set up a test lab based on our production active directory

[Simon Church]

Hello,

our production environment is all W2k, with Native W2k DCs
in each of our 5 sites.

We want to set up a test lab for testing the migration
proces to windows 2003.

As long as we keep it isolated from production, can we
ghost one or two of our production DCs and use them for
creating a test lab that is based on our production
Active Directory? We were able to do this with NT (when
migrating to W2K), but now that AD is more complex, I am
not sure what the pros/cons will be to do this. Or is it
more advisable to start the test lab with a brand new
Active Directory.

Please advise.

Thanks,

Simon

 

[Scott Harding - MS MVP]

As long as you keep them isolated this should work. Obviously your ghosting
has to be done correctly but I have ghosted Active Directory thousands of
time in our classrooms and it works typically without issues.