Small Business Server 2003 to 2012 R2 Migration and Virtualized Domain Controller Questions

garak0410

Good Morning Everyone. Reading the latest updates and slept some of the fear off.

Right now, I've created my two virtual machines and I am downloading updates to them.

VM1: Domain Controller. 2GB of RAM, 1 CPU
VM2: File Server (called services01): 4GB RAM, 2 CPU (this will also host the backup software and antivirus)

When complete, I will let you know. The steps I mentioned several posts ago, I can actually complete up to the demotion and promotion part, correct? Even if the new server will contain the migrated domain name?

JaredBusch

Correct you can do everything except the demote/promote parts. The new servers should be joined to the domain as member servers. There is no restriction on member servers.

garak0410

Question about the virtual file server...it is set up and now I need it to see the D drive from the physical server so it will have its own D drive for the files.. So, when I eventually copy (RoboCopy) the files from the SBS 2003 server to the new file server...where will they be stored? In a VDISK that I attach to the VM or on the Hyper-V host physical drive? Again, sorry for a newbie question but feeling much more confident today.

scottalanmiller

A VHD sitting on your storage array. You should have only one place for putting VHDs in this setup.

garak0410

OK, so for the file server VM, I am going to create a new VDISK (2 or 2.5 TB most likely) to attach to my file server for the files to copy to. Thanks...

I think it helps to take each thing step by step. I am still aiming for Friday night demotion/promotion.

garak0410

I'm about to do the next step:

		§ Prepare your Domain for your new Server 2012 R2 Domain Controllers
			□ Run adprep /forstprep from the 2012 DVD on the old server.

Is it safe to run during business hours or should I wait?

scottalanmiller

I would generally wait until after hours but should be pretty safe in most environments. AD is rarely something that an SMB depends on minute to minute.

garak0410

@scottalanmiller said:

I would generally wait until after hours but should be pretty safe in most environments. AD is rarely something that an SMB depends on minute to minute.

Tempting to do now...but I can VPN around 5:30 and run it too.

scottalanmiller

Yeah. If you can do that, it is a better way to go.

garak0410

@scottalanmiller said:

Yeah. If you can do that, it is a better way to go.

OK, so Adprep tonight. Question when looking slightly ahead at my list past ADPREP. If I promote my new DC to a Domain Controller, when does it eventually inherit the name of the soon to be old domain controller? I don't see that option in my list and in this thread even, it is said it can remain the same domain name.

scottalanmiller

It doesn't. You don't name servers the same thing as old servers.

garak0410

@scottalanmiller said:

It doesn't. You don't name servers the same thing as old servers.

I hope I didn't confuse everyone again. I understand server name is different but the domain name. I thought I read where it can remain the same

Earlier Question: "If I migrate, the domain remains the same, correct? Dashrender said Yes"

and if so, was wondering at what step does it take over the name of the current domain. Sorry for the confusion...

scottalanmiller

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.

garak0410

@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.

garak0410

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.

scottalanmiller

There is some weird terminology there. What is "the AD machine" mean?

garak0410

@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.local

New Domain Controller (Virtual)
Name: newserver

I 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.

scottalanmiller

The domain name will point to all DCs equally.

garak0410

@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?

scottalanmiller

@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.