Work for a small biz (so there is little AD user changes,etc), and they are moving offices.
Not too strong on AD and am running this by in hopes that someone will point out if I am doing something stupid...
Right now the old site has one forest with one DC/AD server, along with Exchange on another server. Internet access is provided by an ISA server, which is the only computer in another forest and has a one way trust with the internal AD.
New site has 3 fresh servers, different hardware. One is locked down, ready for an ISA/W2K server installation, the other two have fresh W2K installs fully updated.
From what I've read, it seems restoring AD to different hardware results in a somewhat unclean install. So instead, I wanted to take one of the new servers, move it to the old site, DCPROMO it and allow it to replicate AD info. Then remove it from the network, bring it to the new location, plug it into the network. Then I can start moving computers one at a time into the new location and plug-n-play them right into the network (same internal IP addressing scheme, so I figure most settings will work right off the bat).
The servers at the old site will continue running for a few hours (small co, so there will be no AD changes) so that a couple of users can still use read (no changes) files on the old servers.
What I am concerned about is if the new server (after replicating the AD info BUT not obtaining FSMO roles) be able to fully function alone as an AD/DC in the new network.
Not too strong on AD and am running this by in hopes that someone will point out if I am doing something stupid...
Right now the old site has one forest with one DC/AD server, along with Exchange on another server. Internet access is provided by an ISA server, which is the only computer in another forest and has a one way trust with the internal AD.
New site has 3 fresh servers, different hardware. One is locked down, ready for an ISA/W2K server installation, the other two have fresh W2K installs fully updated.
From what I've read, it seems restoring AD to different hardware results in a somewhat unclean install. So instead, I wanted to take one of the new servers, move it to the old site, DCPROMO it and allow it to replicate AD info. Then remove it from the network, bring it to the new location, plug it into the network. Then I can start moving computers one at a time into the new location and plug-n-play them right into the network (same internal IP addressing scheme, so I figure most settings will work right off the bat).
The servers at the old site will continue running for a few hours (small co, so there will be no AD changes) so that a couple of users can still use read (no changes) files on the old servers.
What I am concerned about is if the new server (after replicating the AD info BUT not obtaining FSMO roles) be able to fully function alone as an AD/DC in the new network.
