adding a server 2008 dc to a 2003 domain

[jason2234]

Hi all

I'm in the process of adding a server 2008 server as a dc to a 2003 domain but i want to make sure i'm doing it all right and there a few areas i need some help with.

Right i have 2 2003 dc's and i'm adding this as the 3rd and later i will remove the older of the 2 2003 dc's. The PDC is named Fred (i didn't name it this ) and the new dc is named dc-01. This is as far as i've gotten.

1.install server 2008
2.run the following commands on my 2 2003 dc's
adprep /forestprep
adprep /domainprep
adprep /domainprep /gprep
adprep /rodcprep
3.run through dcpromo on my 2008 dc
4.get a cup or coffee and enjoy my success

Is this even right? Is there anything i've missed off? such as do i need to back up the ad before this (how do i do this if i do never actually backed up ad before )?
Will there be any network downtime in this process?
Also i want the server 2008 server to be the primary dc will my method achieve this?

Thanks

Jason

[plexer]

Sounds ok.

This may help.

Screencast – Install Windows 2008 DC in Existing Windows 2003 Domain. Upgrading Active Directory Domain to Windows Server 2008 AD DS Domain, Adding Windows 2008 Domain Controller. Step-by-Step video tutorial.

Ben

[jason2234]

thanks for the link plexer.

Do you know if there will be any downtime with this work?
Just thinking whether to run it tomorrow or to wait for the term next week.

Thanks

[cookie_monster]

When adding a DC to the domain there "shouldn't" be any downtime. I don't think you need to run adprep on every DC, if you have all of the FSMO roles on one box then i'd start there.

I'd be tempted to run the adprep after school just in case, it should take seconds but i'd be cautious.

You do want a full backup of the box that you run this on, including the system state as this is how you backup the active directory.

[jason2234]

I'm getting confused with FSMO also. I'm not sure exactly what it means or stands for any help

[plexer]

Svrops.com - FSMO Server Roles

Ben

[ozzy]

these might be of some help
How to view and transfer FSMO roles in Windows Server 2003

Understanding FSMO Roles in Active Directory

[cookie_monster]

They're probably all on the first installed DC that holds the PDCe role. Follow the links posted above and you can view their locations.

[jason2234]

right thanks for the links it makes sense now
Would you all advise i take a backup or is this something that wouldn't really corrupt anything?

[ozzy]

right thanks for the links it makes sense now
Would you all advise i take a backup or is this something that wouldn't really corrupt anything?

I alway make sure I have a very recent backup before I do anything with my DC's(make sure this includes the system state) you never know
Better safe than sorry I alway's say

[cookie_monster]

At the very least fire up windows backup and run a backup of C: and the system state to a file then copy it somewhere safe. Generally this process runs smoothly but it can go spectacularly wrong

[Disease]

I tried this recently and the installer said that you must upgrade ALL DC's in the domain to 2008. So in the end I did not bother. I am sure you can not have just one 2008 DC in a domain with 2003 DC's.

[irsprint]

I tried this recently and the installer said that you must upgrade ALL DC's in the domain to 2008. So in the end I did not bother. I am sure you can not have just one 2008 DC in a domain with 2003 DC's.

I would just run it in 2003 mode, from what I remember

[cookie_monster]

I'm going to double check this but i'm sure you can run mixed domain controllers, if you have a very large network with 100s of DC's you can't update them all at once so you must be able to run mixed for a good period of time.

[Matthew1985]

You can run both 2003 & 2008 DCs at the same time (only at 2003 functional level though).