Re: 2003 AD R2 schema upgrade from Win 2000 Server?

My Opinion is... If you don't plan to use R2 features, don't upgrade the schema to R2, you only need to upgrade the schema to R2 when you plan to use R2 features.
--
I hope that the information above helps you.
Have a Nice day.

Jorge Silva
MCSE, MVP Directory Services
"jimmuh" <jimmuh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:01F705B7-74CF-43BD-B9DF-14F1F19081BE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks, Jorge. Yes, I had seen that message thread.

So, do you see any problem with me proceeding as I outlined?

I'm not intending to do any upgrade installations of R2 on any of the
machines. This domain was in sad, sad shape when I got it. I had to edit AD
manually to take care of issues like DCs that had just been yanked out of the
network. I changed the configuration of the domain slowly over time to do my
best to provide redundant functionality. It is in perfect condition now, with
no replication or DNS issues -- passing dcdiag, netdiag, and replmon testing
with no failures or warnings whatsoever.

This is an actual production plant domain, and a downed server means a site
stops producing -- not a popular option. We have two servers each at two of
the sites, and only a single server at the third site. No test machines,
other than what I can jury rig in the way of virtual machines on my own
notebook computer.

With the history of the domain I want clean installations of R2 for each of
the DCs. I'll be adding a sixth DC (2nd server at the site that only has one
now). So I just want to upgrade the schema now from the W2KSP4 system I was
talking about, then add the first R2 DC, then remove each of the other DCs in
turn from the domain and clean install the OS on them before adding them back.

The IT people here probably think I'm crazy for doing this, but their
servers can go down with very little effect on company operations (loss of
e-mail, network shares, etc.) -- and they do go down. None of my servers has
ever gone down for other than a frank hardware failure, and those failures
are long in the past. If my servers go down, buildings become eerily quiet,
and stuff stops coming off the production lines.

The company will not spend the money they should to provide a separate, or
at least a bolstered, infrastructure for the production domain. It shares
infrastructure with a bunch of sales reps and customer service reps who
actually get to run their own server -- with no training or oversight on
security settings! The company wouldn't even buy more than one production
server per site, or air conditioning for the rooms the servers were in -- until a hot day spelled the end of operations at one ofl the sites for a
couple of days.

If you've read all of this and can respond to that primary question, I thank
you. I have no education in this field, other that what I've picked up on my
own on the job in a couple of years. I appreciate any help I can get.

"Jorge Silva" wrote:

also have a look at the previous post "Windows 2003 R2 and SP2"

--
I hope that the information above helps you.
Have a Nice day.

