Today I had to do a upgrade from my existing Domain Controller, a Windows 2003 R2 Server to a Windows 2008 Server.
The Windows 2003 Domain Controller is configured with a domain upgrade.local, forest functional level is Windows Server 2003 and the domain functional level is Windows Server 2003. This server is also the DNS server for this domain. There’s is one forward lookup zone and I’ve created a reverse lookup zone for the 172.16.10.x Subnet. We’re going to migrate to Windows 2008 Server.
First of all, I’ve installed a second virtual server with Windows 2008 Server and give it a static IP address, a subnet mask and a DNS server.
Now you have to prepare the forest and the domain with the new schema extensions.
D:\sources\adprep\adprep/forestprep and D:\sources\adprep\adprep /domainprep.
(Note: if you want to add a RODC, Read Only Domain Controller, you’ve to run also the following command: adprep /rodcprep. There must be already a Windows 2008 Domain Controller present in the domain before you can add a RODC.)
Now you can run a DCPROMO on the Windows 2008 Server.
The new Windows 2008 Domain Controller is succelfully promoted in the existing domain upgrade.local.
The next step is to move all the FSMO roles to the new Domain Controller. The following settings must be made.
Change the Domain Naming Master Active Directory Domains and Trusts, Operations Master, Change
Change the Schema Master run the following command regsvr32 schmmgmt.dll , now you’re able to add the Schema Snap-in in your Management Console.
Active Directory Schema, Operations Master, Change
Change the RID Master, PDC Emulator and the Infrastructure Master Active Directory Users and Computer, Your domain, Operations Masters, Change
Now all the FSMO roles are transfered to the new Server 2008 Domain Controller. Now we can demote the Windows 2003 Domain Controller by running the DCPROMO command.
After this steps and a copple of reboots, the migration is done! You now have a Windows 2008 Domain Controller.