Moving from Server 2003 to Server 2008 R2

[jdm101]

I apologize ahead of time but I am just getting started in this field. I am currently doing an internship at a local nonprofit and my boss has given me my first assignment. Unfortunately my server class did not prepare me for anything like this.

We are currently running everything off a server using 2003 lets call 'Bob'. We had several new machines donated to us and want to set up one of them to run Server 2008 R2.

My assignment is to figure out how to set up the new server on it's own network running 2008 R2 and also call it Bob. Once it is up and running I am supposed to copy(?) the connections and information from old Bob and move them to new Bob. Once that is done take old Bob offline and connect new Bob and be up and running.

I've read a number of forum posts that have suggested suggested several methods but none seemed exactly like what my boss wanted to happen.

The closest I've been able to come is to set up the new server and join it to the existing server. Demote the old Bob and change its name. Change the new server's name to Bob and promote it. Then transfer control of everything from old Bob to new Bob. But that isn't what I am supposed to do.

Like I said at the beginning my education is lacking in this area. I was taught how to set up a server using 2003 and that was about it.

I would really appreciate any help you guys can give!

[CPressland]

Can we have a little more Information about Bob2003 please? Is it an Active Directory Domain Controller? What services are running on it? DHCP? DNS (probably)? File Services?

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

how is that NOT what youre supposed to do? i dont get it then...

is old Bob a DC or something? you shouldnt need to 'join' or 'demote' anything otherwise.

anyway, here's my suggestion from the information given:

• get the new server running up to spec first - all necessary patches, security fixes, programs installed.
  
• give old and new bob a generic 192.168.x.x address so they can talk to each other. (im assuming that both servers have more than 1 port)
  
• copy all necessary data to new Bob
  
• change all applications' configurations to run or point to the new Bob
  
• Disable networking on the old Bob, but keep it running.
  
• If everything works on new Bob, turn off old Bob
  

[yeoo_andy_ni]

Is the current Bob capable of running Server 2008 R2?

[jdm101]

Bob2003 runs everything. It is an Active Directory Domain Controller and does run DHCP, DNS, and is a file server. Being a nonprofit my boss does a a lot with very little.

Bob2003 has been in place for at least 7 years and has had three IT guys working with it. Two quit in mid project so it is a bit buggy.

[CPressland]

Well the easiest method would be to 'Start from Scratch'.

Setup the new Bob with Server 2008 R2, Setup Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, User Profiles etc, migrate data across, remove old bob from network in place on new bob and join all the client machines to the new domain. Unless you have any 'specific' applications that rely on old bob, no point in migrating things step by step.

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

ok, this is a lot more tricky then.

let me change my steps then:

• get the new server running up to spec first - all necessary patches, security fixes, programs installed.
  
• Join new Bob to the domain
  
• copy all necessary data to new Bob. Make new Bob a file server and quit file serving on old Bob
  
• Make new Bob a secondary DC. Copy DNS configs and AD configs. run in parallel for a few days to check for stability and proper communication.
  
• Demote old Bob, and promote new Bob.
  
• Disable networking on the old Bob, but keep it running.
  
• If everything works on new Bob after a week or two, turn off old Bob
  

[yeoo_andy_ni]

No then. I wouldn't start introducing duplicate names into the environment. Especially when DC's are involved.

Basically I would do the following:

Demote all other (if they exist) DC's

Have Bob act as the only Dc in the environment.

Build the new Server 2008 R2 server. Call it Bob2 or something.

DCPromo it into the existing domain.

Confirmed that replication is occurring between the servers (create/modifying users on both and check the other server for the changes).

Backup the entire Bob (2003) server. Don't forget the System State! Even use NTBackup. It's not great but make sure you have a proper AD backup. Other imaging software, like Ghost or Acronis for the System Snapshot as such.

Demote Bob2003.

Ensure users can still logon (by authenticating with the new Bob2).

Transfer the shares to the new Bob. Use Robocopy to maintain permissions. User the registry to find the shares on Bob2003 and import that to new Bob2.

