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dcpromo a server

Just a question: if you dc promo a 2012 server r2 , would it hurt anything to just have the server sit for a week or two without installing any roles such as dns, gc, or importing dhcp or any of the fsmo roles? Basically can i dcpromo the server and just let it sit? Will this cause any problems in the domain?
-i have read that dcpromo has been deprecated and now use powershell, but i just want to know can the server sit after it is made a domain controller?
-why you ask...i just want to know!

Alex

Don't do it until you're ready to complete the task of promoting it to a DC. The likelihood is, the second you promote it, it'll start replicating to it.

If anything, this just goes against best practice, so best not do it.

harold mcmullen

ASKER

alex, what will replicate if i do not have any roles installed. (i apologize for seeming stupid, and I actually have worked with windows and ad for 20 years, but have never thought of this. Recently the question came up and I could not figure out in my mind if this would do anything if there were not any specific roles involved.
also, i know that microsoft best practices allows for an inordinate amount of dc's per domain, so even if I did create 2 new dc's without any roles, and anything did replicate to them, it still shouldn't be a big deal, should it? (or am i nuts?)

harold mcmullen

ASKER

ps. one of the dc's will become new fsmo and the other dhcp and both will be gc's, but not for a few weeks

Alex

Just promo it closer the time and leave it for an hour to replicate the data to the sysvol folder and then move your FSMO roles over to it.

One other thing, you are splitting up your FSMO roles right? Stupid question but I'd like to make sure :-)

Satish Auti

Do you have existing domain controller or you just making new one? If you have existing domain environment then you can do migration to migrate all roles including DNS/GC/DHCP.

Though DCpromo deprecated, you promote your DC using powershell as well as GUI. Now Microsoft added it into roles under servermanager.
Step-By-Step: Adding a Windows Server 2012 Domain Controller

There is a training program on Microsoft virtual academy. Go through it.

Migrating to Windows Server 2012 Training

harold mcmullen

ASKER

no, we have all on one server....it is an allowed practice, tho' some recommend against it, microsoft says it is allowed. we have had our fsmo roles on one server for over 20 years. (not the same server mind you, but every time we have upgraded servers, we have put all fsmo on the one server)

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

DrDave242

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harold mcmullen

ASKER

Thanks DrDave242,
Yes we are single domain forest and all will be gc's and dns servers. (we use 3 dc's now and all are gc's and dns servers.)

That is what I would have figured, that making them dc's but not adding (or importing) the dhcp role or fsmo roles yet should be ok.
(we have 2 dc's that we will be replacing with new dc's) Eventually, we will transfer fsmo roles from one elderly server to one of the new ones and exporting dhcp from the other old server to the other new server.

And though stuff will be replicating after they have been dcpromoed, there should not be any problems as long as nobody is pointed to them, right?

Satish Auti

What is your current domain functional level and forest functional level?

DrDave242

And though stuff will be replicating after they have been dcpromoed, there should not be any problems as long as nobody is pointed to them, right?

No, this shouldn't cause any problems at all.

harold mcmullen

ASKER

Thanks DrDave242. This is an answer to the question as I asked it. very precise answer .
Thanks!