I know there isn't a migration path for Exchange 2003 but has anyone tried any type of work around? I'm thinking about moving one of my customers users mailboxes to PST files and them importing them into Exchange 2013 on a 2012 server. Has anyone had any experience doing this? Below are the details of what I have and what I was thinking about doing:
Small Network - approx. 10 users
Server 2003 Sp3 standalone AD DC with Exchange 2003
Would like to move straight to Server 2012 with Exchange 2013
If I export the mailboxes and uninstall Exchange from the 2003 server will Server 2012 join the domain and upgrade the existing AD schema (forest and domain)? If it would, could I then install Exchange 2013 on that server, create the mailboxes for the users and import the PST files?
Just wondering if anyone has tried this, or something similar. They don't have an extra server to move everything to 2010 first so it's either a workaround or move them to Exchange 2010 (which Microsoft has quit selling). I'm sure this will put a lot of small business VARs in a bad situation.
(Just as a side note) Is it true that Dell and HP have quit selling Windows 7 Pro? My vendor still sells it and will for 18 more months.