Jorge Silva
MCSE, MVP Directory Services
"jimmuh" <jimmuh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:EC3D54D6-A232-4982-9916-38F0A67B8BFC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> On second thought, I have seen nothing here that indicates that I have > to
> do
> the schema upgrades from the W2003SP2 machine. Paul and Jorge seem to > be
> trying to remind me that the new R2 features can't be installed on the
> older
> W2KSP4 system. But, if I'm understanding it correctly, the AD schema > can
> still be extended without doing it on the W2003SP2 DC. I can add the R2
> features to other servers later on as the servers become available and > as
> the
> features are needed.
>
> I have reasons for wanting to do this from the W2KSP4 box which is now > the
> FSMO role holder. That single W2003SP2 system is the only DC and SQL
> server
> at its site. I don't want to have to disconnect it, thus bringing
> production
> to a stop at its site, in order to do the schema upgrades. Once I get > the
> schema upgrades done I'll be able to add a second DC at that site > (running
> W2003R2SP2), eliminating the risk of running a single server at that > site.
> Then I'll be able to go on my merry way demoting each of the other
> servers,
> in turn, and doing clean installations of W2003R2SP2 on them, and then
> adding
> them back to the domain.
>
> Does anyone see a problem with that plan?
>
> "jimmuh" wrote:
>
>> Thanks. I'll do it that way then. I was just concerned because I saw a
>> post
>> earlier on in which someone stated that he had been unable to install >> the
>> schema upgrades from a 2003 SP2 server. But it they're supposed to >> work
>> from
>> SP1 and onward, I'll just hope that his was an isolated instance.
>>
>> "Paul Bergson [MVP-DS]" wrote:
>>
>> > What he is telling you is to upgrade to R2 you need to do it from a >> > DC
>> > running Windows 2003 with SP1 or greater.
>> >
>> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912309
>> >
>> > R2 features are only available on R2 installed machines.
>> >
>> > -- >> > Paul Bergson
>> > MVP - Directory Services
>> > MCT, MCSE, MCSA, Security+, BS CSci
>> > 2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT
>> >
>> > http://www.pbbergs.com
>> >
>> > Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewsGroup
>> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> > rights.
>> >
>> > "jimmuh" <jimmuh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> > news:6E694E2D-1737-4EE9-BAE4-DE9151D926E1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > > Thanks for replying, Jorge. I know I'm being a bit dense, but I >> > > want
>> > > to
>> > > get
>> > > this right. I'm no IT pro, but I'm in charge of a production >> > > domain.
>> > >
>> > > So, if I try to upgrade the schema from the Windows 2000 server >> > > and
>> > > then
>> > > add
>> > > R2 servers they will not have the features of the new schema
>> > > available to
>> > > them? If so, then I should move the FSMO roles to the Windows >> > > Server
>> > > 2003
>> > > system? (It is at SP2.)
>> > >
>> > > "Jorge Silva" wrote:
>> > >
>> > >> Hi
>> > >> R2 is only available for W2k3 with SP1, you can apply on a mixed
>> > >> environment
>> > >> where you have 2000 and 2003 but R2 features can only be >> > >> installed
>> > >> in a
>> > >> server with w2k3SP1, and the R2 features are only available to >> > >> the
>> > >> server.
>> > >>
>> > >> -- >> > >> I hope that the information above helps you.
>> > >> Have a Nice day.
>> > >>
>> > >> Jorge Silva
>> > >> MCSE, MVP Directory Services
>> > >> "jimmuh" <jimmuh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> > >> news:08A351A6-3155-4F9A-B722-C63B1DD1FDD3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > >> > Hi,
>> > >> >
>> > >> > Question up front, partial background to follow:
>> > >> >
>> > >> > In a domain with a mixed (2000 / 2003) DC complement, is it >> > >> > okay
>> > >> > to
>> > >> > perform
>> > >> > the schema upgrade for R2 on a Windows 2000 server which is the
>> > >> > current
>> > >> > FSMO
>> > >> > role holder / PDC emulator?
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I have an oddball production environment, as follows:
>> > >> >
>> > >> > 5 DCs located in three sites.
>> > >> > 1 DC is Windows Server 2003, and all others are Windows 2000
>> > >> > Server
>> > >> > (all
>> > >> > standard).
>> > >> > The FSMO role holder / PDC emulator is one of the Windows 2000
>> > >> > Server
>> > >> > systems.
>> > >> > All DCs run SQL Server 2000 SP4 to serve production >> > >> > applications
>> > >> > running
>> > >> > on
>> > >> > workstations.
>> > >> > All DCs do DNS.
>> > >> > All DCs are partners in DFS.
>> > >> > No Exchange Servers exist on the domain.
>> > >> > SFU running on 2 DCs.
>> > >> > FTP running on 2 DCs.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > There is no lab. Yes, we apply all patches / updates / changes >> > >> > to
>> > >> > a
>> > >> > live
>> > >> > production environment which must remain up and running 24/7. >> > >> > If
>> > >> > the
>> > >> > servers
>> > >> > stop running the company's production equipment stops running.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > When I applied the 2003 AD schema upgrades so that I could add >> > >> > the
>> > >> > 2003
>> > >> > DC
>> > >> > we saw an immediate and much-needed improvement in replication
>> > >> > behavior.
>> > >> > That
>> > >> > was done following a very long period during which I had to >> > >> > clean
>> > >> > up AD
>> > >> > from
>> > >> > what had gone before I inherited the domain -- all sorts of
>> > >> > ridiculous
>> > >> > workaround for allowing users from other domains to use >> > >> > resources
>> > >> > on
>> > >> > this
>> > >> > domain, improper removal of a DC, etc. The domain is, at long
>> > >> > last,
>> > >> > running
>> > >> > error-free. DCDIAG, NETDIAG, REPLMON testing is all perfect.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > I am supposed to take these systems to Windows Server 2003 R2 >> > >> > and
>> > >> > add a
>> > >> > sixth DC., with 3 more to come early next year. I understand >> > >> > that
>> > >> > I
>> > >> > should
>> > >> > apply another schema upgrade before adding any R2 systems. I >> > >> > will
>> > >> > be
>> > >> > demoting
>> > >> > each DC in turn, removing it from the domain, doing a clean
>> > >> > installation
>> > >> > of
>> > >> > R2 SP2 (integrated), and then joining and promoting them again.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > Yeah, I know it's crazy. Trust me when I tell you I have no >> > >> > choice
>> > >> > but
>> > >> > to
>> > >> > operate the domain this way due to concerns about redundancy,
>> > >> > failure
>> > >> > of
>> > >> > inter-site communications, etc.
>> > >>
>> >
>> >
>> >


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: 2008 or 2003
    ... To install a 2008 DC in a 2003 domain the schema has to be upgraded to version 44. ... The schema is the same in your complete domain, the schema upgrade will add additional AD objects which are needed for 2008. ... 2008 ad schema instead of setting it up as a 2003 AD server I need all ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.setup)
  • Re: Win2k3R2 Domain Preparing for Win2k8 Member & Domain Controlle
    ... Schema update doesn't require to upgrade the DC's also. ... Also this guide will help to upgrade the schema for OCS: ... I have to upgrade the Schema to run OCS Server, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: 2k8 AD from 2k AD
    ... The schema update will work or not and if not you get an error message to fix the problem. ... you can restore the server from system ... if the upgrade fails you can completely ... You need to be aware that the minimum DFL for Windows ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: Uupgrade to Server 2003 R2 AD
    ... DC to Server 2003 R2 you must prepare the forest schema using ADprep.exe ... use the R2 features you have to run AD prep from the second disk of the R2 ... set then you would install the R2 update on only the servers you want to use ... Upgrade to Win 2k3 or R2 at your leisure. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: DCPROMO a Windows 2003 R2 server into a Windows 2000 environment
    ... he has a R2 server that he wants to be a DC...so, for an R2 server to be a DC you need to update the AD schema to R2 version... ... the same occurs when installing R2 on an existing non-R2 DC, you need to update the AD schema to R2 version ... Of course all depends how you install the SO. ... If it's the first DC in the Forest, the Schema upgrade is automagically done. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
Loading