Domain Consolidation

[DJ]

Hello All:

I have an NT 4.0 domain - DOMAIN X and a 2000 AD domain - DOMAIN Y. I need
to merge Domain Y into Domain X. Initially, we will do so with a trust but,
the question is, how can we accomplish permanently without a trust. Domain Y
is a single forest single domain. The result needs to maintain DOMAIN X
name.

Thanks

 

[Herb Martin]

Hello All:

I have an NT 4.0 domain - DOMAIN X and a 2000 AD domain - DOMAIN Y. I need
to merge Domain Y into Domain X.

You can only "consolidate" or "merge" domains through Migration (e.g., ADMT
which is free from the Microsoft site.) Essentially this is copying your
accounts,
which get news SIDS (although you may retain SID History) and leads to many
inconvenient issues with permissions and especially user profiles.

Initially, we will do so with a trust but, the question is, how can we
accomplish permanently without a trust. Domain Y is a single forest single
domain. The result needs to maintain DOMAIN X name.

Trusts are required for migration. You can create that trust and later
remove it.

To maintain the NT 4 domain name the EASIEST and most complete method is
almost always to just upgrade domain (at the PDC) to Windows Server (2000
or 2003.)

Upgrading maintains EVERYTHING -- migrations lead to various discrepanies
which are difficult if not impossible to reconcile back to the original
domain
values.