinking

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was recently caught out deploying a new organisation running Server 2008 R2. As our only DCs were R2 boxes we opted to run our AD at that functional level only to find that the latest Exchange 2007 packages (SP2) were incompatible.

Microsoft have now posted updates to the BPA files which will allow installation with this configuration, the english versions to which are linked below:

ExBPA.Prereqs.XML
ExBPA.Readiness.XML

To use the above just right click and ’save target as’ as the links are to the xml files themselves unpackaged which will otherwise be rendered by your browser. Then all you need to do is drop them in to the Setup\ServerRoles\Common\<language> of your installation directory – those installing from the DVD media will need to copy the DVD to local storage on the machine so they can drop the files in and make use of the fix.

Other language versions and more information is available here.

… a word of warning. Well several in fact.

Historically the release process for Service Packs from Microsoft has a pretty good track record. Occasionally one small irritating bug might make it out (Server 2000 SP6 anyone?) but for the most part the quality is high, any major issues which are uncovered prior to RTW will trigger a delay for a fix, (as occured with SP1 with E2007 when issues were found in particularly large trial environments).

Unfortunately today I’ve come across a blocking issue in deploying Exchange 2007 with SP2.

In short:

Exchange 2007 SP2 is currently incompatible with Active Directory  running at 2008 R2 functional mode

Or, to be more specific, if you only DCs are 2008 R2 and 2003 pre-SP1, or 2008 R2 only at its highest mode you’re currently unable to install the latest release of exchange.

The response from Microsoft thus far is quite weak, I’ve chatted with several people who have responded to say that a fix will follow when R2 is “widely available” which to say the least is is nice and vague.

Which leaves two options, fix the prereq xml that BPA queries by hand, or go 2010 RC. Neither of which are exactly supportable. Sigh.