Public Folder Replication Error after migrating to sbs 2011

[guest]

We are currently in the middle of a migration from SBS 2008 to SBS 2011 Standard, but we have encountered an issue during Public Folder Replication. We created the new Public Folder database on the Destination Server and ran the Get-PublicFolderStatistics cmdlet for the Source server, output to a text file (it contains information like it should).

When we run the cmdlet “.\MoveAllReplicas.ps1 –Server <SourceServer> -NewServer <DestinationServer>”,on the destination server, the command completes a second later with no indication it copied replicas. If we then run the cmdlet “Get-PublicFolderStatistics –Server <DestinationServer> | fl | out-file C:\Users\Admin\Documents\PF<DestinationServer>stat.txt” on the destination server as per the migration guide, the resulting text file is completely blank.

If we attempt to skip over this and run the cmdlet “Get-PublicFolderDatabase –Server <SourceServer> | remove-PublicFolderDatabase” from the destination server we get the error “The public folder database ‘SERVER\Second Storage Group\Public Folder Database’ contains folder replicas. Before deleting the public folder database, remove the folders or move the replicas to another public folder database”.

We found MS documentation that indicates we should manually remove the Public Folders and/or Public Folders Database, but there's not instructions on how to actually do this.

We don’t think there’s any real information in the public folders, and would really just like move on with the migration, but there doesn’t appear to be any straightforward way to continue. We do not use the public folders, but we do have contacts shared from one user so everyone else has access. We use our Outlook calendars to keep track of appointments and time spent with clients; would manually removing the public folders and their replicas affect either the shared contacts or our appointment history? If not, how can we go about manually deleting the replicas off the source server and continue on with the migration?

[guest]

From your description, I understand that the public folder was unable to replicated from the SBS 2008 to SBS 2011.

Based on my research, the issue could be caused by all the receive connectors on the source server are deleted. Please help to check if all the receive connectors are deleted on the SBS 2008.

Usually, the public folder replication can take up to 24 hours to move all public folders to the Destination Server. If the move does not finish within 24 hours, you can run the script again. Otherwise, please configure the replication in EMC for a test.

Configure Public Folder Replication

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 91120.aspx

If the public folder is not being used, you may consider to remove it from the source server without replication. For public folder remove, you may refer to the following article:

Remove Public Folder Databases

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... (EXCHG.140).aspx

NOTE: Before you remove the public folder database on the Source Server, you must change the default Public Folder database for the mailbox database on the Source Server and set to the Destination Server (SBS 2011)

If the issue remains, we may have to remove public folder instance from ADSIEdit.msc

NOTE: Please take a Full back up before performing the following steps:

Browse to :

CN=Storage group (which owns PF Database),CN=Information Store,CN=<SBS2008>,CN=Servers,CN=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT),CN=Administrative Groups,CN=<CORP>,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=<your Domain>,DC=<Dot Com>

Right click and delete Public folder Database then try to remove Exchange 2007 as per the migration steps.


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Best regards,

Adam Zhu
Partner Online Technical Community