CRM Exchange Router setup in an already existing Exchange 2007 Environment

A very frequent question from partners and customers... 

• CRM 3.0 Exchange Router CANNOT be installed on Exchange 2007.
• CRM 3.0 Exchange 2007 Router Update CANNOT be installed on an Exchange 2007 Server.  It can only deploy Server Side rules to Exchange 2007 mailboxes when installed on a Exchange 2003 Server.  Fine.
• If Exchange 2007 is already deployed, then you CANNOT install Exchange 2003 Server in that Forest.  So there doesn't seem to be a way to install CRM Router on an Exchange 2003 server if Exchange 2007 is already deployed for the organization.

So what are my options?

Issue:

Exchange 2007 is already deployed.  CRM Exchange Router cannot be installed on a Ex2007 box and hence Ex2003 is to be deployed in a different forest.  What is the best practice in deploying this setup.

Resolution:

Here is something you could try:

1.       Build a new forest

2.       Deploy CRM and Exchange in the new forest

3.       Build a two-way trust between the two forests

4.       Add all CRM users to the MSCRM system that has been deployed in the new forest

5.       Install CRM Exchange Router on the Exchange 2003 system (that is in the new forest)

6.       Use the latest Exchange Rule Deployment update from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=f7656f0f-4195-4a7d-b654-2786787e1422&displaylang=en and deploy the rules to all the Exchange 2007 mailboxes.

Well, I guess we need to live like this for only a few more months.  Hoping to see something from the product team that will take care of this issue in the next version.

Regards,  pk.