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Anthony Fornito
Asked: 2013-10-23 11:54:14 +0800 CST

Migrate AD DS Server 2003 to Server 2008 R2

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I would like to get a couple opinions

Found this article online and wanted to know if it is good to follow

http://www.msserverpro.com/migrating-active-directory-domain-controller-from-windows-server-2003-sp2-to-windows-server-2008-r2/

Couple of things that need to be done.
1. Move over all active directory settings from old Server 2003 server to new Server 2008R2
2. Setup all users on new server using csvde.

csvde -f output.csv -- on old server
csvde -i -f output.csv -- on new server

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

windows-server-2008

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Maybe I'm missing something, but why wouldn't you just add the 2008 R2 server as a server in the domain and then promote it as a second DC? Then transfer the FSMO roles and either keep the first server online for redundancy or demote it and remove it. THAT is the most effective way to migrate a 2003 DC to 2008 R2 as it preserves Group Policies, User Passwords, and all account and group information, not to mention security.

    More details can be provided but I wanted to make sure there wasn't some reason you had already discounted this idea.

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  2. I assume you are talking about migrating to a new domain. In which case, Active Directory Migration Tool is the most effective, thorough way to do this.

    If you are talking about migrating to a newer domain controller in the same domain, then just prep the forest and domain with ADprep, promote the new server as a replica, transfer all FSMOs to it, and decommission the old. Then raise FFL/DFL if desired.

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