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Upgrade vs Migration

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6 replies

by degthat

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I have a client that is insisting on a migration .vs. upgrade of their existing Windows NT 4.0 network to Windows 2003. I am looking for anyone's pros and cons. Also, important is either plan must be down within the same IP address scheme, there will be no logical separation.

6 replies

by haileyan

If that box was new when NT40 was first installed on it I would not use the same box for Server 2003. I would not try to do an upgrade.

If you must do an up grade do not do an in place upgrade. Get 2 good backups of your system, wipe the thing out and install server 2003 from scratch.

by degthat

This is single domain with only 900 users. Our plan is to upgrade the PDC and we have new hardware to put up new DC's and migrate information and demote and pull the upgrade PDC out of the network. Can you think of any reason not to do a migration? What issues are involved ? What about the DHCP passing information (having 2 DHCP servers 1 for each domain) for DNS and WINS assignment ? This is just one issue we have come up with. Plus they want to keep the same netbios name.

by jimhm

Never - Ever even if your life depended on it - Upgrade a Microsoft Trash product. Even if everything on that system is Microsoft - it will fail. Your client is Correct - Migrate (fresh install) - to the newer versions ... Microsoft leaves to much junk behind and doesn't clean itself up .... on Upgrades...

by thechas

On an NT4 network, you likely have a lot of older hardware.

Even if the hardware is on Microsoft's HCL for Windows 2003, you can expect at least reduced features, if not poor performance!

You are making 2 FULL steps in OS releases.

Migration will in the end cause fewer headaches than trying to upgrade all the older hardware.

Chas

by degthat

We are implementing new hardware and we have tested in the lab. 1 big issue they want to keep the same Netbios name and domain name.

by geekinz

I would also recommend an migration between two different domains. I don't think you will be able to maintain the same netbios name since netbios will be the method of contact in establishing trust between the domain during migraiton. What is the customer's reasoning for maintaining the same netbios name? Windows 2000 and higher don't even rely on netbios. (thank God!)

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