| Author |
Message |
pbrill1
Guest
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 Posted:
Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:25 am Post subject:
Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
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On further investigation, I found that the functional levels were different
from what I expected. I am certain that when I worked with a Microsoft
migration specialist back in August to perform our conversion, we selected
Interim mode. However, when I look at the settings in Active Directory
Domains and Trusts, I see the following:
Domain Functional Level: Windows 2000 mixed
Forest Functional Level: Windows 2000
I also do not appear to be able to select the Interim mode anymore, W2K
native and W2K3 Server modes are my only options, now.
To note: We have 3 W2K3 DC's, 2 NT4 BDC's --- and NO W2K DC's.
At this point, what is the best option to restore the ability of the NT4
member server to recognize global groups (the level shouldn't affect an NT4
member server anyway, should it?).
Can I/Should I find a way to regain the Interm mode level that I thought I
had - especially since we are under a single-domain model?
--
pbrill1 |
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Herb Martin
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Dec 28, 2004 8:13 am Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
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| Quote: | I also do not appear to be able to select the Interim mode anymore, W2K
native and W2K3 Server modes are my only options, now.
To note: We have 3 W2K3 DC's, 2 NT4 BDC's --- and NO W2K DC's.
|
I believe that Interim mode is only an option
during the establishment of a NEW Win2003
Domain.
If you get to Native or Win2003 Server mode
you cannot "go back" and I believe the option
to go "sideways" from Win2000 to Interim is
just not offered (after install.)
--
Herb Martin
"pbrill1" <pbrill1@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B999AFA4-5A57-46E3-B216-891303E219C2@microsoft.com...
| Quote: | On further investigation, I found that the functional levels were
different
from what I expected. I am certain that when I worked with a Microsoft
migration specialist back in August to perform our conversion, we selected
Interim mode. However, when I look at the settings in Active Directory
Domains and Trusts, I see the following:
Domain Functional Level: Windows 2000 mixed
Forest Functional Level: Windows 2000
I also do not appear to be able to select the Interim mode anymore, W2K
native and W2K3 Server modes are my only options, now.
To note: We have 3 W2K3 DC's, 2 NT4 BDC's --- and NO W2K DC's.
At this point, what is the best option to restore the ability of the NT4
member server to recognize global groups (the level shouldn't affect an
NT4
member server anyway, should it?).
Can I/Should I find a way to regain the Interm mode level that I thought I
had - especially since we are under a single-domain model?
--
pbrill1 |
|
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|
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Rebecca Chen [MSFT]
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:21 am Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
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Yes, Interim mode is the best option.
I suggest you raise hte foest function level to Windows Server 2003
interim. Windows Server 2003 Active Directory permits a special forest and
domain functional level named Windows Server 2003 interim. This functional
level is provided for upgrades of existing Windows NT 4.0 domains where one
or more Windows NT 4.0 backup domain controllers (BDCs) must have to
function after the upgrade. Windows 2000 domain controllers are not
supported in this mode.
Windows Server 2003 interim can be activated in three different ways. The
first two methods are highly recommended because security groups use linked
value replication (LVR) after the Windows NT 4.0 domain's primary domain
controller (PDC) has been upgraded to a Windows Server 2003 domain
controller. The third option is sub-optimal because membership in security
groups uses a single multi-valued attribute which may result in replication
issues.
Please refer to the following article, with the snippet Interim Level -
Upgrade from a Windows NT 4.0 Domain
How to raise domain and forest functional levels in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;322692#5
In addition, as Herb has stated, domain and forest function level cannot be
rolled back after rasied. You'd better perform a full backup before you
take any action.
HTH!
Best regards,
Rebecca Chen
MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. |
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pbrill1
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:05 pm Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
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|
Rebecca,
Thanks for the information, I do have a few more questions, however.
Of the 3 options that you referred to in your response:
1. Select interim level during Dcpromo. This option is only presented when
the PDC is upgraded into a new forest.
2. Set the forest level of an existing forest to interim, and then join the
forest during the upgrade of the PDC. The upgraded domain inherits the forest
setting.
