Merging two Companies with 2003 Active Directory to 2012 Active Directory
I have the following situation:
1. Company A (a .local domain) with 2003 Active Directory and hosted Exchange 2010 Server
2. Company B (a .local domain) with 2003 Active Directory and local Exchange 2003 Server
Company A is merging with Company B - and we would like to have an entirely new .local domain with a Windows 2012 Active Directory Domain Controller, and Office365 Exchange server.
There are SO many variations of this problem here - that I'd just like to get a start going in the right direction. I want to continue to allow users to have access to the network shares that they currently have access to as well (Company A has a NAS server, Company B has a Windows Storage Server).
Can someone help me get started?
Joe
1. Company A (a .local domain) with 2003 Active Directory and hosted Exchange 2010 Server
2. Company B (a .local domain) with 2003 Active Directory and local Exchange 2003 Server
Company A is merging with Company B - and we would like to have an entirely new .local domain with a Windows 2012 Active Directory Domain Controller, and Office365 Exchange server.
There are SO many variations of this problem here - that I'd just like to get a start going in the right direction. I want to continue to allow users to have access to the network shares that they currently have access to as well (Company A has a NAS server, Company B has a Windows Storage Server).
Can someone help me get started?
Joe
You will need to do forest trust between to company to allow users to have access to the network shares after merging.
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Great (and simple) solution Will. Any issues using ADMT tool from 2003 to 2012? I thought I read that this didn't work to go directly to 2012?
Joe
Joe
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Just for curiosity:
Why you want to build 3rd .local domain
U can put any one domain out of TWO (say a.local), migrate it to O365 and then merge another domain (b.local) to that domain
Also I don't think another domain mailboxes will get migrated directly to your O365 subscription
Because one O365 account would not be synced with TWO ADs same time
You should 1st migrate another domain to yours with mailboxes and then finally move all your domain mailboxes to O365 (recommended)
OR
With brand new 3rd forest with exchange, you should move mailboxes from other two forests and finally move 3rd forest to O365 (less recommended)
Check below threads
http://blogs.technet.com/b/educloud/archive/2013/08/02/multi-forest-and-multi-tenant-scenarios-with-office-365.aspx
http://community.office365.com/en-us/f/156/t/241088.aspx
Also note that ADMT doesn't migrate Exchange attributes, hence you need to use either PowerShell scripts to provision cross forest accounts in advance or use FIM to provision them
Why you want to build 3rd .local domain
U can put any one domain out of TWO (say a.local), migrate it to O365 and then merge another domain (b.local) to that domain
Also I don't think another domain mailboxes will get migrated directly to your O365 subscription
Because one O365 account would not be synced with TWO ADs same time
You should 1st migrate another domain to yours with mailboxes and then finally move all your domain mailboxes to O365 (recommended)
OR
With brand new 3rd forest with exchange, you should move mailboxes from other two forests and finally move 3rd forest to O365 (less recommended)
Check below threads
http://blogs.technet.com/b/educloud/archive/2013/08/02/multi-forest-and-multi-tenant-scenarios-with-office-365.aspx
http://community.office365.com/en-us/f/156/t/241088.aspx
Also note that ADMT doesn't migrate Exchange attributes, hence you need to use either PowerShell scripts to provision cross forest accounts in advance or use FIM to provision them
ASKER
Mahesh - great comments and gives me pause to think about this more. I need to create a third .local domain (I think) because it will be a different name. I can't use CompanyA.local or CompanyB.local because I need to rename the company (the merger created a newly branded company). I'm still concerned about the hows (and timing) of moving the mailboxes and still maintaining email continuity, etc.
Here are my thoughts:
1. Create new Windows Active Directory 2012 with new company name (CompanyC.local).
2. Create two way trusts with existing CompanyA and CompanyB 2003 AD Domains.
3. Migrate CompanyB users (with on-premises Exchange 2003) to CompanyC domain using ADMT.
4. Create Office365 Exchange hosting for CompanyC, and migrate Exchange 2003 users from CompanyB (previously moved to CompanyC) into Office365 Exchange using AD Synchronization and a cutover migration (?).
5. Migrate CompanyA users (with hosted Exchange) to CompanyC domain using ADMT.
6. Migrate CompanyA users hosted Exchange to Office365.
Thoughts?
Joe
Here are my thoughts:
1. Create new Windows Active Directory 2012 with new company name (CompanyC.local).
2. Create two way trusts with existing CompanyA and CompanyB 2003 AD Domains.
3. Migrate CompanyB users (with on-premises Exchange 2003) to CompanyC domain using ADMT.
4. Create Office365 Exchange hosting for CompanyC, and migrate Exchange 2003 users from CompanyB (previously moved to CompanyC) into Office365 Exchange using AD Synchronization and a cutover migration (?).
5. Migrate CompanyA users (with hosted Exchange) to CompanyC domain using ADMT.
6. Migrate CompanyA users hosted Exchange to Office365.
Thoughts?
Joe
OK
If you must built 3rd domain, you are on right track
Some important things:
If this domains have big user base to migrate, consider deploying FIM to provision user accounts, groups and cross forest contacts (GAL Sync) in advance
This will automate migration process and GAL synchronization
OR
You need to use Exchange preparemoverequest.ps1 script which will convert contacts to mail enabled users and then you can move mailboxes
Lastly you can use ADMT to migrate those accounts in merge mode so that SID History will get migrated as well
Note that ADMT cannot migrate Exchange attributes, hence you need to create those accounts either with FIM or preparemoverequest.ps1 script 1st and then merge SID History with ADMT
maintaining co-existence (mail flow) across multiple Exchange organizations including O365 is the major part where you need to work \ design
If you must built 3rd domain, you are on right track
Some important things:
If this domains have big user base to migrate, consider deploying FIM to provision user accounts, groups and cross forest contacts (GAL Sync) in advance
This will automate migration process and GAL synchronization
OR
You need to use Exchange preparemoverequest.ps1 script which will convert contacts to mail enabled users and then you can move mailboxes
Lastly you can use ADMT to migrate those accounts in merge mode so that SID History will get migrated as well
Note that ADMT cannot migrate Exchange attributes, hence you need to create those accounts either with FIM or preparemoverequest.ps1 script 1st and then merge SID History with ADMT
maintaining co-existence (mail flow) across multiple Exchange organizations including O365 is the major part where you need to work \ design