Forum Discussion
For upgrade server 2003 Std to 2019
It isn't supported to introduce 2019 domain controllers to a 2003 DFL domain.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/active-directory-functional-levels
Also FRS needs to be migrated to DFSR before adding 2019 domain controllers.
So you'll need to do this two-step, first by migrating to 2012 R2 or 2016, removing the 2003 DCs in order to raise DFL to minimum or 2008 R2, then do the FRS-->DFSR migration, then bring in the first 2019 domain controller.
To the domain controller migration general steps below;
I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting. Then stand up the new guest, patch it fully, license it (you can use evaluations for the interim step), join existing domain, add active directory domain services, promote it also making it a GC (recommended), transfer FSMO roles over (optional), transfer pdc emulator role (optional), use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health, when all is good you can decommission / demote old one, move on to next one.
The info on the new Storage Migration Service tool states that it can migrate from Server 2003 directly to Server 2019. Is that info incorrect? Ned made it look so simple in his Ignite presentation. (Though he was using a server far newer than 2003!) So far I'm unable to find any detailed documentation on how to do this with SMS. Any good pointers?
The SMS info is here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/storage-migration-service/overview The Requirements for Source Servers lists Server 2003 and Server 2003 R2. It would be great to find a step-by-step on how to prepare the Server 2003 system to interact with the SMS tools.
Since a new topic and user I'd start a new thread to maintain forums clarity.
- Judging by the title of this thread, I thought I was in the right place. :(