Upgrading NT 4 domain into existing 2K forest

[charliey_2000]

Hi,

We currently have an AD domain. We actually have two. A
empty forest root and a child domain we use. So we have
xxx.com and child.xxx.com. We have a NT 4 domain that we
would like to upgrade to 2k domain as a child domain of
our forest root. SO it will be child2.xxx.com. The NT 4
domain includes 28 sites. The PDC for the NT domain is
here. If I was upgrading the NT domain into its our
forest I think things would be a little more obvious to
me.

First can we upgrade the NT 4 domain as a child domain of
our existing 2K Domain.

Next if we take this approach we can only access so many
sites so lets say we upgrade the PDC of the NT 4 domain.
Can we keep the same NT domain name for compatability
until we get all the sites upgraded. Just not sure how
this would play out. We want the child2.xxx.com name for
the upgraded domain. The child2 part will be different
from the NT 4 domain name. Can this be done.

Ideally the only way this plan could work is if we can
upgrade the NT 4 domain into an existing 2K domain as a
child following our DNS structure and still have the
remote sites operate normally until we get them upgraded.
I know I must keep the upgraded NT 4 domain in mixed mode
so it can talk to NT 4 BDC.

I am going to try and test this out in a lab as much as
possible but would gladly except some technical
experiences doing this.

Thanks

 

[\Richard McCall [MSFT]\]

That is correct you can upgrade and NT4 domain and join an existing forest
in the process. The DNS name will be set in DCpromo but the netbios name
will remain the same and can not be changed in w2k. It can in W2k3. All the
NT4 bdc will continue to function with the domain in mixed mode.