| Author |
Message |
Guest
|
 Posted:
Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:25 pm Post subject:
Simple NT4 - 2003 DC question |
|
|
Hello everyone!
I am in the process of cleaning up another tech's mess, and have to
replace an old NT4 domain controller with a new server 2003 box. I've
been looking through google, and that gave me a good education, but I
wanted to check on a few things that concern me.
The setup:
Very simple. The Current DC is the only server on the network of say 25
clients. I only looked at the machine for about 3 minutes, so I am not
sure what roles it is doing in particular, but I know for sure that it
is the DC, the exchange server, and also a file server for all the
client machines. I am not sure if the box is also doing DNS or DHCP, it
could be doing either/both/neither.
Everything I have read about this migration involves one of 2 steps,
either building the new machine as an NT4 box, getting all the data off
the old machine, then making the new machine the PDC and then upgrading
it to server 2003. The other possibility is upgrading the old DC to
server 2003, then bringing the new server into the domain, and
promoting the new/demoting the old.
As I don't have copy of NT4, the only choice that gives me is to
upgrade the current DC to server 2003. As this will be done in a live
enviornment, I'm nervous that something can/will go wrong and wreck the
whole job. I have downloaded the admt2.exe file onto the new server,
and will use that to bring the active directory onto the new machine
once the old machine is upgraded. From the explaination, it should be
possible to use that tool to migrate the old active directory from the
NT4 box to the 2003. Would that be better than upgrading the old box?
My plan: (subject to your comments)
1) upgrade old box to 2003
2) add new machine to the domain
3) run dcpromo.exe on the new machine, make it the DC
(should simultaneously demote the old machine?)
One last question - the old box is running exchange. Is exchange part
of Active Directory, or will I have to download it from somewhere else?
Thanks,
Jim |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Herb Martin
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Jan 11, 2005 12:20 am Post subject:
Re: Simple NT4 - 2003 DC question |
|
|
<jim.mcnamara@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105377954.782596.147590@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | Hello everyone!
I am in the process of cleaning up another tech's mess, and have to
replace an old NT4 domain controller with a new server 2003 box. I've
been looking through google, and that gave me a good education, but I
wanted to check on a few things that concern me.
The setup:
Very simple. The Current DC is the only server on the network of say 25
clients. I only looked at the machine for about 3 minutes, so I am not
sure what roles it is doing in particular, but I know for sure that it
is the DC, the exchange server, and also a file server for all the
client machines. I am not sure if the box is also doing DNS or DHCP, it
could be doing either/both/neither.
Everything I have read about this migration involves one of 2 steps,
either building the new machine as an NT4 box, getting all the data off
the old machine, then making the new machine the PDC and then upgrading
it to server 2003.
|
Yes, that is the way to upgrade an NT 4 domain when
you MUST use a new machine to do it.
The (new) 'NT4' must be installed as a BDC of the current
domain for the promotion to PDC to work.
| Quote: | The other possibility is upgrading the old DC to
server 2003, then bringing the new server into the domain, and
promoting the new/demoting the old.
|
IF the NT4 box can tolerate the upgrade (to even Win2000)
however that represents a slightly easier way and does not
involve any new NT BDCs.
Note that the demotion step (of the old/upgraded DC) is
really optional.
| Quote: | As I don't have copy of NT4, the only choice that gives me is to
upgrade the current DC to server 2003.
|
You can likely find a cheap one on eBay if you need
that method.
| Quote: | As this will be done in a live
enviornment, I'm nervous that something can/will go wrong and wreck the
whole job.
|
Mostly the BIOS of the old DC might not take a copy
of Win2000, or even worse Win2003.
You might bypass many such problems IF you can
get the Standard HAL (the one without PnP or USB
support) loaded but that doesn't always work either.
Suggestion: After making a full backup of the old
machine, upgrade the BIOS to any recommended
(by the MB manufacturer) newer one.
| Quote: | I have downloaded the admt2.exe file onto the new server,
and will use that to bring the active directory onto the new machine
once the old machine is upgraded.
|
It's not really "bringing the AD" but migrating the
indiviual users.
| Quote: | From the explaination, it should be
possible to use that tool to migrate the old active directory from the
NT4 box to the 2003. Would that be better than upgrading the old box?
|
I doubt it -- IF you can get the upgrade to work.
(Remember your backups.)
| Quote: | My plan: (subject to your comments)
1) upgrade old box to 2003
2) add new machine to the domain
3) run dcpromo.exe on the new machine, make it the DC
(should simultaneously demote the old machine?)
|
No, it will not. I will (properly) leave TWO DCs -- AD
is multimastered so that is as expected.
