New SBS domain, same name as the old one!

[PotNoodleBoy]

I'm installing an SBS server with a colleague next week. It's actually replacing an old 2003 SBS server. He has built it with the same domain name (different computer name).

Now, obviously that doesn't mean the new server is now magically part of the existing domain as the SID's will be different. He claims the servers will be able to talk to each other for the purpose of copying data but I'm not so sure. The old server will be retired once data has been copied off it but will they actually talk to each other??? I.e. will I be able to browse from one to the other and copy data?

My head says no....

There's only a handful of PC's so rejoining them isn't too much of a problem, although if both servers are running I'm not sure how we'll know which domain they've joined!! I suppose whichever they're looking to for DNS.

Are we F**cked!?

 

[58sniper]

Two SBS servers with the same domain name are two different domains. You can't establish trusts between the two, and machines that belong to one won't belong to the other.

Starting a second SBS box up on the same wire as the first with the same domain name is asking for trouble.

You'd be better off doing a swing migration. Otherwise, if you just remove machines from one domain and add them to another, you're going to likely run into legacy DN issue with email - at the very least.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[Zelandakh]

I'd swing too - from memory you get either 48 or 96 hours to do it and transfer the FMSOs which should be plenty of time.

 

[PotNoodleBoy]

I'd much prefer to build it in to the existing domain as this is what I usually do. However we just don't have the time to rebuild the server. We're just going to have to drag the data off the old one any way we can and then kill it off. Then add the PC's to the 'new' domain, migrate profiles/settings and hope for the best

 

[victorv]

hi,
no hurry in these tasks.

You have to add the server2 in your domain, as domain controller, migrate FMSOs, applications, data, ecc.

Sometimes, shutdown in the evening the old box, and
go in holyday the next day...ohp, make attention
at the users login in the next morning.

When all is finished, demote it, shutdown,
and hold it in your company for all days that you can.

Exist in forum and at MS site, (technet), articles about
how to migrate (transfer) a Domain controller.

bye
victor

 

[Zelandakh]

You don't have time to rebuild the server? But you are planning to rebuild it in a new domain that is physically separated from the old one then join all clients over and go through all of that rigmarole?

So you don't have time to do it the easy way but you do have time to spend more time on it with a much greater level of complexity?

OK.

 

[PotNoodleBoy]

Victor,

yes I do this quite often and that is what I would normally do. but as i say we don't have any time to spare for this one.

 

[Zelandakh]

You don't do it that way for SBS. eBitz will give you details on how to do this.

 

[PotNoodleBoy]

rejoining 10 PC's to the domain isn't really a problem and is a lot simpler than rebuilding a server and reinstalling all the custom database software etc.

usually I would agree but I think in this case it genuinely is going to be easier to carry on as we are.

 

[58sniper]

People just won't be able to reply to emails sent to them by coworkers, among other issues.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[nicolasvdb]

Here is a link for migrating sbs to new hardware in great detail:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc747454.aspx

The normal grace period that 2 sbs 2003 servers can be linked with each other is 7 days, you can extend this to 21 days by applying this patch

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...3C-3264-418D-9199-2963A599E268&displaylang=en

 

[PotNoodleBoy]

Yep, I must have follwed that guide 5 or 6 times before for other clients and it's definitely the way to do it given the choice.

Thanks for the link to the patch, I wasn't aware of that but to be honest 7 days is usually enough.

I'm going to speak to management about it as the email problem highlighted by 58Sniper is also worrying. Now it's mentioned I can see why that would be a problem with exchange. It's not the end of the world but messy all the same.

 

[PotNoodleBoy]

58sniper,

Thanks for the information I had not considered the exchange legacy DN problem but I've had it before when exchange servers have not been correctly reinstalled after a disaster.

Can you think of any more likely issues? I'm trying to present a case to management to get the install rescheduled.

 

[58sniper]

Other than having to recreate all users, groups, permissions, shares, etc? Removing from one domain and adding to another? Recreating printers?

Having done literally HUNDREDS of SBS migrations, I'd do a swing migration using the toolkit in a heartbeat given the choice.

Pat Richard MVP
Plan for performance, and capacity takes care of itself. Plan for capacity, and suffer poor performance.

http://www.ucblogs.net/blogs/exchange/

 

[PotNoodleBoy]

All 9 users already recreated, no special share permissions (all users have full access!), Printers already backed up and restored using printmig

Really appreciate the input though, we can always bail if it goes badly wrong.

 

[Zelandakh]

So if you are planning to kill off the old server but don't want to rebuild the server, how do the custom apps carry on working? Am I misunderstanding something?