Re: Adding SBS2003 to existing domain, assume DC role?

From: "Jeff Middleton [SBS-MVP]" <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 13:55:49 -0500

Brian,

www.SBSmigration.com is my website and I would be happy to clarify anything
you would like to know about the process and what is covered in my
documentation. I rarely make a post of this type, but in this case it really
seems to me that the topic is asking for a direct value comparison of why
would someone choose my Technician Kit instead of using an MS Kb not
intended for migration to do a server replacement. To answer this question I
will offer a comparison and if someone wants a follow-up on the problems
with using the MS KB, I can expand on that as well. You can also view a TS2
webcast on this:

TS2 Webcast: Understanding Small Business Server Swing Migration
http://www.msusapartnerreadiness.com/WS_abstract.asp?eid=15003648January

The difference between what you are seeing in the MS documentation and what
I cover is pretty simple:

- The Technician Kit provides a complete outline of how you replace the
original DC without taking it out of service while you are in construction,
and it retains the original servers name in addition to preserving the
domain. The process necessary for this goes beyond adding a DC to a domain,
it involved a transparent slide into place of a new machine. You don't have
to alter any configuration details on the workstations, therefore you save
all the time related to that and you have the option to put the original
server back online if you get to a point in the project that you don't like.
Probably the most important point has already been identified by others: the
process I cover is designed to complete a migration from start to finish and
it includes unlimited support from me, I stand behind the project. I've had
the pleasure of helping people who tried that MS KB approach alone, got in
trouble, contacted MS for support and then contacted me to get them fully
completed in an orderly fashion. That salvage process normally involved
helping them first stablize their original production environment and then
proceed in an orderly manner with the Swing Migration after that. I actually
support people who are in a disaster recovery condition to get started and
don't charge any more than the Kit in nearly all cases. That's because the
process I outline covers how to do this even if you have a really screwed up
condition. My documentation not only explains how to do an orderly migration
of a clean server, it explains how to bring your original server and domain
back into a sane condition to start with, or how to climb out of disaster
recovery hole if you are already in it. For MS support, you go open a $245
case for the repair, then talk to them again about your migration support
cost.

- The MS KB specifically tells you not to use it for a migration project,
and that the process isn't supported by MS for that. It's intended to
outline disaster recovery process meaning it's not supposed to be ideal,
it's a way out of a crisis. Therefore you don't really have anyone standing
behind the project to support you. The process of removing the original
server and changing the identity of your server's name breaks things across
all workstations, and requires adjustments to all of them. The replacement
of the first Exchange in a site can involve complications, the process is
not easily reverted mid-stream, and it's a live modification to your
operations without a simple undo.
You commented that you didn't feel like the value in the Technician Kit was
worth your investment of $200, and that fine. I provide the project
documentation, tools and support to people who feel that it is worth their
investment and it's not a major concern for me to debate it, but I do want
to ensure that you are well informed. The vast majority of comments I get
from people who order the kit and complete their project is that it was
worth every penny. Many people tell me that it's the best investment in a
tool they have ever made. Many more people tell me they think the project
guide and tools are worth the purchase price simply for the education they
get on how an SBS server (or similar system) can be deconstructed and
reconstructed as a transparent replacement for an existing server. Not only
that, unlike the process outlined by the MS KB, Swing Migration provide a
universal solution that applies to NT, Win2k, Win2k3 as well as SBS 4.x/200x
platforms and provides the means to make a transparent replacement of the
original server with a TOTALLY different platform. Again, transparently
without touching the workstations in nearly all cases.

The Technician Kit is a tool, it's what you make of it. If you want to learn
a process far more valuable than how to add a DC to a domain, they you are
in for a treat. To add a DC to an existing domain, you stop the installation
after the first logon and run DCpromo after you join the domain. I agree,
telling you that wouldn't be worth a dime.

The MS KB covers the entire project in 12 pages, I cover it in 65 at much
greater detail. I also provide another 120 pages of background references
that allow you to handle many variations on this. In addition, the Domain
Audit Guide is one of the best AD/DC troubleshooting guides you will find,
and at another 70 pages of reference specific to this project, it's a steal
because it's free if you own a Kit. When you get to the point of handlingn
your Exchange Server, you will find the Exchange Forklift Guide is quite
handy. If you are already completely up to speed on handling a transparent
replacement of Exchange, the 5 pages in the core documentation is generally
enought, but the Forklift Guide covers the process in much greater detail
and educationally in 60 pages. These references expand beyond the basics of
what very experienced people might need, and cover it at a level that allows
people do complete this project themselves on the first try without killing
their server, their domain or their company. The fact that I provide support
for this means that the support is available to anyone who values that.

