Windows 03 NTDS directory

I would use whatever utility that you are currently using to backup the entire data structure.
This backup will take all your SACL and other security attributes, tree structure and so on.  This backup will allow for you to rebuild your datastore.

NTBACKUP would be a fine utility if you are not using one already.  If you do not do routine backups you most likely will need some sort of media to write the backup and this media will need to be able to handle the total amount of data that needs to be backed up.

How are you going to handle the swing from old data location to new.
1: Are you going shutdown the file server, delete the array, then replace the drives?
2: Are you going to have an attached storage or swing machine so the file server is still available to the users while you migrate the data?
3: If you are going to be using a completely new server for this role with a new server name and share I would recommend leverage your DNS or DFS services so for future migration and/or upgrades the changes are much less to the end users.

If you are going use option 2 or 3 you might want to try something like Robocopy or something comparable.
These utilities do a file level copy from source to destination.  They have a plethora of switch variables to accomplish many tasks.

Do you have other domain controllers in your environment other than this one?

Thanks

Mike

I am using Arcserve for the backups and the restore process.

1: Are you going shutdown the file server, delete the array, then replace the drives?

Once the backup is finished and verified I would leave the server running, delete the array, remove and replace the drives, format and then replace the data

2: Are you going to have an attached storage or swing machine so the file server is still available to the users while you migrate the data?

No... I have told everyone that the server will be unavailable so no one is here.

3: If you are going to be using a completely new server for this role with a new server name and share I would recommend leverage your DNS or DFS services so for future migration and/or upgrades the changes are much less to the end users.

Nope, no new server, just replacing some drives.


Do you have other domain controllers in your environment other than this one?

Yes, in this site I have one.

Nice Catch Mike,
I would look into moving/relocating  the NTDS folder prior to decommissioning the array and drives.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782948(v=ws.10).aspx

Does this server do anything other than be a domain controller?

If not, then you can demote this DC to a member server.  This will transfer all the FSMO role to the other domain controller.

Then you can label the drives before you pull them out, just in case you have to replace them.  Put your new drives in and create a new RAID 5.  Install the OS from scratch and promote the rebuilt server to a DC.

This keeps you from having to worry about messing up the time stamps when restoring AD if you don't do the correct procedure.  Plus, you get a freshly rebuilt server.  The time spend rebuilding could actually be less than backing up and restoring your system.

You sure that the FSMO roles are transfers automatically during the the demotion of a DC that host these roles?
I thought that this was a manually process utilizing various MMC's or scripted and not just automatic part of the dcpromo decommission process.
If I am wrong I am sorry, but I do want to warn the asker that it might note be automatic transfers of the FSMO roles and to take that into precaution.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324801

FSMO roles are automatically transferred during a demotion.  However, you will still want to manually confirm the transfer.  Just in case.
http://usefulglyphs.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/how-to-move-fsmo-roles-between-domain-controllers/

OK...

Now some of you have me worried...

 "awaggoner" - I thank you for the siggestion, but I am hoping that I will not have to go to that extreme...

Nice Catch Mike,
I would look into moving/relocating  the NTDS folder prior to decommissioning the array and drives.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782948(v=ws.10).aspx

As I read this article you suggested, I have one question:

It looks like I will want to do the first item in step 5...

As I follow the steps in the new article that this hyperlink brings up it gets to step 8 and says:

If you are moving the database file or log files temporarily, you can now perform any required updates to the original drive. After you update the drive, repeat steps 1 through 7 to move the files back to the original location.

If the path to the database file or log files has not changed, go to step 10.

Is it correct to assume here that even though the process "Temporarly moves" the log files, ultimatly, I am NOT permanantly moving the files, so I just move on to step 10 once finished here... Yes?

I will be running this procedure this weekend...

I will post my conclusions and close the question once I am finished...


Thanks for the assistance.