Migrating Active Directory from Server 2003 to 2008

E

Eiolon

Gawd
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Apr 6, 2005
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I am going to setup a second controller then demote the 2003 controller afterwards. Just want to know if I should expect any problems since the old box is running Server 2003 Standard (32-bit) and the new box is running Server 2008 Enterprise (64-bit). Thanks!
 
Won't be a problem... You just need to make sure you run the dcpromo /forestprep and dcpromo /domainprep commands from the 2008 media to get the domain ready to accept a 2008 DC.

As an aside, it's always a good idea to have at least two DCs in a domain.. That way if one fails, your users can still login and access resources on other domain members... If you don't "need" to retire the 2003 DC, then it's a good idea to keep it around...
 
jpochedl said:
Won't be a problem... You just need to make sure you run the dcpromo /forestprep and dcpromo /domainprep commands from the 2008 media to get the domain ready to accept a 2008 DC.

As an aside, it's always a good idea to have at least two DCs in a domain.. That way if one fails, your users can still login and access resources on other domain members... If you don't "need" to retire the 2003 DC, then it's a good idea to keep it around...
Click to expand...

Please excuse my ignorance ...but why is this???
I migrated from a 2003 to 2008 domain to take advantage of
features in 2008 - requires raising domain level to 2008.

I thought I read that once at a 2008 domain functional level, 2003 DC could not be
used in same domain.

Am I completely off?
 
Eiolon said:
I am going to setup a second controller then demote the 2003 controller afterwards. Just want to know if I should expect any problems since the old box is running Server 2003 Standard (32-bit) and the new box is running Server 2008 Enterprise (64-bit). Thanks!
Click to expand...

I think I may have answered my own posted question after re-reading
the original post.

Is the plan just to change domain controllers from 2003 to 2008 and not use new features in 2008 (meaning no need to raise the functional levels above 2003)?

Also, I am curious about your choice for 2008 Enterprise vs standard.
Is this solely a domain controller or is something else driving the requirement
for Enterprise edition?

Sorry for more questions to your questions without any answers ... just got me curious.
 
I can't think of any reason to run Enterprise. That said, I'm running Enterprise on all of my lab machines since it's through MSDN. If you needed a DC to have an unusual amount of RAM or CPUs, you'd need Enterprise. Or if you were planning on using a DC as an enterprise CA (bad idea), you'd need Enterprise. Those aren't necessarily great reasons, though.

If you want to use all of the Active Directory features that are part of the 2008/R2 DFL or FFL (Fine Grain Password Policies, AD Recycle Bin, DFSR sysvol replication, etc), you need to install the 2008 DC, promote it, demote the 2003 DCs, then raise DFL/FFL.

Otherwise, if you're just looking to get some of the new stuff like the PowerShell AD module, or AD Admin Center then 2008 R2 without raising the DFL or FFL is fine.

I would just promote a 2008 R2 DC and ditch the 2003 box. Also, you need to have two DCs per domain in the forest, as somebody else mentioned. The easiest way to fix a problem with a domain controller is to promote a new one and demote it. If you only have one, and it's broken, you're SOL. That and, even if it is just for a lab, AD replication is always good to mess with and understand.
 
I agree with the above posters. Single DC can be a bad idea. I would promote the 2008 box to DC so you can take advantage of 2008 R2 Schema but leave the 2003 server there as a back-up. You could balance roles between the two as well.
 
You can't leave the 2003 box as a backup if you want to use the 2008/R2 DFL/FFL functionality. It has to be demoted.

If you do leave the 2003 box around, keep the roles on the 2008 DC, or at least the PDCE and RID master. The others probably don't make much difference since IM isn't used if all DCs are GC or you're a single domain, schema master only matter if you're updating schema, and naming master only matters if you're adding/ removing domains.
 
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