Add these steps if you will retire the old box:
4) Migrate your DNS and make it DYNAMIC on the new DC
5) Move the "single master roles"(5) (aka: FSMO) using
NTDSUtil, to the new DC
6) Make the new DC a GC in AD Sites and Services (do this
even if you keep the old DC -- and you should probably
do the DNS as well, only you wouldn't migrate but replicate
if you were to keep the old DC.
7) NOW you can run DCPromo on the old DC which is a toggle,
removing AD if it is installed (and properly updating the AD
so that the other DC(s) will know of it's removal.
#7 is not optional really, but if you neglect the problems can
be fixed with another set of steps (e.g., you just trash the old
DC.)
| Quote: | One last question - the old box is running exchange. Is exchange part
of Active Directory, or will I have to download it from somewhere else?
|
No, because the newer Exchange that uses AD won't run on NT.
e.g., Not Exchange 5.5 but you should look into issues with Service
Packs etc for supporting Exchange 5.5 on on Win2003 ......
--
Herb Martin |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Jan 11, 2005 2:03 am Post subject:
Re: Simple NT4 - 2003 DC question |
|
|
Thanks for the insight Herb! As my boss is trying to get this done
yesterday rather than next week I won't get a copy of NT4, but the
physical box that the old DC is running on is from about 99 or so, and
I can make a boot disk for the 2003 CDRom if I need it. I "think" it
will support booting from the CD, and the processor is like daul 600s,
and 256 ram so it should support server 2003.
In regards to exchange, is that included on the server 2003 disk?
Thanks,
Jim |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Herb Martin
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Jan 11, 2005 2:27 am Post subject:
Re: Simple NT4 - 2003 DC question |
|
|
| Quote: | I can make a boot disk for the 2003 CDRom if I need it. I "think" it
will support booting from the CD, and the processor is like daul 600s,
and 256 ram so it should support server 2003.
|
It's not the CD rom (as an issue) but whether it will
just crash when it first boots the OS if the motherboard
has funky USB or PnP support.
Probably will take Win2000 and maybe Win2003
if you check the BIOS updates.
--
Herb Martin
<jim.mcnamara@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105387422.286982.302680@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | Thanks for the insight Herb! As my boss is trying to get this done
yesterday rather than next week I won't get a copy of NT4, but the
physical box that the old DC is running on is from about 99 or so, and
I can make a boot disk for the 2003 CDRom if I need it. I "think" it
will support booting from the CD, and the processor is like daul 600s,
and 256 ram so it should support server 2003.
In regards to exchange, is that included on the server 2003 disk?
Thanks,
Jim
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ryan Tryssenaar
Guest
|
| Posted:
Tue Jan 11, 2005 8:05 pm Post subject:
Re: Simple NT4 - 2003 DC question |
|
|
"jim.mcnamara@gmail.com" wrote:
| Quote: | Thanks for the insight Herb! As my boss is trying to get this done
yesterday rather than next week I won't get a copy of NT4, but the
physical box that the old DC is running on is from about 99 or so, and
I can make a boot disk for the 2003 CDRom if I need it. I "think" it
will support booting from the CD, and the processor is like daul 600s,
and 256 ram so it should support server 2003.
In regards to exchange, is that included on the server 2003 disk?
Thanks,
Jim
|
Hey Jim, since you are doing this for a small business (you mentioned about
25 clients) why don't you install Small Business Server 2003 on it? Exchange
2003 is included with that (along with ISA and SQL Server) and it would be
much more reasonable (price wise)
Ryan |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:39 am Post subject:
Re: Simple NT4 - 2003 DC question |
|
|
Ryan,
Your suggestion is much appreciated, althoug the small business in
question had only one copy of standard 2003 server. They aren't
enamored with exchange (who would be really?), so I'm going to give
them a windows port of an open source mail server. They rejected my
idea to build the whole box with open source OS and software, but then
you say "it's free" and they start to listen all of a sudden! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Herb Martin
Guest
|
| Posted:
Wed Jan 12, 2005 3:58 am Post subject:
Re: Simple NT4 - 2003 DC question |
|
|
| Quote: | Your suggestion is much appreciated, althoug the small business in
question had only one copy of standard 2003 server. They aren't
enamored with exchange (who would be really?),
|
A lot of people actually -- and I am no Exchange
champion.
Microsoft runs THEIR email on it and that is certainly a
major feat.
Anyone who ever wonders if Exchange is ready for
prime time should note that Microsoft does this.
| Quote: | so I'm going to give
them a windows port of an open source mail server. They rejected my
idea to build the whole box with open source OS and software, but then
you say "it's free" and they start to listen all of a sudden!
|
Yes, if you don't need the Exchange features it is overkill
which is why I don't run it even though we own a license.
--
Herb Martin
<jim.mcnamara@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105468754.740847.88880@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Memberlist
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in