Upgrading NT domain to 2K this wkend - questions

[mckeek]

OK, this is it. I am upgrading this weekend. I have made a new, clean NT PDC - let's call it the "Compaq" - (OK, I salvaged an old PC - P933/384M/4G C drive(3.3G free)/100BaseT NIC, etc. to do it), syncronized my domain - OK so far. I have a couple of BDC's and an EX5.5 server. Except for changing the DNS on their TCP setups I expect these to remain untouched. I have backed up everything and plan on taking my old PDC (now a BDC) off line. I have another brand new server waiting to have W2K installed - let's call it the "Dell". BTW I have a single domain, about 65 users. We''ll be running in mixed mode for the forseeable future. One of my BDCs is currently configured as a WINS server, and I have no plans to change this anytime soon.

Last minute questions:
1. Since the Compaq is not the most powerful beast in the world, I plan on it having a short life as a DC. What I would like to do is just do a bare-bones AD setup on this machine but just do what it takes to get AD up and running and then set up the nice new Dell as a DC. Since I have been told that DNS is a resource hog I would like to set up the Dell as the main DNS machine and relegate the Compaq to a backup role. How do I go about doing this? Also, in my existing NT servers, when I re-do the DNS do I set the Hostname to be the same as whichever DC ends up being the main DNS box?

2. Do I have to put DHCP on my first server (the Compaq) or can that wait until I get the Dell up and running?

3. After my domain is set up and stable with both DCs up and running, I plan on adding yet another new box and making it a DC (this will eventually become our new EX2000 server). At this time I plan on decomissioning the Compaq per the steps I read in the FAQ. Is this weekend work or can I get away with doing it during normal working hours?

Thanks for all your help, everyone!

 

[jgoodman00]

1. Since the Compaq is not the most powerful beast in the world, I plan on it having a short life as a DC. What I would like to do is just do a bare-bones AD setup on this machine but just do what it takes to get AD up and running and then set up the nice new Dell as a DC. Since I have been told that DNS is a resource hog I would like to set up the Dell as the main DNS machine and relegate the Compaq to a backup role. How do I go about doing this?
Would it not make more sense to setup AD on the Dell server straight away?
I cannot remember this exactly, but whilst DC's within AD are multi-master, the first DC in a forest (I think) is still the most important. I remember an MCP question about seizing control from the first DC in AD, but this seems un-necessary in your situation. Personally, I would be tempted to setup the Dell server as the first DC, & the Compaq as a second. This will provide fault-tolerance & should avoid over-loading the compaq.


Also, in my existing NT servers, when I re-do the DNS do I set the Hostname to be the same as whichever DC ends up being the main DNS box?
???


2. Do I have to put DHCP on my first server (the Compaq) or can that wait until I get the Dell up and running?

Assuming you have some way of giving machines ip-addresses, no. Do you currently use DHCP, or are ip's assigned statically?


3. After my domain is set up and stable with both DCs up and running, I plan on adding yet another new box and making it a DC (this will eventually become our new EX2000 server). At this time I plan on decomissioning the Compaq per the steps I read in the FAQ. Is this weekend work or can I get away with doing it during normal working hours?

Depends on how brave (or foolish) you are I guess. Lol.

Personally, I would want to do it when there are relatively few users around, just in case you hit some partof the network out. However, there is nothing stopping you from setting the 2 DC's up in a disconnected environment. You could configure them using a cross-over cable, & then push them into the network environment out of hours.


James Goodman MCP

http://www.james-goodman.co.uk

 

[mckeek]

Thanks for your reply, John. I plan on doing an upgrade of the Compaq (my existing PDC), as this will update my existing domain to a new one with the same name and migrate all my SIDs, SAM, user account info, etc. directly. If I try to dcpromo the Dell into an existing NT domain then it will force me to create a whole new domain, and I would be stuck using the ADMT to migrate everything. My goal here is to update my existing domain and minimize the impact on my users, not to create a whole new domain.

MS recommends the "upgrade a PDC" procedure here

http://www.microsoft.com/windows200...indows2000/en/server/help/sag_addeploy_17.htm

and here

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...ows2000serv/reskit/deploy/part3/chapt-10.asp,

and lots of other places, and I have read advisories to do this on this very forum, as well.

I am currently running DHCP on the Compaq. My servers are fixed-IP of course. I will probably go ahead and install DNS on the Compaq, then dcpromo the Dell and install DNS on it as well with a forwarder to my ISP, then install DHCP on the Dell and have it point to itself for the DNS data it gives out to clients logging on.

Thanks,

- Kevin

 

[karlisi]

If I try to dcpromo the Dell into an existing NT domain then it will force me to create a whole new domain, and I would be stuck using the ADMT to migrate everything.

No, if you join first your Dell to existing domain, then DCPROMO, you will be prompted to make new domain or promote this server to DC in existing domain. AFAIK this is the easiest way to upgrade winnt4 domain to win2000 domain.