Nightmare Scenario

[kingswood]

Hi.

 

Well, we have just spent two days this week with our friendly CSE engineer getting a new server joined to our existing domain, migrating user accounts from one server to another and installing other bits and pieces. Today, we entered what I call a "nightmare scenario"- the migration and replication didn't work well at all and we have been left fighting fires all day long as one support issue after another cropped up.

 

Since CSE is a managed system and the school have been with them for 10 years(!), I thought we would get pretty good service from them. But their tools aren't working, we're getting really basic VB6 errors on trying to use the tool-set, and even after calling CSE are no further along.

 

OK. So, I have no problem installing a server myself- in fact we had it all running before we opted for CSE to come in. And it ran pretty well. Issues with split-site DHCP and DNS became too cumbersome and so we went with CSE and joined the two together as one domain. My question is - how easy is it to migrate all of our user areas, passwords, user accounts etc over to a new server?

 

I want to "test" the migration first (a la ADMT) to see how we would get on, but if any of you have any pointers or pitfalls please make me aware of them before I do this. Obviously this is a drastic step at this stage of the year, but the system really is falling and we can't afford another CSE call-out and "support" costs.

 

Anyone had experience of ADMT or know of articles about it we could look at and try out first before committing??

 

Thanks a million!!!

 

Paul

[StewartKnight]

I used ADMT to get off a Viglen NT network. It was a real suprise; it worked 1st time, had no issues, and guided me through the whole process!

 

Not often a Microsoft product works, but once you've installed it.. it just does!

[tarquel]

was exactly my comment

 

(nearly lol)

 

i migrated from nt 4 to my 2003 with ease using that tool too

 

the only thing was that it didnt migrate the passwords over - i tried all sors with it but then thought bugger it - not a bi prob.

 

Everything else was good

 

users & groups

 

moved the HD out of the old server - the one containing the users home dirs - and imported the specific user and a few other shares from the old server that i had exported from the reg of the NT 4 server.

 

Worked nice.

 

Even ran it a few times to make sure - yes u can migrate the users a fw times. worked good

 

N.

[kingswood]

Thanks guys.

 

What about migrating Windows 2000 AD information to a 2003 Server? I have *heard* that it works, but obviously this is a bit worrying...

 

Thanks,

 

Paul

[Dos_Box]

It does work. I've done it quite a few times now, and never with any problems. M$ have really worked hard to make it painless.