NT4 Server 2000 PDC shuffle? 2

[baileybug]

OK, so here's my idea for upgrading our network: I will simply create a new BDC in our domain and synch it with the PDC. Then I'll the promote this BDC to a PDC. Next I'll take the original PDC (now demoted) offline. Then I'll upgrade the new PDC to Windows 2000 Server with Active Directory. After that, I'll bring my old NT4 PDC back online and eventually upgrade it to Server 2000.

Will this work? Anyone see why it wouldn't? I know I've seen posts where people have then tried to upgrade their old PDC and make it the one with AD, but I'm fine with keeping my new machine as the new PDC.

The only weird thing I discovered about our network is that we don't currently have a DNS server running anywhere. I've read thought that AD will force you to create one.

Thanks.

 

[brontosaurus]

Your plan should work fine. And yes, you'd better set up DNS on the new server (and make sure it's working) PRIOR to promotion.

 

[baileybug]

Why do I have to do this before I promote the BDC to a PDC?

Thanks.

 

[brontosaurus]

Trust me, the whole process will be much smoother. Develop your domain name, make your server authoritative for it, and then promote.

 

[baileybug]

So you are saying that I should set up DNS server on my NEW PDC, the one I will be upgrading to 2000 w/AD?

 

[brontosaurus]

Correct.

 

[bobhughes]

I have just done this.

Check out Instant Doc #19877 10 Steps to for Replacing your aging PDC on

http://WWW.WINNETMAG.COM.

Follow this and you will have a new PDC with the same users, directories, files, shares and permissions etc. as your previous PDC. By swapping the names round, no changes have to be made to logon scripts or the workstations!

Then upgrade your new PDC to Windows 2000 Server. The comments elsewhere about making the new PDC a DNS server is relevant as we needed it before we could make workstations log on.

Set aside a couple of days and several flasks of coffee - and no interuptions from the punters.

 

[baileybug]

Thanks for the article Bobhughes!

In my case, I'm not replacing the PDC altogether, I simply want the new 2000 server to be the PDC with AD. I plan to bring the old PDC back online, as a NT4 BDC for the time being.

Do I have to move the WINS server to this new PDC as well? Any other things I HAVE to move to this new PDC? Should I make this new PDC the Print Server as well?

Thanks.

 

[baileybug]

How does installing a DNS server on our network work when our network already points to DNS servers outside of our network?

 

[bobhughes]

BDC question

My experience is in replacing one PDC with an identically named replacement but I don't see why you shouldn't leave some functions on the BDC.

DNS question

In DHCP we added the IP address of the new PDC as a DNS server and moved it to the top of the list so that it became the primary DNS server.

 

[baileybug]

But our DNS servers are hosted by our ISP so how does that work with Server 2k w/AD?

 

[bobhughes]

Each W/S has three DNS servers. The IP address of your Domain server which has DNS server installed on it, and the two addresses supplied by your ISP. Putting your server at the top of the list means that w/s spend less time trying to resolve the address of your server.

 

[baileybug]

Do I have to know how DNS is setup for us with the ISP's DNS servers before I configure our local DNS Server? I mean does it matter if they are different in any way?

 

[RadioActiveLamb]

Also, if you delete the "." domain from your new server's DNS console, your new AD server will resolve Internet DNS for you. No need to use the ISP's.

This is assuming that your server will have Internet access across the LAN.