Hi everyone,
Here some pretext to understand where we were, currently are and want to go to:
- VMs onPrem are 2012 R2, and Domain and Forest Levels are 2012 R2 as well
- started out with Exchange 2010 to 2013 onPrem (latest CU from 2019)
- moved to Exchange Online Hybrid Configuration
- all user mailboxes are in Exchange Online, no mailboxes onPrem left
- Exchange Online Hybrid Configuration is disabled
- What is left onPrem is the send connector to O365, since we haven't changed all onPrem apps and services to an authenticated Exchange Online Mailbox User yet
- Active Directory is of coursed synced with Azure AD Connect
So what we have left is essentially an onPrem Exchange VM for creating new AD Users with a remote mailbox in Exchange Online.
We're in the process of moving all possible VMs to Azure PaaS/IaaS (Windows Server 2019 VMs).
Where I'm stuck is that I have no route to go for Exchange Management according to this matrix: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/plan-and-deploy/supportability-matrix?view=exchserver-2019
- I can't move my current Exchange 2013 VM to a new VM running Server 2019 without buying a license just for basic management purposes
- I can't upgrade my forest/domain level, since Exchange 2013 won't let me
Ideally, I would have an option to fully get rid of Exchange (onPrem or in Azure), but I can't find it.
What are my options to fully move forward with Forest/Domain Levels and Server 2019 VMs in Azure?
Is there anything on the horizon for us?
