Enable user archiving before exchange 2010 or after?

[juggernaut1]

Scenario:

EV  8.0 journaling and DA only....  exchange 2003 environement but migrating to exchange 2010.

Do you recommend  implementing exchange 2010 before user archiving or after...

Will be upgrading to 9.0.2 prior to migration... 

[Mohawk_Marvin · Accepted solution]

It depends on your environment. If you need to bring the mailboxes down before migration then archive first. Otherwsie do it on the 2010 box.

[ZeRoC00L]

I would archive first, this will speed up the migration to Exchange 2010 (less exchange data to move) and prevent the new exchange database from getting large and then getting gaps when archiving....

[AndrewB]

i'd say it depends. it will significantly reduce the size of the mailboxes therefore reducing the amount of data you have to migrate and speeding up your migration. however, if you are going to have a different distribution of mailboxes across the servers in the new 2010 environment, then archiving before might lead to an uneven distribution of archives in EV with cross-server archiving which can reduce performance. so, depending on your requirements, you'll have to plan your strategy wisely.