Upgrading Old 2003 Server (2000 Native Function Level).

[RJohnson91]

Hi everyone,

 

I am in the middle of conducting an infrastructure upgrade, we currently run one Domain Controller on Windows 2003 with 2000 Native FFL.

 

I would like to eventually get to a stage where we have a virtual 2016 Windows Domain controller, with a secondary 2016 BDC.

 

Hardware is sorted, I just wanted to voice my plan and see if anyone else had a better one?

 

 

 

Option 1 - Introduce a BDC alongside the current infrastructure then promote/retire.

 

Because the FFL is 2000, that rules out introducing a 2016 Windows servers as a BDC along side the current DC, it is to my knowledge the best I can do is a Windows 2008?

 

This plan would mean me introducing a 2008 as BDC, then promoting it to DC and upgrading the FFL ... then introducing a 2012/2016 server to the mix, making that another BDC and retiring the 2003 server, this process I think is the safest, but the longest (and most confusing to read )

 

 

Option 2 - Build a brand new 2016 Domain controller - retire the 2003. The big bang approach.

 

The big bang approach, remove the current infrastructure and build a new one!

 

I have done this before, however with a FFL so low, and with lack of previous IT to tell me any fancy VPN, Reverse DNS etc configs on the current server, I am a little hesitant to do this. But could be the only way?

 

Option 3 - P2V Current 2003 server then upgrade FFL

 

Final option, virtualise the current Domain controller, then upgrade the FFL. If successful I would be able to introduce a much higher Windows server as a BDC making the process so much easier. Why P2V first you say? Because when you raise the FFL you can't undo your change, so with a virtual machine I could snapshot it prior. (If I had to restore an old snapshot of a DC, what would be the potential issues for connected machines, when they've learnt the new server and suddenly have to connect to an older backup?)

 

 

I hope that makes sense, I am open to all ideas, please let me know if you have a better one than mine above!

 

Cheers,

[NB9457]

You could raise the functional level to 2003, then that should allow you to add a Server 2012 DC, take over everything and promote that. If you wanted to, you could stick with 2012 R2 for DCs, still got a long life yet, or go to 2012 add a 2016 secondary DC and then if you want to in the future, add another 2016 to replace the 2012.

 

Plus side is with virtual machines, it'll actually be a really straight forward process, just a bit of a faff.

[RJohnson91]

You could raise the functional level to 2003, then that should allow you to add a Server 2012 DC, take over everything and promote that. If you wanted to, you could stick with 2012 R2 for DCs, still got a long life yet, or go to 2012 add a 2016 secondary DC and then if you want to in the future, add another 2016 to replace the 2012.

 

Plus side is with virtual machines, it'll actually be a really straight forward process, just a bit of a faff.

 

 

Hiya,

 

That was my option three, just with virtualising the 2003 server first because I can't roll back the changes.

 

I've never raised such a low FFL/DFL before, so a little concerned about the impact it'll have.

[NB9457]

Hiya,

 

That was my option three, just with virtualising the 2003 server first because I can't roll back the changes.

 

I've never raised such a low FFL/DFL before, so a little concerned about the impact it'll have.

 

TO be honest, unless you have any Win2000 DCs you'll be fine. I think you'd be best raising the 2003 box, to 2003 level, then 2012 supports joining a 2003 domain, then transfer the roles and up the domain level again.

[3s-gtech]

It's a long time since I did it - but raising FL from 2000 to 2003 was painless here (couple of clicks really). I'd create a 2012 R1 domain controller (I think that's the newest version that support 2003 FL), transfer the roles, demote the 2003 one, raise the FL to 2012, then build a 2016 DC and transfer the roles etc to that.

[RJohnson91]

Cheers guys,

 

That sounds like the way to go.

 

I've been blessed with only dealing with 2003 + DFL in the past so a little hesitant!

 

Thanks for your help guys.

[NB9457]

Cheers guys,

 

That sounds like the way to go.

 

I've been blessed with only dealing with 2003 + DFL in the past so a little hesitant!

 

Thanks for your help guys.

As you said, P2V incase anything goes majorly wrong (which is shouldn't, but better safe than sorry) and raise the level on the tin, but just be careful with checkpoints, DCs don't like these so it's best not to use them.

[HPlum78]

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/active-directory-functional-levels

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/deploy/upgrade-domain-controllers

 

These may help, the concept of PDC's and BDC's are long since gone with the advent of ADDS on server 2000.