I need to specify an approach for migrating a Windows 2008 Active Directory environment to a new data centre. There is not currently connectivity between the two data centres though that could be an option if needed.

I am looking for the most sensible approach here. A limited amount of downtime will be acceptable, but this should be limited to hours rather than days.

Current options I have looked at are:

1. Adding new DCs in the new Data Centre to the existing domain (with appropriate connectivity) and allowing replication, then decom old servers.
2. Take a backup and restore this in the new Data Centre, but base don my reading this uses a system backup and so would probably not work if restored to a new machine?

Appreciate your help with this one.

Thanks

Update

It may be clear that my knowledge of networking is limited. If you could explain things in basic terms or point me to additional reading I would be greatful.

Original Question

I have created A VM running Windows Server 2008 R2, using VMWare Player. I have configured this as a domain controller running a Windows Server 2008 domain.

I have also created another VM running Windows Server 2008 R2.

The HOST machine is using Windows 7 Professional 64 bit.

When I try to add the second VM into the domain that the first is the DC for it fails as the VM cannot contact the DC.

Simple question really. What have I missed? Is it something to do with the configuration on the Host machine? What do I need to do to enable this scenario?

Thanks

I am creating a base VM as the start of what I hope to be a VM tree of all the machine configurations that I regularly use.

On this base machine I have a small system drive of 10GB and a larger data drive of 40GB. When I sysprep the VM it removes the additional hard drive. Well it still appears but Server Manager reports it as offline.

I have the following in my answer file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="specialize">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <ComputerName></ComputerName>
        <RegisteredOrganization>XXXXXX</RegisteredOrganization>
        <RegisteredOwner>XXXXXX</RegisteredOwner>
        <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
    </component>
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-Licensing-SLC-UX" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <SkipAutoActivation>true</SkipAutoActivation>
    </component>
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-IE-ESC" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <IEHardenAdmin>false</IEHardenAdmin>
        <IEHardenUser>false</IEHardenUser>
    </component>
</settings>
<settings pass="oobeSystem">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <InputLocale>0809:00000809</InputLocale>
        <SystemLocale>en-GB</SystemLocale>
        <UILanguage>en-GB</UILanguage>
        <UserLocale>en-GB</UserLocale>
    </component>
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <RegisteredOrganization>Company Name</RegisteredOrganization>
        <RegisteredOwner>Company Name</RegisteredOwner>
        <UserAccounts>
            <AdministratorPassword>
                <Value>cwBoAEAAcgBlAHAAbwAxAG4AdABBAGQAbQBpAG4AaQBzAHQAcgBhAHQAbwByAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
                <PlainText>false</PlainText>
            </AdministratorPassword>
        </UserAccounts>
        <AutoLogon>
            <Password>
                <Value>cwBoAEAAcgBlAHAAbwAxAG4AdABQAGEAcwBzAHcAbwByAGQA</Value>
                <PlainText>false</PlainText>
            </Password>
            <Domain>WORKGROUP</Domain>
            <Enabled>true</Enabled>
            <LogonCount>2</LogonCount>
            <Username>Administrator</Username>
        </AutoLogon>
        <OOBE>
            <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
            <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
            <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
        </OOBE>
        <Display>
            <ColorDepth>32</ColorDepth>
            <HorizontalResolution>1440</HorizontalResolution>
            <VerticalResolution>900</VerticalResolution>
        </Display>
        <TimeZone>GMT Standard Time</TimeZone>
    </component>
</settings>
<settings pass="generalize">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-ServerManager-SvrMgrNc" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <DoNotOpenServerManagerAtLogon>true</DoNotOpenServerManagerAtLogon>
    </component>
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-OutOfBoxExperience" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <DoNotOpenInitialConfigurationTasksAtLogon>true</DoNotOpenInitialConfigurationTasksAtLogon>
    </component>
</settings>
<settings pass="windowsPE">
    <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
        <DiskConfiguration>
            <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
            <Disk wcm:action="add">
                <ModifyPartitions>
                    <ModifyPartition wcm:action="modify">
                        <Active>true</Active>
                        <Letter>D</Letter>
                        <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                        <Label>Data</Label>
                        <Order>1</Order>
                    </ModifyPartition>
                </ModifyPartitions>
                <DiskID>1</DiskID>
                <WillWipeDisk>false</WillWipeDisk>
            </Disk>
        </DiskConfiguration>
    </component>
</settings>
<cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog:c:/users/chalee/desktop/install_windows server 2008 r2 serverenterprise.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

I had assumed that the ModifyPartition section would set my second drive to online, but no dice!

Can anyone help with this? How should be answer file be configured to enable this second drive?