Windows 2000 Domain upgrade

[mdabney]

Just looking for some sage advice. I have 11 servers. All but three are Windows 2000 servers. Those 3 are Windows 2003. I'm beginning to have problems with my domain, so I want to upgrade my 2000 servers to 2003. I have 4 DC's. One is primary DNS, one is secondary DNS and DHCP, my primary DC is also my file server and the last is for DFS. I purchased a new server and want that one to be my primary DC (I'll know it will be clean) and to run the Primary DNS and eliminate that one DC. I also want my current primary DC to become only a file server (mainly so I don't have to move the files and move my troubles along with it.) Has anyone every tried this and did you follow a Microsoft document and what were the results?

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

I'm beginning to have problems with my domain, so I want to upgrade my 2000 servers to 2003.

I would suggest fixing any issues before upgrading your OS. I would not see upgrading as a way to resolve problems with Active Directory. In fact you could make things worse and if AD is having issues, you may not event be able to upgrade.
Would you please give more detail on what type of issues you are having. Any errors in any of the Event logs would help out...

 

[mdabney]

There are no real errors. The problem is with the AD setup, which is why I want to start fresh with the new server. The mixed domain has always been an issue, which is why I reformated my one 2003 DC to Windows 2000 a year or so ago, and left the others as non-DC's.

 

[pagy]

If the problem is with the AD setup adding a Windows 2003 to your current AD won't 'clean' that up any. What is actually the problem with your AD?? Is it just a mess,EG old accounts still floating around or is it just generally unorganised??

Paul

MCSE 2003

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[mdabney]

We are upgrading all of our servers to 2003. The AD is just a mess, old accounts, incorrect secruity groups, duplicates in groups, etc. Which is why I want a new PDC, set up without all of the duplication and such.

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

So you are talking about creating a whole new Domain and blowing away the old domain?

 

[mdabney]

Not really, but kind of, because of a few legal issues and customer requirements, I can't change the domain name. I have to upgrade one at a time and pretty much have the same domain environment.

 

[pagy]

So if you are upgrading you will still have that AD structure in place, just 2003 DCs instead of 2000 Dcs.

You could upgrade to 2003 DCs and then clean up AD or clean up AD now and then upgrade, either way you won't get away from a clean up job unless you build a new AD forest.

Paul

MCSE 2003

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

I agree with PAGY, that is why I asked if you were blowing away your current AD. By adding another DC (2000 or 2003) running DCPROMO, you are still replicating your current environment to the new DC. So no change (or cleanup) is being made to your current environment.

 

[mdabney]

Just to clarify..
I plan to demote the current PDC and make it just a file server and one other. On the new box, I plan to create a new AD schema using the same domain name.

 

[pagy]

Ok, I think I understand now. So you are going to be creating a new AD forst on your new server and then moving all your servers and PCs into the new forest??

Paul

MCSE 2003

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

 

[mdabney]

Yes, that is what I plan...

 

[WhoKilledKenny]

So this sounds like an AD migration not an upgrade. You will be creating a New Forrest, setting up a trust between the Old Forrest and migrating your users and computers into the New AD Structure.

This is the hurdle that you face.

because of a few legal issues and customer requirements, I can't change the domain name

The DNS name space cannot be the same in each domain or you will not be able to setup a trust to enable the migration.

You can re-name the Domain after you have migrated.

This is a great resource for the questions you are going to have:

http://www.petri.co.il/index.htm

here is the article on domain rename:

http://www.petri.co.il/windows_2003_domain_rename.htm