Question

Transfer Roles

Asked by: Kyle_B21

HI All:

I just set up my new server with Server 2008 standard on it! I have an old server with 2003.  I have copied all the roaming profiles and Users folders over to the new server with Robocopy.  I have also ran all the correct commands to upgrade everything before running dcpromo on the new server.  However, I cannot de-commision the old server due to Exchange being on it until I copy over all the mail boxes and un-install exchange.  

My question is I have made the new server a Print, DHCP, DNS, AD, File, Web server already.  However, I was trying to see what would happen if I shut down the old server - nothing will work no matter what on the new server yet.. I am not sure if I transferred the roles yet,  I also was trying to change group policies but it keeps wanting me to connect to the old server to change the group policies.  Can anyone help me out here??

I was playing with the transfer roles part and I noticed that PDC was still on the old server along with RID Master and Schema Master I believe... Do I have to transfer these or will it kill the Exchange Server???

Help!!

Thanks!!

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Asked On
2009-03-21 at 11:14:03ID24252259
Topics

Windows 2003 Server

,

Windows Server 2008

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
10

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Answers

 

by: tigermattPosted on 2009-03-21 at 13:15:14ID: 23948665


If Exchange is on the old DC then it will continue to use that DC until Exchange is removed and the machine demoted. You can transfer the roles without it having an adverse effect on Exchange; the only requirement for Exchange installed on a DC are that the DC is also a Global Catalog (GC) server.

You will need to ensure you have transfer all 5 FSMO roles to the new DC. It must also be a DNS Server and should have replicated your DNS zones automatically through Active Directory.

For client machines to work when the old DC is demoted, they MUST refer to the new DC's IP address as one of their DNS servers. Ensure you have updated this in your DHCP server and on any statically-assigned client machines or member servers. Active Directory resources are located through DNS; if no functioning DNS server is available, domain functions will not work.

-Matt

 

by: Kyle_B21Posted on 2009-03-21 at 14:25:25ID: 23948972

How do I check which roles are on the 2008 box and which roles are on the 2003 box?  and How do I get the roles over to the new box.

Also, I have updated DHCP to reflect only the new server as DNS - Will this automatically change the clients unless they are statics for some reason?

One last thing, I setup the printer service, DHCP server, and DNS Server on the new box - Do I remove these roles from the old box??

Thanks Tigermatt!!! I appreciate all your help you've given me.

 

by: ngailfusPosted on 2009-03-21 at 15:07:48ID: 23949122

The command to check which server(s) hold which roles is:

netdom query fsmo

This will list all the roles and which server holds them.

 

by: tigermattPosted on 2009-03-21 at 16:14:32ID: 23949393


As the previous poster stated the command is indeed netdom query fsmo to determine where the FSMO roles are. You'll need to get the netdom.exe tool out of one of the Resource Kits, though, if it's not already installed on the server. It's in the Support Tools available from the Microsoft site.

The procedure for transferring FSMO roles is pretty universal between server versions - you can see how to do it at http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm.

Once workstations restart, they will redetect the DHCP settings and get the new DNS server IP. Any static devices *must* be updated manually - they won't get an IP from the DHCP server and therefore won't update their DNS server records.

>> One last thing, I setup the printer service, DHCP server, and DNS Server on the new box - Do I remove these roles from the old box??

You can take off the first two, but I'd leave DNS running on it as long as it is an Exchange Server and a DC. If you uninstall DNS, you'd only have one other DNS server in the domain, which may cause complications and will not go well in terms of high-availability and failover :-)

-Matt

 

by: Kyle_B21Posted on 2009-03-22 at 05:44:49ID: 23951319

Matt,

Sounds great! I was able to transfer all the FSMO roles without a problem and re-booted both servers. Thanks!!

In theory,  should I be able shut down the old server and run everything off the new server or do I still have to run DCPROMO on the old server before doing that - which means waiting for Exchange to transfer over?

 

by: tigermattPosted on 2009-03-22 at 06:10:55ID: 23951379


In theory, provided everything is using the new server as its DNS server, you would be able to cope with just that server started. However, to properly remove the old server and ensure no traces of it are left in Active Directory, you'll have to dcpromo and demote it. This must be done after Exchange is uninstalled.

-Matt

 

by: Kyle_B21Posted on 2009-03-22 at 08:00:51ID: 23951752

ok I am moving the mail boxes right now - I only have 20 more to go until I can uninstall exchange and demote it! I'll let you know in an hour or so what happens..!

 

by: tigermattPosted on 2009-07-05 at 14:00:52ID: 24781313

I believe I answered the original questions, so recommend Accept http:#a23948665

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