asked on

Move Win2K Server to new Hardware

I need recommendations for the best way to move my current Win2K Advanced Server to a new hardware.

The current server is the ONLY Win2K server on my network. It has ALL of the network server roles, including PDC, Active Directory, DSN, DHCP, NAT, RRAS,
etc.

It is running IIS with a web site (which is can be re-posted from FrontPage 2000, so it's no big deal).

I also have "Post Office" installed as the e-mail server.

The questions I have:

- Should I install the server as a "new DC in an existing domain" then transfer the roles and demote the old server?

- What are the steps?

- Is there a better way given this is a small network (no other servers, only 3 PC clients, only 3 users besides Admin)?

Part of the problem is that I only have one static IP address and one connection to the internet. I don't mind down time, but I'm wondering what components I should install initially.

For example, at what point do I install the second nic and give the new server the "static IP". I assume that this is when I install NAT & RRAS. But what about DHCP?

I imagine that IIS and Post Office just wait until everything else is done and working. THen I add IIS and Post Office as applications and re-configure them.

I'm starting with 100 points cause I assume someone may have a ready answer or some good links..

I've perused microsoft and I've seen Q255690 (on transfering the 5 "roles"), which doesn't answer my question, and Q249694 (which shows using backup / restore to move to a new hardware, but it sounds risky because the computers are different)

Dave

Z_Beeblebrox

Just a quick comment: the generally accepted method of moving to a new server (from microsoft's point of view anyways) is to set up the new server as a BDC, then remove the PDC and promote the new server to PDC. You should be able to continue offering all services except for internet access pretty much continuously. Just leave the old server as a BDC and slowly move stuff over to the new PDC.

Zaphod.

Z_Beeblebrox

Oh, and it should not matter when you move DHCP over, you can set up the new computer to be the gateway and leave the old computer doing DHCP without any issues (although if your old server only have one network card, then you will have to change its IP address, which means that the clients may have trouble finding the DHCP server, but it will only be temporary on their first login.

Zaphod.

Falco Bethke

If you don't mind a bit downtime, have you ever considered cloning you current DC?

Guy Hengel [angelIII / a3]

Z_Beeblebrox, in Win2k, there is no PDC and BDC...

listening...

Housenet

"- Should I install the server as a "new DC in an existing domain" then transfer the roles and demote
the old server?" Since there are only 3 computers, recreate a new domain with the same name & re-join the workstations..

-Part of the problem is that I only have one static IP address and one connection to the internet. I don't mind down time, but I'm wondering what components I should install initially.
For example, at what point do I install the second nic and give the new server the "static IP". I assume
that this is when I install NAT & RRAS. But what about DHCP?
-Do not install the second NIC initially... Install DNS, AD, Setup the dhcp scope (003,006,015,044,046)... Call the local area conection "Private NIC" or INSIDE LAN.. Authorize the DHCP... Join the client to the new domain.
-Install the second NIC.. Call it Public NIC or OUTSIDE WAN..
-Delete the root zone in DNS...
-Enable RRAS..(Manual config).. Add NAT. Add forwarders (ISP DNS SERVER IP's)..
-Review DNS..make sure its only accepting secure updates..Listening on only the inside IP...NO zone transfers..
-Install any third party apps..

dcgames

ASKER

Z_Beeblebrox: I believe I understand your comment about PDC and BDC, but since the server is also the gateway to the internet (RRAS&NAT), the question is in what order do I install the services and move NICs around, etc.

Housenet:

> Since there are only 3 computers, recreate a new domain
> with the same name & re-join the workstations..

In doing this, do I install Win2K as a "new domain controller in an existing domain" or as "the only domain controller in a new domain".

And won't the old server complain? Should I "demote" the old server so it is no longer a DC?

>-Do not install the second NIC initially... Install DNS,
> AD, Setup the dhcp scope (003,006,015,044,046)...
> Call the local area conection "Private NIC" or INSIDE
> LAN.. Authorize the DHCP... Join the client to
> the new domain.

So I allocate a static IP inside the lan (say 192.168.0.20) and give that to the new server temporarily. Then install everything (w/out the second NIC) and configure the domain there. Right?

Now, my domain is called "HDZLAN.DCGAMES.COM" because it is pointed too by a domain I have hosted elsewhere. They added an A record to their DNS entry to point to my IP address.

So at what point do I remove services from the old server (DNS, DHCP, AD).

>-Install the second NIC.. Call it Public NIC or OUTSIDE
> WAN..
> -Delete the root zone in DNS...
> -Enable RRAS..(Manual config).. Add NAT. Add forwarders
> (ISP DNS SERVER IP's)..
> -Review DNS..make sure its only accepting secure
> updates..Listening on only the inside IP...NO zone
> transfers..

Ok. But again, do I shut down the old server, remove it, put the new server in place, re-boot with two NICs, one connected to the internet, and give it the static IP address? (And THEN enable RRAS, add NAT, etc.)

>-Install any third party apps..

ok.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

hstiles

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langone

I don't know if this will work for a server, but I would suggest using sysprep and ghost to clone the image to the new hardware. Sysprep will remove all hardware specific parts of the install (and maybe some other things). It may be worth a look. You will have to down the server for a while to run sysprep and image it, however.

dcgames

ASKER

I installed one NIC and installed Win2K (clean install, deleting the old FAT32/WinMe that came with the computer and replacing it with Win2K Adv. Server on NTFS.

I then installed active directory saying it is "another AC in the same domain". Provided the domain name and it replicated all the user / security info, DNS, etc.

My next step will be to transfer all the roles to the new DC making sure the old one has nothing in it that's worth keeping. I will also restrict the DHCP to a small range and install DHCP on the other server with a different range.

When all is working I will shut down the old server, install a NIC on the new one, give it the IP address and configure it.

Once it's all up and running I will bring up the old server w/out the network NIC and share it's drive in the network so I can copy stuff off of it.

Eventually that server will be wiped and I'll install Win98 on it for my 7 year old.

Thanks,

Dave

dcgames

ASKER

I'm giving this to hstiles because his answer was closer to the approach I used than Housenet's, even though they both pretty much cover the same ground.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Dave