Domain Upgrade

We currently have a Domain with about 10 servers running Server 2003 R2 and
want to upgrade the servers to 2008. The server we want to start with is a
x64 server with Exchange 07 and SharePoint Services 3.0. This server also
holds all the FSMO roles as most of the other servers are at remote
locations. Before we upgrade we are looking for upgrade documentation.
Especially any best practices, upgrade procedures. We have looked at the
TechNet Library and were unable to locate these documents.
Can you provide links and any information that may be helpful?

Hello JCLSB,

Some remarks before, you should not run Exchange on a domain controller,
this is not recommended by MS, even if supported. So in your upgrading process
i strongly suggest that you change it to a member server.

Also i would not do an in-place upgrade of the servers to 2008, better install
fresh machines so no older OS can create conflicts. I know that in-place
upgrade is full supported, just my remarks to this. Also i know not much
administrators they do in-place upgrades.


The upgrade step itself is straight forward. See here for adding 2008 DCs
to the domain:
!!!NEVER START BEFORE HAVING CREATED AND TESTED A BACKUP OF YOUR DATA/MACHINE!!!

- On the old server open DNS management console and check that you are running
Active directory integrated zone (easier for replication, if you have more
then one DNS server)

- run replmon from the run line or repadmin /showrepl(only if more then one
DC exist), dcdiag and netdiag from the command prompt on the old machine
to check for errors, if you have some post the complete output from the command
here or solve them first. For this tools you have to install the support\tools\suptools.msi
from the 2003 installation disk.

- run adprep /forestprep and adprep /domainprep and adprep /rodcprep from
the 2008 installation disk against the 2003 schema master, with an account
that is member of the Schema admins, to upgrade the schema to the new version
(44), you can check the version with "schupgr" in a command prompt.

- Install the new machine as a member server in your existing domain

- configure a fixed ip and set the preferred DNS server to the old DNS server
only

- run dcpromo and follow the wizard to add the 2008 server to an existing
domain, make it also Global catalog and DNS server.

- for DNS give the server time for replication, at least 15 minutes. Because
you use Active directory integrated zones it will automatically replicate
the zones to the new server. Open DNS management console to check that they
appear

- if the new machine is domain controller and DNS server run again replmon,
dcdiag and netdiag (copy the netdiag from the 2003 to 2008, will work) on
both domain controllers

- Transfer, NOT seize the 5 FSMO roles to the new Domain controller (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324801
applies also for 2008), FSMO should always be on the newest OS DC

- you can see in the event viewer (Directory service) that the roles are
transferred, also give it some time

- reconfigure the DNS configuration on your NIC of the 2008 server, preferred
DNS itself, secondary the old one

- if you use DHCP do not forget to reconfigure the scope settings to point
to the new installed DNS server

- export and import of DHCP database for 2008 choose "netshell dhcp backup"
and "netshell dhcp restore" command (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc772372.aspx)



Demoting the old DCs (if needed)

- reconfigure your clients/servers that they not longer point to the old
DC/DNS server on the NIC

- to be sure that everything runs fine, disconnect the old DC from the network
and check with clients and servers the connectivity, logon and also with
one client a restart to see that everything is ok

- then run dcpromo to demote the old DC, if it works fine the machine will
move from the DC's OU to the computers container, where you can delete it
by hand. Can be that you got an error during demoting at the beginning, then
uncheck the Global catalog on that DC and try again

- check the DNS management console, that all entries from the machine are
disappeared or delete them by hand if the machine is off the network for ever

- also you have to start AD sites and services and delete the old servername
under the site, this will not be done during demotion
Best regards

Some links about upgrading AD:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc731188.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc755199.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc770703.aspx

Exchange:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb123694.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb310767.aspx

Sharepoint:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc288664.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...c2861881x.mspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc262370.aspx

Meinolf Weber
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> We currently have a Domain with about 10 servers running Server 2003
> R2 and
> want to upgrade the servers to 2008. The server we want to start with
> is a
> x64 server with Exchange 07 and SharePoint Services 3.0. This server
> also
> holds all the FSMO roles as most of the other servers are at remote
> locations. Before we upgrade we are looking for upgrade
> documentation.
> Especially any best practices, upgrade procedures. We have looked at
> the
> TechNet Library and were unable to locate these documents.
> Can you provide links and any information that may be helpful?