Big time domain integration

[Kevin Busch]

My company is in the middle of a BIG time domain
integration, but we're running into a few obstacles.
Here's the current setup...

We run all windows 2000. There's 5 different sites. 3
of which belong to a sister company that resides in the
same WAN as our own that have 3 seperate domains in their
own forests. We reside in the 4th location in our own
seperate domain and forest. The 5th location houses our
DMZ and along side it, another network where we will
eventually put our root domain.

We wish to add all of these domains to 1 forest. We want
to have a root domain at the 5th location and one large
child domain for the 4 sites. It's either that or 1 root
domain at the 5th site and 2 child domains (one for the
sister company and one for us). Both companies connect
to our exchange box which resides in our domain. We're
trying to find the fastest/smoothest/easiest way of
moving the exchange box to the 5th location and at the
same time migrating those older domains into the new
forest.

Is there a way to demote a DC and join it as a child
domain and still hold onto the original AD objects?

PLEASE HELP!

-Kevin

 

[Herb Martin]

My company is in the middle of a BIG time domain
integration, but we're running into a few obstacles.
Here's the current setup...

We run all windows 2000. There's 5 different sites. 3
of which belong to a sister company that resides in the
same WAN as our own that have 3 seperate domains in their
own forests. We reside in the 4th location in our own
seperate domain and forest. The 5th location houses our
DMZ and along side it, another network where we will
eventually put our root domain.

There is no way to merge (graft) forests except to move
the Objects (see ADMT v2)

In Win2003 (Forest Function Level for BOTH domains)
you can establish Forest trusts but ALL DCs in both domains
much run Win2003.

We wish to add all of these domains to 1 forest.

Re-install of all but one forest is required.

We want
to have a root domain at the 5th location and one large
child domain for the 4 sites.

Why?

What are your clear and compelling reasons for each
extra domain?

It's either that or 1 root
domain at the 5th site and 2 child domains (one for the
sister company and one for us). Both companies connect
to our exchange box which resides in our domain. We're
trying to find the fastest/smoothest/easiest way of
moving the exchange box to the 5th location and at the
same time migrating those older domains into the new
forest.

Download and read the stuff on ADMT v2 from Microsoft.

You build the new structure and migrate the stuff there.
(You might be able to use one of the existing Forests/Domains
to start.)

Active Directory Migration Tool version 2

Is there a way to demote a DC and join it as a child
domain and still hold onto the original AD objects?

Nope. you lose the objects when you DCPromo a DC
(on that DC or for the whole domain at the last DC)

PLEASE HELP!

Call me if you need to -- my number is on my website,
www.LearnQuick.Com