Upgrading Windows 2003 Domain Controllers to Windows 2008
Our current domain consists of Windows 2003, Windows 2008 and Windows 2008 R2 domain controllers.
Domain and Forest functional level is 2003 native.
We are planning on upgrading all 2003 domain controllers to 2008 (all 32 bit).
We have obviously already upgraded schema, since all new domain controllers are 2008 based, so we do not need to run adprep/forestprep/domainpr
Question is - how easy is to do in place upgrade from 2003 based DC to 2008 one.
Should we expect any problems or difficulties?
Domain and Forest functional level is 2003 native.
We are planning on upgrading all 2003 domain controllers to 2008 (all 32 bit).
We have obviously already upgraded schema, since all new domain controllers are 2008 based, so we do not need to run adprep/forestprep/domainpr
Question is - how easy is to do in place upgrade from 2003 based DC to 2008 one.
Should we expect any problems or difficulties?
ASKER
Thanks,
We do have a large number of DC's, with one running services, shares and core application at each remote office.
We cannot upgrade them to 2008 R2, since some hardware would not allow it, also our main application works on 32 bit os only at its current version.
Upgrading all DC's to 2008 though and changing funcitonal level would probably help with better AD replication, with possibility of using rodc at remote offices as well.
Since installing new DC's and demoting current 2003 based ones is not really feasible, we would rather do the in place upgrade.
Obviously, current backup is a good idea.
I just wonder whether anyone has already gone this route. It is hard to believe we would be very first.
We do have a large number of DC's, with one running services, shares and core application at each remote office.
We cannot upgrade them to 2008 R2, since some hardware would not allow it, also our main application works on 32 bit os only at its current version.
Upgrading all DC's to 2008 though and changing funcitonal level would probably help with better AD replication, with possibility of using rodc at remote offices as well.
Since installing new DC's and demoting current 2003 based ones is not really feasible, we would rather do the in place upgrade.
Obviously, current backup is a good idea.
I just wonder whether anyone has already gone this route. It is hard to believe we would be very first.
Fair enough.
In place sounds like a fun way to go then. I can't give first hand experience of that one I'm afraid. I skipped 2008 entirely and went straight to R2. Which obviously precludes in place upgrades because of the 32-64 jump.
Definitely try it on a restore if you can. It should be able to run on any half decent desktop if you can borrow one from somewhere.
At least with your distributed set up it would be a reasonably fair test...
In place sounds like a fun way to go then. I can't give first hand experience of that one I'm afraid. I skipped 2008 entirely and went straight to R2. Which obviously precludes in place upgrades because of the 32-64 jump.
Definitely try it on a restore if you can. It should be able to run on any half decent desktop if you can borrow one from somewhere.
At least with your distributed set up it would be a reasonably fair test...
ASKER
Yes, we will try to run an upgrade on one of the domain controllers and find out.
R2 would be also my preferred option, but we cannot execute it at the moment.
I will post the results when we are done.
R2 would be also my preferred option, but we cannot execute it at the moment.
I will post the results when we are done.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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If you have any spare hardware that will support it you can try backing up a DC, restoring it backup hardware (on its own network) and performing the upgrade there. It will at least flag anything major.