3. After all the Windows NT 4.0 BDCs are upgraded or removed, each domain
must be transitioned to forest level and can be transitioned to Windows
Server 2003 forest mode.
#1 and #2 are best...but it does not seem as if I have that option, now that
our upgrade has been made to W2K3 (one of which is the PDC emulator).
In about 4 more weeks, we will remove the last 2 NT4 BDC's. Would it be
best to just upgrade the domain and forest levels to W2K3 Server at that
point, or do I lose something by not choosing interim mode first?
Also, when we remove the 2 NT4 BDC's later this month, every server will be
at W2K3 (except for 1 NT4 member server), and all clients are already at
W2000 or XP. Once the NT4 BDC's are removed from the network, there
shouldn't be any difficulty with upgrading to Windows 2003 Server...or are
there additional considerations to be aware of?
"Rebecca Chen [MSFT]" wrote:
| Quote: | Yes, Interim mode is the best option.
I suggest you raise hte foest function level to Windows Server 2003
interim. Windows Server 2003 Active Directory permits a special forest and
domain functional level named Windows Server 2003 interim. This functional
level is provided for upgrades of existing Windows NT 4.0 domains where one
or more Windows NT 4.0 backup domain controllers (BDCs) must have to
function after the upgrade. Windows 2000 domain controllers are not
supported in this mode.
Windows Server 2003 interim can be activated in three different ways. The
first two methods are highly recommended because security groups use linked
value replication (LVR) after the Windows NT 4.0 domain's primary domain
controller (PDC) has been upgraded to a Windows Server 2003 domain
controller. The third option is sub-optimal because membership in security
groups uses a single multi-valued attribute which may result in replication
issues.
Please refer to the following article, with the snippet Interim Level -
Upgrade from a Windows NT 4.0 Domain
How to raise domain and forest functional levels in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;322692#5
In addition, as Herb has stated, domain and forest function level cannot be
rolled back after rasied. You'd better perform a full backup before you
take any action.
HTH!
Best regards,
Rebecca Chen
MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
|
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Rebecca Chen [MSFT]
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Dec 29, 2004 4:27 pm Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
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|
See my answers:
Q: In about 4 more weeks, we will remove the last 2 NT4 BDC's. Would it be
best to just upgrade the domain and forest levels to W2K3 Server at that
point, or do I lose something by not choosing interim mode first?
[REBC]: If you remove last 2 NT4 BDC's in the near future and there is no
NT DC or win2k DC in the network, you can then upgrade the domain and
forest levels to W2K3 Server to take full advantage of windows 2003. The
advantage of the "Interim Mode" is that you will get more Windows Server
2003 functionality in NT and win2k3 mixed environment.
Windows Server 2003 interim applies to the following scenarios:
1. Domain upgrades from Windows NT 4.0 directly to Windows Server 2003.
2.Windows NT 4.0 BDCs do not upgrade immediately.
3. Windows NT 4.0 domains that contain groups with more than 5000 members
not including the domain users group.
4. There are no plans to implement Windows 2000 domain controllers in the
forest at any time.
Windows Server 2003 interim provides two important enhancements while still
permitting replication to Windows NT 4.0 BDCs:
1. Efficient replication of security groups, support for more than 5000
members per group.
2. Improved KCC inter-site topology generator algorithms.
Because of the efficiencies in group replication that is activated in the
interim level, this is the recommended level for all Windows NT 4.0
upgrades. See the "Best Practices" section of this article for more details.
You can check if they are the important function you want to get, for
example, do you have security groups which contains members more than 5000?
How many sites do you have? Interm Mode is detailed in the article as I
have mentioned before:
How to raise domain and forest functional levels in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;322692#5
If the advantage of the Interim mode is not urgent in the current status,
you can rasie the function level to win2k3 after you replace all NT servers.
Q: Also, when we remove the 2 NT4 BDC's later this month, every server will
be
at W2K3 (except for 1 NT4 member server), and all clients are already at
W2000 or XP. Once the NT4 BDC's are removed from the network, there
shouldn't be any difficulty with upgrading to Windows 2003 Server...or are
there additional considerations to be aware of?
[REBC]: Once there is NT server in the network and you are sure there will
be no win2k server added any more, you can then definitely raise the
function level to win2k3.
