Summary: I have explained, “How To Migrate Exchange Server 2012-R2 Essentials to Exchange Server 2022 Essentials” in this small article.

So recently, our organization decided to migrate Migrate Exchange Server 2012-R2 Essentials to Exchange Server 2022 Essentials.

On searching the web, I found this old thread – Trying to migrate a domain from Server 2012 R2 Essentials to a new Server 2019 Standard server.

Problem

I know in the thread mentioned above that the scenario is for 2012-R2 Essentials to 2019 Standard. But I wondered if the same process is when Migrating Exchange Server 2012-R2 Essentials to Exchange Server 2022 Essentials or if other steps need to be added or removed.

I have found a lot of information regarding our Exchange Server migration scenario. But the information is not for Exchange Server 2012-R2 Essentials to Exchange Server 2022 Essentials.

Solution

So I followed this article – Streamlined Migration of FRS to DFSR SYSVOL to introduce the 2019 or 2022 domain controller.

Note:  Domain functional level needs to be 2008 or higher and older SYSVOL FRS replication needs to have been migrated to DFSR.

I’d use Dcdiag (Dcdiag /e /test:sysvolcheck /test:advertising) or Repadmin (Repadmin /syncall /force /APed) tools to verify health, correcting all errors found before starting any operations. 

Then stand up the new Exchange Server 2022, Patch it fully, License it, and join with the Existing domain. 

After that, add active directory domain services, promote it also making it a GC (recommended), transfer FSMO roles over (optional). 

Now transfer the PDC Emulator role (optional), and use Dcdiag or Repadmin tools to verify the health. Finally, you can decommission or demote the old Exchange Server when all is good.

Conclusion

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