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Home > Archive > 70-216 > March 2004 > transfering active directory..anyone?
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transfering active directory..anyone?
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| stevenkok 2004-03-30, 6:20 pm |
| Folks,
I have been using dcpromo lately but came across a questions that would like your input here. This scenario is more like a real-world experience. I don't think there is much like this in the book.
Scenario: Sam is moving his IT Dept from City A to City B. His old Domain controller will stay in City A, whihc later will turn into a member server. Sam decided to built a new DC in City A before moving to City B.
He plans to move the Active Directory database from the old DC to the new DC. Later he will move this new server to City B and test it over there to see if everything works. Once confirmed all is well. He will demote the old DC in City A to use it as a member server.
Questions: How will Sam transfer the AC database over? Both server are different in hardware..so Norton Ghost is out of the questions? Can DCpromo do the job.?
Hope to hear your feedback or links you might know that could come in handy.. | |
| em_ar_ducks 2004-03-30, 9:08 pm |
| DCpromo can do the job provided there is AD Replication support between City A and City B. Also assuming that some part of city A must remain functional after the move.
If both cities are on the same network (different subnets), there shouldn't be any difficulty. After the new DC is built and working in city A, a new "site" for city B can be created and the server can be moved. Make sure that DNS records are updated.
Once the server is up and working in city B, the old DC in City A could be demoted.
This is oversimplified, but without reading a lot into things this is one way to tackle things.
Different assumptions will lead to different solutions.
It'll be interesting to see how others respond. | |
| jocampo 2004-03-30, 9:14 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by stevenkok
Folks,
I have been using dcpromo lately but came across a questions that would like your input here. This scenario is more like a real-world experience. I don't think there is much like this in the book.
Scenario: Sam is moving his IT Dept from City A to City B. His old Domain controller will stay in City A, whihc later will turn into a member server. Sam decided to built a new DC in City A before moving to City B.
He plans to move the Active Directory database from the old DC to the new DC. Later he will move this new server to City B and test it over there to see if everything works. Once confirmed all is well. He will demote the old DC in City A to use it as a member server.
Questions: How will Sam transfer the AC database over? Both server are different in hardware..so Norton Ghost is out of the questions? Can DCpromo do the job.?
Hope to hear your feedback or links you might know that could come in handy..
This not sounds like a real M$ question. Anyway, the answer, IMO, is not so difficult. Because both Servers are fully functional, all you have to do is put "on" both and let the KCC protocol and AD replication do the job (syncronize). The only important point here is to check what are the Server A FSMO roles (old server). Once you know this, you must move all of 'em to the new (or other) Servers before demote it.
The real problem is when you loss one of the DC with making a good Demotion process... or simply, you start the Demotion process and it just does not let you do anything. In fact, almost 1 year ago i had 2 W2K Servers acting as PDC's...both....¿why? i do not know, i'm still looking the reason. Maybe was a blackout, but when power came again, this byzarre situation was out of my control. The answer: a split domain. I had to make the Domain again, because neither the ntdsutil works for me. | |
| jocampo 2004-03-30, 9:25 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by em_ar_ducks
DCpromo can do the job provided there is AD Replication support between City A and City B. Also assuming that some part of city A must remain functional after the move.
If both cities are on the same network (different subnets), there shouldn't be any difficulty. After the new DC is built and working in city A, a new "site" for city B can be created and the server can be moved. Make sure that DNS records are updated.
Once the server is up and working in city B, the old DC in City A could be demoted.
This is oversimplified, but without reading a lot into things this is one way to tackle things.
Different assumptions will lead to different solutions.
It'll be interesting to see how others respond.
I think this is the right aproach....in fact, the AD replication should do its job and make all the zone and records transfers. The trick here are the FSMO roles. We should check if the A Server is acting as PDC or Domain Naming...or other role. If do, we should make the necesary roles transfer. I read one time that DCPROMO suppose to make these FSMO roles transfer, but in the real world, this is not recommended. | |
| stevenkok 2004-03-30, 11:20 pm |
| Thanks for your input..however...both network are separate..they are not subnets and different domain. The server i am talking about here is a DC and also a terminal server. The only time it is use from City A to City B is via terminal session (Remote access) Is there a good method to transfer over the AD in City A itself before moving the new server to city B. In other words, this will be the eventual DC plus terminal server for both City A&B but both different domain (actually one is a domain and the other is only a workgroup).
Hope this is not too confusing.. | |
| jocampo 2004-03-31, 8:12 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by stevenkok
Thanks for your input..however...both network are separate..they are not subnets and different domain. The server i am talking about here is a DC and also a terminal server. The only time it is use from City A to City B is via terminal session (Remote access) Is there a good method to transfer over the AD in City A itself before moving the new server to city B. In other words, this will be the eventual DC plus terminal server for both City A&B but both different domain (actually one is a domain and the other is only a workgroup).
Hope this is not too confusing..
If Server A is in one W2K Domain, and Server B...is in another W2K Domain, you won't able to do that. You must 1st put both in the same Domain.
Once you join both to the same Domain, you still can replicate using SMTP if they are on different subnets, but you should wait a very slow replication, at least, not so fast as intersite replication. | |
| stevenkok 2004-03-31, 11:17 am |
| thanks jocampo for the feedback.. Next question i have is after i transfer the AD to the new server on the same domain and unplug it physically, in order to moved it to City B.
Is there a way for the old server to remain as DC in City A?. I believe there is a way to do this in DCPROMO, am i right?
I am thinking to test out the new server in City B to see if every thing is working before i change City A from a Domain to a workgroup. And then the old DC will be just another computer in a peer to peer (workgroup) environment.
suggestions? | |
| jocampo 2004-03-31, 2:55 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by stevenkok
thanks jocampo for the feedback.. Next question i have is after i transfer the AD to the new server on the same domain and unplug it physically, in order to moved it to City B.
Is there a way for the old server to remain as DC in City A?. I believe there is a way to do this in DCPROMO, am i right?
I am thinking to test out the new server in City B to see if every thing is working before i change City A from a Domain to a workgroup. And then the old DC will be just another computer in a peer to peer (workgroup) environment.
suggestions?
You can check the AD replication and if all is working ok, in the Event Viewer, File Replication Log (if i recall well).
And about the physically change of the new DC...when you simply move this to the other city, you just have to change the Subnet replication (check in Sites and Services); remember: Site not necesary match the same IP physically site/subnet.
If the IP subnet is the same, then the IP remains with no changes at all. | |
| jocampo 2004-03-31, 5:34 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by stevenkok
thanks jocampo for the feedback.. Next question i have is after i transfer the AD to the new server on the same domain and unplug it physically, in order to moved it to City B.
Is there a way for the old server to remain as DC in City A?. I believe there is a way to do this in DCPROMO, am i right?
I am thinking to test out the new server in City B to see if every thing is working before i change City A from a Domain to a workgroup. And then the old DC will be just another computer in a peer to peer (workgroup) environment.
suggestions?
I found this great links that could be useful for you. These links are AD & Sites related...
http://teamapproach.ca/trouble/Sites.htm
http://teamapproach.ca/trouble/Replication.htm |
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