Active Directory Migration Tool Usage

[1234mep]

I am the middle of a 75 user migration from Novell to W2K. I inherited an AD that used the FSMO's Netbios Name TERMINAL as the login domain name for all workstations. (Yes, it was the TerminalServer). I have a new 3 W2K server environment with Exchange 2000, Anti-Virus, etc. 8 migrated users. I find the Netbios name of TERMINAL at login ugly and want to fix it to the corporate name.

I am planning to use ADMT to fix this mess. Most of the documentation refers to NT migration issues.

However, I have a few questions about repairing my AD?

1. Should I demote one of the servers and make it the new FSMO in a new AD domain and then move everything to the new domain or just stay with what I have and fix it from inside the AD?

2. When I pull the trigger: How long will the fix take? (Minutes or Hours)

3. Do I fix this during production hours or after hours?

4. What damage can I expect to the Exchange 2000 installation?

 

[AlexIT]

I would suggest demoting a server and then DCpromo it to the new domain. Now you can configure this as AD, with master DNS, etc. Since you are already migrating the users, won't take too much extra time to redo the server side (8-10 hours per server?) so you know how configuration was done. One hang up will be the Exchange server, probably exmerge out all the mailboxes so you can import them once you re-install this as part of the new domain and recreate all the mailboxes. I usually plan for 1 hour per client to clean up outlook settings (the address books will use a different GAL from the new domain and have unreachable contact lists...) and reconfingure the TCP/IP properties (to login to the new domain, recreate shares etc.) If you are doing 75 users, spending extra 30 hours won't be too bad, and then whole setup is new per your decisions, not leftovers from someone else.)

Alex