Add a DNS entry on Bob2 to allow the users who are mapping drives via name to be able to hit Bob2003 using Bob2's IP Address (Bob2003 and Bob2 will have the same IP in local DNS). This means a \\Bob2003 will be the same as \\Bob2, so drive mappings shouldn't need touched, unless it's done via IP.

[majortom1981]

Are you creating a new domain? If so why ? It will be much easier to make the New bob a domain controller of the existing domain , transfer the roles to new bob and any files and then demote Old bob.

PS You have to run the prep wizard so that the domain can accept a 2008 r2 domain controller. You would run it off the 2008 r2 dvd

[sc302 Veteran]

There are a couple of ways to do this. I am not sure what you are trying to accomplish exactly. Are you making a new domain and need to copy everything from the old to the new? If so you will need the Active Directory Migration Tool. This will allow you to migrate all AD objects and computers from one domain to another completely seperate domain and have all share rights and permissions follow along. You will still need to migrate data off the old domain controller(s) to the new domain controller(s).

If you are just simply trying to replace a DC you would make the new server a new DC of the existing domain, transfer the roles over, make a pointer in DNS to have the old name point to the new server so when it is being called by the pc's and as long as the shares are exactly the same as they were everything (except printers) will follow along.

Edit:

The ADMT is not a point and click tool, there is a lot of prep that needs to take place before you can run this successfully. Please read through this to make this happen as flawlessly as possible, and test with some test users, test groups, and test pc's. Also there is a secondary software needed, as explained in the manual, to sync passwords over.

[majortom1981]

if your adding it to a 2003 domain you have to run the prep tool for the domain first. This preps the domain for a 2008 r2 domain controller.

adprep /forestprep

adprep /domainprep

This utility is on the windows 2008 r2 dvd in the support/adprep folder.

[jdm101]

No then. I wouldn't start introducing duplicate names into the environment. Especially when DC's are involved.

Basically I would do the following:

Demote all other (if they exist) DC's

Have Bob act as the only Dc in the environment.

Build the new Server 2008 R2 server. Call it Bob2 or something.

DCPromo it into the existing domain.

Confirmed that replication is occurring between the servers (create/modifying users on both and check the other server for the changes).

Backup the entire Bob (2003) server. Don't forget the System State! Even use NTBackup. It's not great but make sure you have a proper AD backup. Other imaging software, like Ghost or Acronis for the System Snapshot as such.

Demote Bob2003.

Ensure users can still logon (by authenticating with the new Bob2).

Transfer the shares to the new Bob. Use Robocopy to maintain permissions. User the registry to find the shares on Bob2003 and import that to new Bob2.

Add a DNS entry on Bob2 to allow the users who are mapping drives via name to be able to hit Bob2003 using Bob2's IP Address (Bob2003 and Bob2 will have the same IP in local DNS). This means a \\Bob2003 will be the same as \\Bob2, so drive mappings shouldn't need touched, unless it's done via IP.

This is more or less the way the first plan I wrote up went except I had a couple steps to change the name. He said I was making it too complicated and needed to work on it again.

I'm sorry its early and I am fuzzy on the terminology. He basically said he wants to copy the setup on Old Bob onto a flash drive walk it over and load it into New Bob that is running by itself. Both have to be named "Bob". and once that is done turn off Old Bob and put New Bob in its place.

[Fan Neowin]

The dummy thinking of your boss is more trouble than the technical issues.

You may try if you have to follow up the thinking of your boss as follows:

Do entire backups for 2 servers (Acronis Backup & Recovery with restore dissimilar server option or Symantec Backup Exec with Simplified Disaster Recovery - SDR);

Restore the backup image of the Server 2003 overwrite the Server 2008 R2;

Power on the new server 2003 and make sure the old server 2003 offline as spare in case of server migration failed;

Do OS upgrade for the new server 2003 from install media kit of win server 2008 R2 (got to run commad:

adprep /forestprep

adprep /domainprep

From support folder in install media kit of win server 2008 R2 first).

 

[zhangm Supervisor]

Since this thread is from nearly two years ago, I'm going to close it up. Feel free to contribute to newer topics. :)