AD migration questions

[The JoJo]

There is a need to migrate from Microsoft SBS 4.5 to Windows 2003/Exchange
2003, and start using a new server at the same time. Can we install the new
server directly with Windows 2003 / Exchange 2003 and use the active
directory migration tool to migrate the SBS 4.5 domain (with user and e-mail
accounts) to the new AD? And what other alternatives, if any, are there.
Another plan was to install SBS 4.5 on the new server and do an upgrade, but
I have a feeling that won’t work.

Can anyone help with this?

 

[ddrueding]

Coulda sworn there was a white paper on this...I'll take a look...

 

[The JoJo]

Thanks, it's kind of urgent...

 

[Mercutio]

There's a white paper on SBS 4.5 to SBS/Exchange 2000 migration here[/url.

Or you could take a look at this general-purpose Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000 migration [url=http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/2000/library/mme55e2k.mspx]white paper. I would assume it'll set you off in the right direction.

I really haven't done any work with Exchange 2003 yet. I did a 5.5 to 2000 upgrade last year. That went OK except the installer wouldn't let me add the Exchange IM components.

 

[Mercutio]

Crap!

Let's try that again.

There's a white paper on SBS 4.5 to SBS/Exchange 2000 migration here.

Or you could take a look at this general-purpose Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000 migration white paper. I would assume it'll set you off in the right direction.

I really haven't done any work with Exchange 2003 yet. I did a 5.5 to 2000 upgrade last year. That went OK except the installer wouldn't let me add the Exchange IM components.

 

[The JoJo]

That paper left some open questions, as it's only SBS-to-SBS. Thanks though.

 

[The JoJo]

I'll check that other link next.

 

[ddrueding]

Re: Exchange 2003. I have a few of them and It doesn't look too much different from 2000. Of of the requirements that I found the hard way is that you need a Windows Server 2003 DC to install Exchange 2003. And adding a Win2k3 DC to a Win2k domain can have it's issues.

I can't really give you any more advice, as I usually take advantage of migrations of this kind to re-work the system. I don't acutally do a migration, rather build in parallel and then just move over the users and data.

 

[The JoJo]

There was some interest in this, so a few words. My friend who was doing this came to the less than good conclusion that a migration was a no go. From what I remember it couldn't be done.
He ended up building a new system and then moving over the data.

 

[The JoJo]

Some more:

1st try, add the 2k3/exchange to the AD, migrate data and promote. Not possible.

2nd try, make a new AD, create a trust between them and migrate. Not possible.

3rd try, using a lot of export / import tools to get the data to the new server (usernames, computer accounts, mail etc....). SIDs gone, password new, problems with file share permissions, minor e-mail problems and some computers that couldn't be automatically connected to the AD (manually ok). LOTS of reboots (MS tools requiring it).

 

[ddrueding]

New Project:

Domain "bobiscool.local" has a bunch of users with large exchange mailboxes. I need to move all the users and their data to "bic.local". Both DCs and Exchange servers are running side-by-side with different IPs and DNS trees.

I've done The JoJo's 3rd option above in the past due to other circumstances, but I'd like this one to be cleaner (300+ users).

I'm off to google some more, but would welcome your input.

~David

 

[ddrueding]

Looking at the Microsoft Active Directory Migration Tool v 3.0. Any experiences?

 

[ddrueding]

I've been screwing around with a bunch of this stuff, and have the OK to get external assistance. I've used Microsoft's After-Hours Business Critical Support before, and would love to get them involved again. Unfortunately, it seems that they only handle things that are already broken; I want them involved from the beginning. Is their a part of MS' support website that I am not seeing?

 

[P5-133XL]

What best seems to fit is Microsoft's Advisory service at $210 per hour.

 

[ddrueding]

Looks good, thanks Mark.

 

[Mercutio]

Dear Exchange and Active Directory:

I hate you so much that I hope you die of painful rectal herpes.
In a fire, also.
While decent people throw salt on you.

Eat a dick,

Mercutio

 

[Chewy509]

Dear Exchange and Active Directory:

I hate you so much that I hope you die of painful rectal herpes.
In a fire, also.
While decent people throw salt on you.

Eat a dick,

Mercutio

Oh come on, EXCH and AD aren't that bad. Sure when something goes wrong, there's never an easy fix, and admittedly there are better solutions out there, but AD and EXCH do work well for a lot of organisations.

I know I could build a more robust system using NIS+/LDAP and a MTA like postfix (with various add-ons for webmail, etc), but the MS solution stack is tempting for a lot of people out there.

 

[Mercutio]

NDS from 1994 makes AD from 2007 look like a toy. It replicated better, it was easier to understand and easier to administer. I was never much of a Novel guy but I've passed bunches of MS certification exams on AD and I've worked with the product for years and there's still TONS of stuff I don't understand about it. It's a piss-poor product.

 

[Chewy509]

NDS from 1994 makes AD from 2007 look like a toy. It replicated better, it was easier to understand and easier to administer. I was never much of a Novel guy but I've passed bunches of MS certification exams on AD and I've worked with the product for years and there's still TONS of stuff I don't understand about it. It's a piss-poor product.

Agree 100%. The worst thing is, if something goes wrong, there's never an easy way to fix it.

The easiest way for me to remember what AD is, is simply a LDAP server with built-in kerboras authentication. (Yep, that's all AD is, except the LDAP server has a pre-defined schema).

 

[ddrueding]

I'm about to go to sleep for the first time in 32 hours. Why? F**king AD and it's DNS integration, F**king Exchange and it's easily corruptible message stores, and both of their ability to store important configuration information in AD, Exchange, File Permissions, the Registry, and in some fantasy dimension that is at the same time inconsistent, unforgiving, and undocumented. What a PITFA.

OK. Sleep now. Class in 3 hours.

 

[Mercutio]

Well, there's the fact that, despite the fact that Microsoft has at least TWO enterprise grade database engines, they choose to use fucking JET for everything critical in AD...

 

[Howell]

There was some interest in this, so a few words. My friend who was doing this came to the less than good conclusion that a migration was a no go. From what I remember it couldn't be done.
He ended up building a new system and then moving over the data.

I have done quite a few SBSx to SBS2003 migrations. It all begins with building up a second server as a domain controller and moving the exchange datastore wholesale.