August 8, 2024 at 04:51PM
Microsoft reminds admins that Exchange 2016 reaches end of extended support on October 14 next year. They advise migrating to Exchange 2019 for in-place upgrades to Exchange SE. After migration, servers should be put into maintenance mode for a week to identify issues. Admins are suggested to ensure all issues are resolved before uninstalling and warned that a proper migration plan is necessary to avoid problems. They also recommend switching to Exchange 2019 to receive continued security updates or migrating to Exchange Online. Microsoft’s documentation provides detailed guidance for this migration.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes:
1. Exchange 2016 will reach the end of extended support on October 14 next year, and admins are advised to decommission outdated servers.
2. Moving to Exchange 2019 is recommended for on-premises users, as Exchange 2019 is the only version that will support in-place upgrades to Exchange SE.
3. It’s important to put Exchange 2016 servers into maintenance mode for a week after migrating to a newer version to identify any unforeseen issues.
4. Admins are warned against shutting down servers without a proper migration plan, and enabling maintenance mode before uninstalling Exchange 2016 is recommended to identify and update any connections to the new Exchange servers.
5. The end of mainstream support for Exchange Server 2019 is also announced, with the end of extended support on October 14, 2025. Admins are advised to switch to Exchange 2019 or migrate to Microsoft’s hosted Exchange Online.
Let me know if you need any further clarification or assistance with this information.