Re: Migrating servers to new hardware

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Hello YHussein,

Your plan sounds good for me. Some remarks:

-Check before starting wit dcdiag, netdiag and replmon for errors and also when you have new DC's.
-If not done make DNS zones Active directory integrated, easier with replication.

-Also check that in Exchange system manager the "recipients update service" is set to new DC.
-Is your PDCEmulator also configured for external time source, then check this one: http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/4a63190b-c594-4d43-9195-e54e4cb89d251033.mspx?mfr=true

FEW FINAL QUESTIONS
1. No
2. No

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
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Hi all,

I'm in the proces of migrating our existing servers onto new hardware
and was wondering what the best strategy would be. I have a rough
(high-level) plan below and would be most grateful if someone could
cast their eye over it and let me know if its generally sound or if
there any issues with it.

Ok, here goes...(apologies for the long post).

EXISTING SETUP:
--------------------------
I have two servers at the moment, both running Windows 2003 SP2. Their
roles
are as follows:
1. DC1 (the main server which is running pretty much everything): DC,
FSMO,
DNS, WINS, DHCP, File & Print, Exchange 2003 SP2.
2. DC2 (the backup server which also runs BES): DC, DNS, Blackberry
Enterprise Server 4.1.
THE CHALLENGE:
--------------------------
We would like to spread all the above services across 4 new servers
and then
retire the above hardware. The new servers will be configured as
follows:
1. NEWDC1: DC, FSMO, GC, DNS, WINS, DHCP
2. NEWDC2: DC, DNS, GC, WINS, BES4.1
3. NEWFS1: File and Print
4. NEWEX1: Exchange Server 2003 SP2
NOTE: All the new servers will be running R2 (our existing servers are
non-R2)

THE PLAN OF ACTION:
----------------------------------
1. Run Adprep /Forestprep and Adprep /Domainprep on the existing DC1
(using
disk 2 of the WIndows 2003 R2 CD) in order to prepare AD for R2
2. Build NEWDC1, join to existing domain, DCPROMO it, make it a GC,
install DNS, WINS and DHCP (dont authorise DHCP yet)

3. Transfer all FSMO roles from existing DC1 to NEWDC1 (will this
break Exchange as it currently sits on DC1?!!!)

4. Build NEWDC2, join to existing domain, DCPROMO it, make it a GC,
install DNS and WINS.

5. Authorise DHCP on NEWDC1 and migrate DHCP database from DC1 to
NEWDC1. Update DHCP scope options with IPs of new DNS/WINS servers so
that clients obtain new settings.

6. Leave everything running for a few days and observe network to make
sure all clients and servers (especially Exchange) are running ok.

7. Build NEWFS1, recreat print queues, recreate shared drives and
migrate data files across from DC1. Modify client logon scripts so
that mapped drives point to NEWDC1.

8. Leave everything running for a few days again to make sure all
clients are accessing the new file and print server without issues.

9. Build NEWEX1 and install Exchange 2003 SP2 into existing
organisation.

10. Move mailboxes and public folders from DC1 to NEWEX1 (using
Exchane System Manager).

11. Wait a few days more to ensure that all Outlook clients
successfully redirect to NEWEX1. Check Blackberry Enterprise Server to
ensure Blackberries still work.

12. Set NEWEX1 as primary server for email and move remaining Exchange
roles over from DC1 to NEWEX1 (follow MS Kb article 822931)

13. Install Blackberry Enterprise Server 4.1 on NEWDC2 and perform
knife-edge cutover of Blackberries (separate topic!)

14. Observe the network for a few more days. If everything is running
fine then begin the cleanup process below.

CLEANUP PROCESS
--------------------------------
1. Remove DNS from DC2, demote it to a member server, then finally
remove it
from the domain permanently.
2. Remove Exchange from DC1, followed by DNS and then finally demote
it and remove from the domain also.

That should conclude the whole project ;) Pease let me know if this
plan is generally ok or if there is anything missing or a better way
of doing it.

FEW FINAL QUESTIONS
---------------------------
1. Will moving FSMO roles from DC1 to NEWDC1 (as per step 3 above)
break
Exchange? (as Exchange is currently on DC1)
2. Will having four DCs (all with GC and DNS services) during the
migration cause any detrimental network issues? (e.g. increased
replication traffic etc) as I know Microsoft do not recommend having
too many DCs on the network - even though in our case it will only be
temporary.

Many thanks in advance for your assistance.

Yasser Hussein



.

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