Windows Forum

Ask something
Discussion Locked

NT 4 to Win2k Migration

0 helpful
9 replies

by azam.quadri

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

I have been asked to submit a flawless 5 page migration strategy to my boss, then after collecting and reading the documentation from the internet i am a bit confused wheather to first migrate the NT 4.0 workstations to Win2k Prof, then member servers, then PDC or vice-versa
Let me give you the scenario
We have 1PDC, NO BDC, 5 Member servers, 30 NT 4.0 Workstations.
Can anyone who actually did the migration can suggest me which will be the best and safest way to updgrade and what points to include in my 5 page migration strategy.
Thanks and awaiting your answer.

9 replies

by frobo

Hi,
i would do it like this.

0. Check your Software and Hardware if it?s W2k proofed. Upgrade you?r ServerHW if wante?d. Plan you?r DNS and AD-Domain.

1. Install an BDC and take it after it Offline. This is the guarranti for the Fallback. (Check the BDC after it)
Make an Offline Backup from the PDC.

2. During Offline Hours Migrate the PDC to W2k. The PDC will first run in mixed-Mode with the PDC-Emulator. All Accounts and Securtiy Information will be migrated.

3. Now youcan Update all other Servers to W2k.

4. Now upgrade your Clients to W2k Pro

5. Now you can activate the native Mode on the root-DC in your W2k Domain.

Hope it Helps

Frobo

by marinus.mellaart

I would have to agrre with Forbo's answer I did the same thing recently. My biggest mistake was thinking that I could upgrade the BDC (which I know you do not have) first. If I had upgraded the PDC first I know it would have saved alot of problems. The only thing saving me was a complete backup( Hard drive Images) of of MY PDC and BDC before I started.

by umbral-echo

Before you upgrade the clients be aware that you will need to implement Group Policy to provide for the settings that were previously enforced in System Policy files, Audit Policies and the Account Policies that were applied in User Manager for passwords, etc.

You should edit the Default Domain Group Policy object to provide the Audit policies and the Account Policy Settings. The System Policy settings can be implemented at any level in the Active Directory. If you have not looked at Group Policy be advised that it has replaced the old systems and Windows 2000 Professional clients will fail to load your security settings at all if you haven't done this first. There are tons of good white papers and technical documents to get you up to speed.

Of course it depends on how much security your organization uses, but it should be in your report.

by tony.colgrove

As the above answers showed, it is best to get a BDC installed and then pull it from the network for fallback purposes.
Notes about the strategy:
Upgrade your server to AD first. This gives you time to build, and tweak GPO's (Group Policy Objects) if desired. This will give the quick bang for the buck, once you start to deploy Professional to the desktop.
Start App testing right away. You never know what little app might not behave right on Win2K.
Upgrading Member Servers and Professional can be done at the same time if you have the resources available.
Move your network services to Win2K as quicly as possible (DHCP, WINS)
As soon as all your Domain Controllers are migrated to Win2K and AD, you can switch to Native Mode. Native Mode has NOTHING to do with downlevel clients. Win9x, NTW4, NTS4 (member servers) can all log into a Native Mode Active Directory.
Microsoft does have an AD client for NT4, which adds some AD support, but does not take the place of Win2K server or Pro. GPO's can only work against a Win2K or higher machine.
The Key is a fall back plan in-case the upgrade goes bad, but I have never seen an upgrade fail, so best of luck.

This discussion is closed to new replies.