You didn't feel like any of the tools seemed of value to you, let me
describe the ShareMig tool and you can consider this further. Part of the
reason that may seem to be true is that I intentionally didn't try to
conceal how this process works by adding black box tools to make it more
mysterious. You get an education with my documentation, and you also get
tools that make sense. I find it hard to believe that none of these tools
strike you as useful, most people can make a living selling services that
apply these tools:

Server/AD Cleanup Tools

DNSpurge

a.. DNS Hunt: DCs, Exch MX,
b.. Find/ Purge all records by MachineName

Server Transition Tools

ShareMig

a.. Folder Migration from one machine to next, Security retained
b.. Skips Dups, Invalid Paths, saves detailed logging of all steps
c.. Provides a reference quality shared folder document which allows
manual editing if so desired

Summary Notes and Status

PrintDef

a.. Summary Report of Local and Shared Printer Settings (provides the
essential information to document printers and share definitions in order to
recreate them later [except security settings, which are not recorded])

MailAddy

a.. Summary Report of all e-mail addresses per user and per group

DialinBy

a.. Summary Report of Dial-in Status for all Users, indicating allowed,
disallowed, or determined by policy.

LgnScrpt

a.. Summary Report of Legacy Logon Script and Profile Folder per User

EventDmp

a.. (current computer) Export All Event Logs for auditing

Individual User/Group Analysis

GrpNest

a.. (Per User) Report Direct and Nested Group Memberships

AdminSID

a.. (Per Computer/Domain) Report all Domain or Local Admins
b.. (Per Computer/Domain) Identify Root Admin acct., all Admin members
name/SID

Let me expand on just one of them. ShareMig allows you to safely reestablish
all of the shared folder definition on the new server that were previous
defined on the original server. In addition, it restores the security ACL
template for the share as it was on the original server. This ensures that
your new server provides all the same shared folder access as before, but
it's more sophisticated a tool than just this. Quite often in a migration
project, your goal is to reallocate your disk space and partitions, perhaps
moving shared folder points around in that process. ShareMig provides a
simple way to edit the reference file to define different locations for your
folders, changing the path names, partition locations or drive letters
transparently. ShareMig both documents an audit trail of your original
server for a report form view as well as handling the technical process of
auditing the new server's share creation. If you attempt to run the tool and
request shared folders that don't make sense, it generates a report to
explain if you are requesting shared folders for path that doesn't exist, or
if the shared folder was already present and it won't change it. ShareMig is
not uniquely tied to the migration project, you can actually use it to
document every server you ever want to preserve a record or of audit for
changes. It helps ensure a transparent result, and it guides you in
understanding where you have made mistakes. It was reported to me by one
customer using this tool for a public school system that they were able to
recreate a complex tree of 1200 shares on several servers in about 40
minutes, a job they had budgeted to take 12 hours.

The ultimate value you get from the resources I offer is really up to you,
the Technician Kit is a one-time order with a lifetime license to use the
tools and methodology I developed for myself over a period of the time I
have been deploying every version of SBS since 4.0 was released in 1997. I
have outlined and entire project as a business practice that goes far beyond
a KB reference. It's a complete solution to problems most people don't even
realize they will encounter before the begin a project of this type.

As a full disclosure, I've been an SBS MVP since 1999 primarily because I
have made an effort to help as many people as possible on a lot of different
topics, not the least of which was server migration. Google my name and "sbs
migration" and look at the history. For years I tried to explain in these
NGs how a migration could be done using these concepts, but the topic is
simply too complex to do that well without dedicating myself to it as a full
time job. After I wrote the process our in a book chapter, I had a lot of
people ask me to provide them with support in addition to that. It's 2 yrs
stale now, I don't provide free support for the book and there's no tools,
but you can get it from Amazon.com, and you can locate that book from a
reference on my website Order Now page even though I don't sell the book or
make anything if you purchase it. If you value having support, you can come
to me for a Kit and I will provide you all of the support you need for your
first project, and then you have a lifetime license to continue using
everything you got.

