Upgrading a DC from 2000 to 2003 ?

[Alex Anderson]

Hello Everyone,

I'm in the process of upgrading my domain controller from 2000 to 2003.
I've been reading information on the procedure but I do have a few
questions. As it stand now, I have three domain controllers in one domain
and one forest. All servers have SP4 and I have backed up each server in
preparation of the update. I also have a Windows 2003 member server that I
will introduce once the active direction has been prep'd. The documentation
is telling me to take the schema master offline to run the /forestprep and
to make sure it updates successfully. Once it has and I've verified that,
it tells me to re-introduce the DC back into the production environment so
it can replicate the changes before I can run /domainprep.

Here's my question. It appears I would have to do the /forestprep to my
domain off production hours, because if I take the DC that holds all my
master operation roles including the schema master role, Exchange 2003 no
longer works. I have an additional Global Catalog DC separate from the DC I
just took off line to run the adprep /forestprep. Is this the only step
where it will require me to perform the /forestprep during off production
hours? After which, I've verified that /forestprep has completed
successfully and I've re-introduced the schema master back in the production
environment.

Once I've finished that, I can run adprep /domainprep on the DC holding
the infrastructure master operation roles, then when that is successful I
DCPROMO my Windows 2003 member server to be the first domain in the 2003
domain. What I'm trying to prevent is downtime in all actuality, but to be
safe during the /forestprep part, Microsoft recommends you take the DC that
holds the schema master role to avoid corruption of the AD database. That's
understandable, but other than Exchange 2003, what other services will be
disabled so I could schedule or notify those that will be affected? Here's
another question, is that way "really" recommended, or is it safe to say to
just do the /forestprep during production and don't take the DC offline like
Microsoft recommends?

I would appreciate if someone would give me some pointers to help me
eliminate downtime and perhaps some Do's and Don'ts.

Thank you
Alex Anderson

 

[Paul Bergson]

There is no reason to take the fsmo roles holder off line I have done
multiple without ever doing this. Microsoft know longer recommends this and
as a matter of fact discourages it.

See:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325379#XSLTH4244120122120121120120


--


Paul Bergson MCT, MCSE, MCSA, CNE, CNA, CCA

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Alex Anderson]

Paul,

Thank you for responding. Yes, that's the problem I had with their
"old" advice. Also, I want to do this during production hours (is that
recommended?) so am I still on the right track of introducing a Windows 2003
member server and promoting it after the /forestprep and /domainprep on the
schema and infrastructure master DC is completed and successful. After
that, then I go around and upgrade the Windows 2000 DC's to 2003?

Thank you
Alex Anderson

 

[Paul Bergson]

There should be no problem doing this during the day. We did as well, we
are a medium sized company with about 1500 users. I would just make sure
you have at least two backups.

We upgraded a 2000 server to 2003 and then went back and promoted a 2003
member server. Either way should work just fine.

--


Paul Bergson MCT, MCSE, MCSA, CNE, CNA, CCA

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Alex Anderson]

Paul,

I understand and I thank you for the information. Since my operation is
no way nearly as big as yours, I'm going to do the upgrade live, however if
I upgrade the first DC in my forest (windows 2000 server) then there will be
down time for people that access the exchange 2003 server. So the way I
understand what you've provided me as well as Microsoft, the introduction of
the Windows 2003 member server after the /forestprep and /domainprep is
finished, is to keep functionality to other services within the domain while
you upgraded the once first DC in your forest. Well I thank you.

Alex Anderson

 

[Jorge_de_Almeida_Pinto]

Hello Everyone,

I'm in the process of upgrading my domain controller from
2000 to 2003.
I've been reading information on the procedure but I do have a
few
questions. As it stand now, I have three domain controllers
in one domain
and one forest. All servers have SP4 and I have backed up
each server in
preparation of the update. I also have a Windows 2003 member
server that I
will introduce once the active direction has been prep'd. The
documentation
is telling me to take the schema master offline to run the
/forestprep and
to make sure it updates successfully. Once it has and I've
verified that,
it tells me to re-introduce the DC back into the production
environment so
it can replicate the changes before I can run /domainprep.