Any update, let us get in touch!
Best regards,
Rebecca Chen
MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. |
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|
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pbrill1
Guest
|
| Posted:
Thu Dec 30, 2004 11:09 pm Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
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|
Rebecca,
Thanks for your information. Based on your comments, it would seem like the
most efficient way to solve my problem would be to:
1) Remove the 2 NT4 BDC's from our network
2) Upgrade the network to Windows 2003 Server (since we will not have any
NT4 BDC's or W2K DC's on our network...now or ever!)
Upgrading our NT4 MEMBER server (an application server) will take a few more
months to do, however. From what I've seen so far, this shouldn't be an
issue for a native W2K3 Server network - I'm correct in assuming that an NT4
MEMBER SERVER will not have any problems on a native W2K3 network....correct?
"Rebecca Chen [MSFT]" wrote:
| Quote: | See my answers:
Q: In about 4 more weeks, we will remove the last 2 NT4 BDC's. Would it be
best to just upgrade the domain and forest levels to W2K3 Server at that
point, or do I lose something by not choosing interim mode first?
[REBC]: If you remove last 2 NT4 BDC's in the near future and there is no
NT DC or win2k DC in the network, you can then upgrade the domain and
forest levels to W2K3 Server to take full advantage of windows 2003. The
advantage of the "Interim Mode" is that you will get more Windows Server
2003 functionality in NT and win2k3 mixed environment.
Windows Server 2003 interim applies to the following scenarios:
1. Domain upgrades from Windows NT 4.0 directly to Windows Server 2003.
2.Windows NT 4.0 BDCs do not upgrade immediately.
3. Windows NT 4.0 domains that contain groups with more than 5000 members
not including the domain users group.
4. There are no plans to implement Windows 2000 domain controllers in the
forest at any time.
Windows Server 2003 interim provides two important enhancements while still
permitting replication to Windows NT 4.0 BDCs:
1. Efficient replication of security groups, support for more than 5000
members per group.
2. Improved KCC inter-site topology generator algorithms.
Because of the efficiencies in group replication that is activated in the
interim level, this is the recommended level for all Windows NT 4.0
upgrades. See the "Best Practices" section of this article for more details.
You can check if they are the important function you want to get, for
example, do you have security groups which contains members more than 5000?
How many sites do you have? Interm Mode is detailed in the article as I
have mentioned before:
How to raise domain and forest functional levels in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;322692#5
If the advantage of the Interim mode is not urgent in the current status,
you can rasie the function level to win2k3 after you replace all NT servers.
Q: Also, when we remove the 2 NT4 BDC's later this month, every server will
be
at W2K3 (except for 1 NT4 member server), and all clients are already at
W2000 or XP. Once the NT4 BDC's are removed from the network, there
shouldn't be any difficulty with upgrading to Windows 2003 Server...or are
there additional considerations to be aware of?
[REBC]: Once there is NT server in the network and you are sure there will
be no win2k server added any more, you can then definitely raise the
function level to win2k3.
Any update, let us get in touch!
Best regards,
Rebecca Chen
MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
|
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|
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Rebecca Chen [MSFT]
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Jan 04, 2005 3:02 pm Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
|
|
Correct. Domain function level and forest function level is not related to
the NT member server or clients, such as win98/2k/XP. They are related to
the domain controller. :)
Best regards,
Rebecca Chen
MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pbrill1
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Jan 05, 2005 12:27 am Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
|
|
Thanks - I think that we will have the issue resolved in a few more weeks,
when I can upgrade to Windows 2003 server ('native mode').
"Rebecca Chen [MSFT]" wrote:
| Quote: | Correct. Domain function level and forest function level is not related to
the NT member server or clients, such as win98/2k/XP. They are related to
the domain controller. :)
Best regards,
Rebecca Chen
MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rebecca Chen [MSFT]
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Jan 05, 2005 9:07 am Post subject:
Re: Followup - Domain/Functional Level had been modified! |
|
|
That sounds great. :)
Best regards,
Rebecca Chen
MCSE2000 MCDBA CCNA
Microsoft Online Partner Support
Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. |
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