Windows Server Migration and Setup

[Guest]

I have a client that is currently running 3 servers with Windows 2000 Server.
He has a total of 3 locations with a server at each location. All locations
are connected via fibre. All three servers are part of the same domain and
they are all domain controllers(Contain Active Directory).

This client wants to migrate all 3 servers to Win2k3. He would prefer to
have the same server names and the same addresses of each server. He also
wants to know if there is a process or tool that will transfer all
usernames/passwords as well as all shares, security and data. So, basically,
if there was a Win2k server called server1 with an address of 1.1.1.1 with
shares on it, he would want to install the new Win2k3 server, name it
server1with an address of 1.1.1.1 and have all the shares, data, and active
directory moved over. I also want to clarify that he is buying new
hardware(servers) to replace the old servers. Is this possible?

 

[NIC Student]

Hi Joe,

Well, you could:

1. DCDiag & Netdiag the DC
2. Reallocate FSMO roles to other DCs, backup all shares, make a note of
other services that are running
3. Demote the DC
4. Remove from domain and delete computer account
5. New machine>Name>add to domain>dcpromo
6. Old server>Rename>add to domain.
7. Restore data to new server and create shares again.

I greatly prefer to make these sort of changes as cleanly as possible rather
than trying to migrate system states to new hardware, etc.