Here's my question. It appears I would have to do the
/forestprep to my
domain off production hours, because if I take the DC that
holds all my
master operation roles including the schema master role,
Exchange 2003 no
longer works. I have an additional Global Catalog DC separate
from the DC I
just took off line to run the adprep /forestprep. Is this the
only step
where it will require me to perform the /forestprep during off
production
hours? After which, I've verified that /forestprep has
completed
successfully and I've re-introduced the schema master back in
the production
environment.

Once I've finished that, I can run adprep /domainprep on
the DC holding
the infrastructure master operation roles, then when that is
successful I
DCPROMO my Windows 2003 member server to be the first domain
in the 2003
domain. What I'm trying to prevent is downtime in all
actuality, but to be
safe during the /forestprep part, Microsoft recommends you
take the DC that
holds the schema master role to avoid corruption of the AD
database. That's
understandable, but other than Exchange 2003, what other
services will be
disabled so I could schedule or notify those that will be
affected? Here's
another question, is that way "really" recommended, or is it
safe to say to
just do the /forestprep during production and don't take the
DC offline like
Microsoft recommends?

I would appreciate if someone would give me some pointers
to help me
eliminate downtime and perhaps some Do's and Don'ts.

Thank you
Alex Anderson

For info on upgrading w2k to w2k3 AD see the following:

MS-KBQ325379_How to Upgrade Windows 2000 Domain Controllers to Windows
Server 2003

MS-KBQ555040_Common Mistakes When Upgrade Windows 2000 Domain To
Windows 2003

You should NOT take the schema FSMO offline because there is a known
issue with that! Another way to make a change to AD and not have it
replicate to ohter DCs is by disabling replication in the sending
partner or the recieving partners. In this case you should disable
OUTBOUND replication for the schema FSMO, although it will still
accept incoming replication, but that is OK.

The reason of taking the schema master offline is when doing the
forestprep thing you will be updating the schema, which is
irreversible!. If the schema upgrade is bad and it has replicated to
the other DCs and you want to revert you need to rebuild the forest.
By disabling replication or disconnecting you are mitigating the risk
of a bad schema update. If it is bad, then kill the DC, seize the
role, perform a metadata cleanup and rebuild the DC.

Is the Schema FSMO is called: SCHMFSMO.DOMAIN.COM run the following
command:
TO DISABLE OUTBOUND REPL.
* REPADMIN /OPTIONS SCHMFSMO.DOMAIN.COM +DISABLE_OUTBOUND_REPL

TO ENABLE OUTBOUND REPL.
* REPADMIN /OPTIONS SCHMFSMO.DOMAIN.COM -DISABLE_OUTBOUND_REPL

As the DC with the schema FSMO role also has the other FSMO roles it
is best to transfer the other roles to another DC TEMPORARILY before
the schema upgrade and before disabling replication. If everything
goes OK, which it mostly does, transfer ther roles back.

do ADPREP /FORESTPREP on the schema master as explained above

let it replicate first

do ADPREP /DOMAINPREP on the infrastructure master. if you want to you
can also disable outbound replication for the infrastructure master
and first see the logs before yuo enable replication again

let it replicate first

DCPROMO the w2k3 member server to a DC and after that transfer at
least the domain naming master fsmo role and the pdc fsmo role to the
new w2k3 dc to be possible to use some new w2k3 features

hope this helps you!

 

[Alex Anderson]

Thank you for the information. I performed the upgrade to the domain last
night and everything appears to have gone smoothly. I do have one question,
we have two DC that are not going to be upgraded to Windows 2003, rather
they are going to be decommissioned. Is it wise to first upgrade them to
2003 then DCPROMO them out of the domain or can I DCPROMO them while they
are still Windows 2000 servers? Thanks again.

Alex Anderson

 

[Paul Bergson]

just dcpromo them out, no need to upgrade first.

--


Paul Bergson MCT, MCSE, MCSA, CNE, CNA, CCA

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Alex Anderson]

I would like to thank both of you for helping me out with this question.

Thank you
Alex Anderson