Windows 2003 Upgrade

[Guest]

We are going to upgrade to windows 2003 at my work. We currently have around
65 users and 100 computers in four different locations. We are using DFS and
FRS as well. My supervisor wants to create a new domain (using the same DNS
name) without connecting the servers to our network. Then come in on a
weekend and shutdown our old servers and bring up the new ones. I told him at
the very least we would have to disjoin from the domain and join them to the
new one. Can anyone think of any other negative effects of doing this kind of
upgrade? Thanks.

PS - any articles that would help in my case that this is a bad idea would
be greatly appreciated.

 

[Guest]

I am assuming you are on a 2000 AD domain. Based on what you are saying, you
are getting all new computers.

Lets first ask these questions:

1. What type of DFS do you have and FRS do you have? Is it a domain based DFS?

2. Are you taking every server to 2003 including the DC's?

The way your boss is wanting to go will work but you are just asking for
problems. If you have two seperate domains called the same thing and come in
on the weekend, you are going to have to re-add every machine to the new
domain, thats 100 machines and too much work.

There are several schools of thought and everyone has there own 'correct'
way. I would be to bring up the new DC's, then the other servers in your
current domain. You can run the 2003 DC's in mixed mode until you are 100%
sure everything is working as it did. Then demote the old 2000 DC's. At this
point, you will still be in mixed mode but have all 2003 DC's. Then you can
upgrade to native mode at any given point.

 

[Guest]

Phenglai,

Thanks for your response. We have four locations. Each location is receiving
a new DC. None of the workstations are being replaced. So they will have to
be disjoined from the old domain and rejoined to the new one. I agree with
your philosophy for upgrading, but I need to build a case for it to my
manager. Aside from having to rejoin all the workstations can you think of
any other problems that might occur?

We are using DFS in conjunction with FRS. We have one DFS root that
replicates all data to all DC's in each location. Under the DFS root we have
four folders that hold user data, software for installs, applications run
from the server, and some archived data. User's My Documents and Application
Data are being redirected to this DFS as well.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your help.

 

[Guest]

I can not think of any literature or sites that would back up why to not do
it the way your manager wants. The way he wants to procede would be entirely
too much overhead and work and that is why Microsoft built in the tools and
abilty to migrate instead of hard cutting everything.

Here are the things I see you would have to do and where problems would come
in.

1. Every machine would need to join the domain which would mean doing so to
every computer.
2. All Group Policy settings will need setup again.
3. DFS and FRS would need built again.
4. You would have to redirect everyone's My Documents
5. If your manager does not want the servers to ever be on the same domain,
there will be the issue of moving the current data over to the new servers.
How will you accomplish this?
6. Any backup methods you have in place will have to be moved as well.

I wish I could help you out more. I will keep looking for examples of why
not to do it like that.

Jerel