Preparing for Hybrid Configuration Wizzard with Microsoft 365 and In-house Exchange 2010

Copper Contributor

I have a couple of questions with the Hybrid Configuration Wizard and my environment.

 

  • Where do I install the HCW? - I have 4 x 2008 Exchange 2010 SP3 servers. 2x are the setup with DAG -  databases and 2x are setup for CAL servers with NLB (Network Load Balancer).  All are  Windows Server 2008 R2.
  • In a previous article the suggestion to install a Exchange 2016 server for the HCW.  Is that still needed with the new HCW?
  • With my current environment is there a best path for the HCW?  Will the Hybrid Agent run on 2008 r2?  AD2008 R2 also.

Thanks for the help!  I hope someone out there has been down this path and has some suggestions,

Regards,

Andy

 

 

10 Replies

let me streamline my questions.  Will HCW work with 2008 AD and where do I install it?  My existing exchange servers are 2010 SP3 U1234 on Windows 2008 R2.

 

@andyo64 

@andyo64 One part of hybrid configuration is Azure Active Directory Connect. AADC can only be installed on Server 2012 or newer. However, it can synchronize AD running on any server version as long as the Domain Functional Level is 2003 or newer.

 

Reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/hybrid/how-to-connect-install-prerequisites

 

The other part of HCW is creating the hybrid Exchange configuration (duh!) and that can be done from any domain joined computer.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

@andyo64 

 

Answer 1:

 

You can run HCW application from any domain-joined machine but make sure you have exchange 2010 servers are on latest RU's (N-1) would work.

 

Answer 2:

 

For AAD connect installation use server 2012 R2. And then you can sync your directory to office 365.

 

 

AADConnect is already setup on a 2008 server in my environment for Sharepoint and Teams - it works fine and I've recently upgraded it to the latest version 1.5.45.0.  You guys are making me nervous that this only runs on 2012 because I'm running this on 2008?

 

That said - - So I'm thinking that when I run the HCW it will see this and only create the Exchange Hybrid configuration part.   @DoscoeDerek 

@andyo64 haha, guess what, I just started migrating a company to 365 from Exch10 on prem and they also have AADC running on 2008. So, perhaps it installs and works, but MS might not want us to do it for some good reason or they may not give support with that configuration.  IDK. Always something to learn!

 

About HCW, you have it exactly right! At some point in the HCW it will ask about AADC and you can select the option "I'll configure this on my own or later or something like that". When HCW is done, you should be ready to start moving mailboxes!

Lucky me - you'll have to tell me how the HCW goes.  Are you planning on upgrading the AADConnect to 2012 or better?  Being that the functional level only needs to be 2003, I think 2008 should be fine.@DoscoeDerek 

there will be no issues in using 2008 sever for aad connect. but Microsoft ask you to use new 2012 server. Also if you choose the minimal hybrid then you get page asking for aad connect option. but if you are using classic hybrid or modern you wont get that page..

@andyo64 HCW ran fine. AADC seems to be working fine. We've moved almost all of the mailboxes to 365 no issue.

Do you know when installing HCW - classic or modern hybrid does it install automatically or does it look and see's if there AADConnect and then bypasses it?@Aakash-Sharma 

HCW never checks wheather you have insatlled AAD Connect or not. But it is a prerequisite so that you can sync users to migrate them and have a unified gal.

HCW classic and modern are two topology of hybrid. I would recommend to go with the classic. when you go through the HCW it will ask which topology you want to use
Thanks