I travel worldwide speaking at conferences and for local IT Pro Community
Groups, generally at no cost to the group. What I do mostly is educate IT
Pro about how they can do work more efficiently than they expect to, and
with more success than they are used to. I provide an alterative to the
frustration of working alone, or trying to research a massive project and
succeed by experimentation. I'm standing behind a process that MS declined
to publish and doesn't provide support, and I am able to do all of this
because some people find it valuable enough to buy something that typically
pays for itself the first time you use it on a project.

You might consider the idea that I'm providing training and support
personally, continuously researching and following up behind newly
discovered bugs, variations on Service Packs, changes and problems
introduced by MS or 3rd parties, and all the while guaranteeing the results
on a project that puts an entire company's operations at risk when it goes
badly. Many people consider that better than posting free advice.

- Jeff Middleton SBS-MVP
YCST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Learn about the official guide to Swing Migration and take the weekends off!
http://www.sbsmigration.com/migration-projects.php#what-is-a-swing-migration

Locate an IT Pro Community in your area of the world or register your group
for a free sponsorship:
http://www.sbsmigration.com/it-pro-community.php

Join in the live worldwide SBS Chat each month with "HandyAndy" Goodman:
http://chat.sbsmigration.com/SBSchat/

"Brian A" <BrianA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:89A1267C-041E-4135-BD9C-3EC62741C964@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jesmin,

One more question regarding last few points in your post below.

I do not currently have an Exchange server. So backup of Exchange data is
non-issue.

My plan would be to demote (DCPROMO) the old Win2000 server, verify that

all

AD functions are working properly after demotion, DNS, DHCP, etc. then
proceed with integrated setup which should add Exchange and so forth.

SwingMigration seems like a lot of paper docs for $200, no real software
involved that helps the process. I feel that if I follow the MS doc very
carefully and do the demotion as I mention above, that I should get a nice
clean network when I am finished.
--
Brian Allison

"jesmin ningthoujam [SBS SME]" wrote:

Brian,

Before running DCPROMO on the new Server (SBS 2003), please make sure to
complete the following (just a reminder specifically, even though its

all

mentioned in the KB) :) :)

Right after setting up the Windows Core OS, you boot up to the Windows
GUI/Desktop for the first Time, it will prompt you to 'Continue Setup

for

Small Business for Windows Server 2003"

Click 'CANCEL'

- Install NIC Drivers
- Install Networking Components
- TCP/IP components
- IIS/ASP.net/NNTP/SMTP
- Install DNS
- Install DHCP

- Configure the NIC for a static IP : eg: [192.168.16.100]
- Prefered DNS : Please make sure to point it to the Old DNS Server

which

has AD (such as your Windows 2000 Server)
*** This is very very important that you will be replicating the

Original AD

and the DNS.. :)

Considering that the AD Replication has been completed successfully,

please

make sure to transfer the GC Role / FSMO to the SBS Server.
Install Support Tools available with CD2
- Open command > type > netdom query fsmo ( to very which server holds

the

FSMO Roles).

- Make sure to Back Up Exchange Data eg.. c:\Program

Files\Exchsrvr\MDBDATA

(default install/location of the Exchange Database consisting of Log

Files

and Priv1.edb, Priv1.stm, Pub1.edb, Pub1.stm) These are very important

files

as they are the repository of the Exchange Database.

- Uninstall Exchange as this will remove the Exchange Attribute from the

- PS: If you do not install Exchange before phasing out the old server,
Installation of Exchange 2003 will FAIL later.
( FYI: [SBS does not support more than 1 Exchange server in a Network]

....

P.S : By design.)
- Once verified, you can demote the old Server any time, by running

DCPROMO

on the old Server.
- This will make sure that the attributes of the old server will be

totally

removed from the AD and the DNS
-
--
Hope this helps.

jesmin ningthoujam [SBS SME]
"Brian A" <BrianA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:170B549F-21F0-4DB7-ADD4-DB11C2C02E4A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jesmin,

THANKS for the quick response. At what point do I demote the old

Win2000

DC, and return it to a simple member server, instead of a DC, for the

last

couple weeks of its existence?

I am thinking right before Step #13 in doc #884453, would be the place

perform this process, then after the demotion, proceed with the

integrated

install of Exchange. Any advice on this piece or agreement with my
theory?

THANKS again!
--
Brian Allison

"jesmin ningthoujam [SBS SME]" wrote:

Hey Brian,

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=884453
How to install Small Business Server 2003 in an existing Active

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