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Dilemma upgrading to SBS2003.

I have the following situation - we have a server running Windows Backoffice Server 4.0 and another server running Windows NT 4.0. The Backoffice Server is the PDC and the NT server is a BDC. We just purchased a new server with SBS2003 on it and my intention is to move everything over to the new server and "forklift" it in one evening. My dilemma is that I need to keep the existing BDC online as it is running a critical app that can't be moved. What is the best way to approach this?

- Can I set up the new server in a new domain and create a trust relationship to the existing domain? I don't think I can do this with SBS2003.
- Can I set up the new server in a new domain and have the existing BDC join the new domain? I think I could do this if the existing BDC were a member server and not a DC.
- Can I set up the new server in the existing domain as the PDC after taking the existing PDC offline?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

mbr1971

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SOLUTION

oBdA

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navarac

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I think I'm leaning toward trying the "demote the BDC and then join it to the new SBS2003 domain." I actually wasn't sure if this were possible either because I thought I had read that you couldn't have a bdc in a SBS2003 network. (The idea being that SBS2003 was designed for small networks with no need for additional servers.)

Here's another thought...
- what if I promote the current NT4 BDC to PDC and demote the current PDC to BDC.
- upgrade the NT4 box to Windows 2000 Server or above
- run dcpromo to demote the server to a standalone server
- join the new SBS2003 domain

SOLUTION

harleyjd

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oBdA

That approach should work, too. Just make sure that your application will run properly on Windows 2000.
But before you actually start: What is the reason that the application can't be moved? Is it in any way tied to the hardware, or some machine specific setting (as copy protection)? If so, you should contact the developers and query about possible problems when upgrading, renaming, or demoting the machine, or joining it to another domain.