Small Business Server 2003 to 2012 R2 Migration and Virtualized Domain Controller Questions
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The domain name does remain the same. It's the name of the entire domain. There is no other name at any time.
Every machine in a domain whether a node, a DC member or the forest root all share the same name. So the "rename" happens the moment you join the new server to the domain.
And in DNS, the moment you make it a DC it will have an equal share in the DNS round robin name resolution of the domain.
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@scottalanmiller said:
The domain name does remain the same. It's the name of the entire domain. There is no other name at any time.
Every machine in a domain whether a node, a DC member or the forest root all share the same name. So the "rename" happens the moment you join the new server to the domain.
And in DNS, the moment you make it a DC it will have an equal share in the DNS round robin name resolution of the domain.
That makes a little more sense...I think.
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Another curve ball. New backup software wasn't in the budget and the only way our current suite (Backup Assist) backs up AD only if it runs on the Domain Controller. It can backup files remotely but can only backup AD on the AD machine. So, unless I can get another backup solution (doubtful), I'll have to run backups from the Domain Controller and thus, I may need to bump up the memory some.
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There is some weird terminology there. What is "the AD machine" mean?
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@scottalanmiller said:
There is some weird terminology there. What is "the AD machine" mean?
(Masking the real names with generic names)
Current Domain Controller
Name: servernamedc
Domain: domainname.localNew Domain Controller (Virtual)
Name: newserverI think what I am trying to explain and get an answer to...I want the domain domainname.local to remain the same when it migrates to the new domain controller. I do understand that it will be a new server name. Check. But I've been told in this threat and another one, that the domain name can and will remain the same post migration. If that is true so far, I'll follow up with secondary questions.
SO appreciate your patience.
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The domain name will point to all DCs equally.
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@scottalanmiller said:
The domain name will point to all DCs equally.
So at one point of this migration, both servers will be handing the domain, correct?
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@garak0410 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
The domain name will point to all DCs equally.
So at one point of this migration, both servers will be handing the domain, correct?
Yes. Until you decommission the old one they will be an application cluster.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@garak0410 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
The domain name will point to all DCs equally.
So at one point of this migration, both servers will be handing the domain, correct?
Yes. Until you decommission the old one they will be an application cluster.
Excellent...sorry, this would be easier if I could TALK rather than type.
My roadblock now is backups since our current solution wants to run on the domain controller to backup AD. I guess it can but I was really moving toward it being the domain controller and nothing else. Everything I look at a glace shows to be $1000 or more per license per server.
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That's the issue. "the" domain controller is equally either box for a while. So you should be fine.
Now any software with that requirement needs to be eliminated ASAP. Backup should not run there.
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How many VMs will you have when you are all done?
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It is hard to imagine that you are not in the "free" backup envelope. How many VMs and how many physical hosts total will you have when the migration is all done?
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@scottalanmiller said:
It is hard to imagine that you are not in the "free" backup envelope. How many VMs and how many physical hosts total will you have when the migration is all done?
It is Backup Assist. It is basically a glorified NT Backup. It has served us well.
Since I won't be repurposing the old server for a few weeks, once demoted, we will have the following:
New Server (Hypervisor)
VM1: Domain Controller
VM2: Services (File, Print, Web, Anti-Virus) (need file backup here)SQL Server (Physical) - We just backup SQL with Backup Assist.
Misc - Some of our shop machines have local SQL that we also backup with BackupAssist.
As mentioned, in order to backup AD, BackupAssist has to be ran from the Domain Controller where it also can backup remote files (including the files on VM2)
So, I am open to other free or low cost solutions where I can backup AD, SQL (with options for Transaction Logs), File Server and any other remote PC from a location other than the Domain Controller.
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Unitrends will backup up to 8 VMs for free.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Unitrends will backup up to 8 VMs for free.
So when we say VM's, is this like images/snapshots or can it also do file level, SQL and SQL transactional logs?
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Yes. It does file level. I'll let @katieunitrends or @art_of_shred tell you all the technical details.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Yes. It does file level. I'll let @katieunitrends or @art_of_shred tell you all the technical details.
Great...downloading to my new "services" VM now.
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@garak0410 said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Yes. It does file level. I'll let @katieunitrends or @art_of_shred tell you all the technical details.
Great...downloading to my new "services" VM now.
Assuming it gets installed there and not the hypervisor, correct?
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@scottalanmiller said:
Yes. It does file level. I'll let @katieunitrends or @art_of_shred tell you all the technical details.
The free version will protect up to 8 VMS running on VMWare or HyperV in an agent less architecture. This version allows for both file level & full VM restore, so you should be covered. I did want to make the community aware that he free version has been removed from our website, but is still available for the next few weeks. To redeem this version, just make sure to specify that you're registering for the free version during registration. Please let me know what questions you may have.
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Free UEB is going away? Did I get that right?
