transfering DC to new server

[edmondemc]

hi everyone out there,
our company recently doing server upgrade, so this is the scenario:

-new server(a) need to replace the existing server(b)
which is also a file server and in the same time a domain
controller.
-how am i going to migrate the domain with all the active
directory and DNS to this new server(b)so that in the
future all the user can log in to the new server? and
meanwhile this server(a) remain back and will join to this
new server.

i'm still new in this workforce please give advice.
THANK YOU

 

[mawilson]

Load the new server and run dcpromo on it and add it as a second DC to your existing domain. That will get all of the active directory information on it. Set up DNS on it and make your DNS AD integrated. Then all of your DNS information will be there also. You should keep both DC's on your network for redundancy in case one was to crash. You can move data to the new server as you need to or want to slowly since you will still have both servers online.

 

[markdmac]

I agree with mawilson. Better to have redundancy, but if you really need to make the original server a member server, wait until you have verified that all of AD ahs replicated. Make sure the new server is a Global Catalog. Transfer the FSMO roles to the new server. Then run DCPROMO to demote the original server.

I hope you find this post helpful. Please let me know if it was.

Regards,

Mark