The network I currently work has a NT4.0 Primary Domain Controller and with about 3 or 4 other NT4.0 servers, 2 NT Terminal servers(one running citrix) and 2 2000 member servers(one also running citrix). Now I read somewhere that 2000 servers can run in something called mixed mode. From my understanding this is when a 2000 domain controller has active directory installed and is able to comunicate with a NT4.0 PDC. If I am misinformed can someone let me know and if I'm right on my assumption can someone tell me how this is performed...
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Windows 2000 Server in Mixed Mode 1
- Thread starter kahmelion
- Start date
Mixed mode is when you have a Win2k AD server and NT4.0 BDC working together. Easiest way to set this up is first install NT4.0 as BDC on the box where 2k Server will go, then promote this to PDC (demoting your existing PDC to BDC.) Now you upgrade this box to 2k and install AD. This will make this a mixed-mode server, where your 2k clients see this as an AD server, but your 4.0 clients (and BDC servers) see this as a PDC server.
Alex
Alex
- Thread starter
- #3
The mixed-mode server acts as a Windows NT4.0 Primary Domain Controller and also acts as an Active Directory server for Windows2k/XP Professional clients. When you upgrade as I wrote before, this box will start as an NT4.0 PDC and upgrade to Win2K with AD installed.
My (small test network only, not in the real network) experience with mixed-modes are when you upgrade the server from a NT4.0 PDC to the WIN2K server. I don't think you will have any choice when upgrading a NT4.0 PDC, you get AD installed everytime since this is the preferred Win2k structure for dealing with the user accounts and such.
I believe if you install a Win2k box as a member server of the NT4.0 domain, and then run DCPROMO to promote the 2k server to be a domain controller it will automatically install Active Directory.
I do have a test server running without AD, but it does not belong to a domain, and this does not have domain accounts either.
Your usual choice when installing Win2K is: This is the domain controller for my network, There is another domain controller on my network, and Stand-alone (there will not ever be a domain controller.) I know that the first option leaves you no choice but to have AD installed and running...
I hope that someone with more experience will jump in and help you more, as I only have experience with this in our test network, not the full-blown environment so far.
Alex
My (small test network only, not in the real network) experience with mixed-modes are when you upgrade the server from a NT4.0 PDC to the WIN2K server. I don't think you will have any choice when upgrading a NT4.0 PDC, you get AD installed everytime since this is the preferred Win2k structure for dealing with the user accounts and such.
I believe if you install a Win2k box as a member server of the NT4.0 domain, and then run DCPROMO to promote the 2k server to be a domain controller it will automatically install Active Directory.
I do have a test server running without AD, but it does not belong to a domain, and this does not have domain accounts either.
Your usual choice when installing Win2K is: This is the domain controller for my network, There is another domain controller on my network, and Stand-alone (there will not ever be a domain controller.) I know that the first option leaves you no choice but to have AD installed and running...
I hope that someone with more experience will jump in and help you more, as I only have experience with this in our test network, not the full-blown environment so far.
Alex
AlexIT, your correct. Mixed mode is the ability to have a Windows 2000 AD domain controller act as a PDC Emulator. This allows BDC's on the network to communicate with the AD domain controller. Also, you CAN NOT upgrade a Windows 2000 server to a domain controller without installing AD. Now, you can have AD on the box, but it cannot authenticate logins unless it is a Global Catalog server. A Global Catalog server houses all AD information that is used to authenticate and communicate with the network.
If you have any other questions Kahmelion, please don't hesitate to ask.
If you have any other questions Kahmelion, please don't hesitate to ask.
- Thread starter
- #6
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1
- #9
ShackDaddy
MIS
Just a note of correction. A W2K domain controller does not have to be a Global Catalog Server to authenticate logins. It's value is primarily in multi-domain trees and multi-tree forests. It's role within a single domain is fairly negligible. All W2K domain controllers can process authentications, it's when you have cross-domain authentications or AD queries that the GCS's come into play.
- Thread starter
- #10
My next question is do I have to go through the upgrading process as AlexIT described or can I just promote one of my 2000 member servers using dcpromo, and are there any DNS issues that I might have to worry about becasue I also read that W2k Domain controllers are realy "picky" when it comes to DNS.
If you change your domain name, you'll create more work. If you keep your domain name you should be okay. I HIGHLY SUGGEST upgrading instead of promoting a member server. What you will want to do is take a BDC and promote it to a PDC. Next, upgrade the PDC to a Windows 2K AD domain contoller that is a PDC Emulator. Since I have never brought up a server and made it a AD DC in an already existing domain, which I think won't work, I don't want say yes or no to that one. As long as the DNS server in your domain is running with the correct domain name information and the AD Domain controller can contact it during AD promotion, you should be alright.
ShackDaddy, thanks for making that clear to these guys. I made an oversite and my hands were typing faster than my brain was thinking.
ShackDaddy, thanks for making that clear to these guys. I made an oversite and my hands were typing faster than my brain was thinking.
ShackDaddy
MIS
kahmelion, you can't run dcpromo on one of your existing W2K servers unless
1) you want it to be the head of a new domain, which is probably not the case, or
2) you already have a W2K domain controller, or in other words, a prexisting Active Directory.
In your situation, you will have to do what Michaels says, which is upgrade an NT4 PDC to W2K. The downside to your scenario is that your NT4 DC's may not be ready for an upgrade, or perhaps there are apps or hardware on the NT4 DC's that won't support an upgrade. Or perhaps you just like your current stability and are worried about disruptions. There are ways to get around this. One method I use is as follows:
1) Get a third system handy.
2) Backup your PDC completely.
3) Install NT4 on the extra system (we'll call it 'ExtraS') and make it a BDC in your existing domain.
4) Promote ExtraS to be the PDC.
5) Upgrade ExtraS to Windows2000. You now have Active Directory.
6) Run DCPROMO on your new Win2K server (we'll call it Win2K).
7) Migrate all FSMO roles (PDC emulator, etc) from ExtraS to Win2K. It's very easy.
8) Power down ExtraS and leave it turned off. Reformat it later.
ShackDaddy
1) you want it to be the head of a new domain, which is probably not the case, or
2) you already have a W2K domain controller, or in other words, a prexisting Active Directory.
In your situation, you will have to do what Michaels says, which is upgrade an NT4 PDC to W2K. The downside to your scenario is that your NT4 DC's may not be ready for an upgrade, or perhaps there are apps or hardware on the NT4 DC's that won't support an upgrade. Or perhaps you just like your current stability and are worried about disruptions. There are ways to get around this. One method I use is as follows:
1) Get a third system handy.
2) Backup your PDC completely.
3) Install NT4 on the extra system (we'll call it 'ExtraS') and make it a BDC in your existing domain.
4) Promote ExtraS to be the PDC.
5) Upgrade ExtraS to Windows2000. You now have Active Directory.
6) Run DCPROMO on your new Win2K server (we'll call it Win2K).
7) Migrate all FSMO roles (PDC emulator, etc) from ExtraS to Win2K. It's very easy.
8) Power down ExtraS and leave it turned off. Reformat it later.
ShackDaddy
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