Plan for 2003 domain upgrade and domain rename

[nelson97]

Hi,

I currently have 2 2000 DCs and a couple of 2003 Member Servers (used for TS and SQL Server). My overall goal for the network is to upgrade the domain to 2003 with the following to accomplish:

1. Demote my 2nd 2000 DC and possibly get rid of it altogether.
2. Clean install 2003 on my 1st 2000 DC.
3. Rename my domain

Question for item 1: Are there any issues with performing this first since my 1st DC holds all 5 of the roles and GC?
Item 2: Before I demote and clean install on my 1st DC, I plan on running adprep and using an existing 2003 member server to dcpromo, replicate and transfer the 5 roles and gc. Now, since I plan on renaming my domain, what is the best approach from here? I've gone over the white paper on renaming 2003 domain and it requirements for the network. Is it advisable to go ahead and install 2003 and sp's on my 1st DC, run dcpromo, replicate, etc just so I have that as a backup then take it offline. Then rename the domain using my single 2003 DC. Then once all the 2x rebooting is done re-introduce my "backup" 2003 DC into the network?

Also, since one 2003 Server is running 2000 SQL server, is there anything outside of rebooting it twice that I should be concerned about with these changes?

Thanks

 

[markdmac]

If you have read the help file on the domain rename tool, then you know that MS really thinks this is a bad idea.

I would suggest transferring all 5 roles to DC 2. Setup DC one as a new forest, new domain witht he name you want. Setup a truest between old & new domains. Use ADMT to transfer the accounts and SIDs to the new domain. then join your other servers to the new domain.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

 

[nelson97]

Thanks for the reply....

Just to clarify, would that be transfer the fsmo to DC2 while it's still 2000? And then install 2003 on DC1 and make it a domain in a new forest then setup trust?

Thanks

 

[markdmac]

Correct. You would be making the domain run fully on DC2 and then setting upa new network on DC1 running 2003.

Also note that ADMT will let you migrate both users and computers, including user passwords.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

 

[nelson97]

Sorry for delayed response, I'm testing this all out in a lab... If I were to setup DC1 as 2003 on an entirely new domain and forest, at what point would I run adprep domain/forestprep on my original 2000 DC?

Thanks

 

[markdmac]

You would not. By making DC1 a member of a new domain/forest you avoid the need to upgrade the existing AD.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

 

[nelson97]

I just read on MS Technet that you can't create a trust between a 2003 forest and a 2000 forest.

Thanks

 

[markdmac]

Hmm, I must confess I have never tried that.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript

 

[markdmac]

Although I find that to be fishy information because I have created trusts between NT4 and 2003, so it seems strange to me that 2000 would have a problem.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

Check out my scripting solutions at

http://www.thespidersparlor.com/vbscript