P2V domain controller

[jackyboy]

Hi,

just read the article how to P2V a domain controller...  in that article it says that it is not recommended to P2V a DC online ... because for the risk of a USN rollback.

My question: since I have only 1 DC on our network, I suppose I can do the P2V online ?

I'll make sure that I do not fire up both machines (physical + VM) at the same time of course.

Marc

[#2]

P2V is a last resort method certainly not for a domain controller. The simplest / safest method it to stand up a new one for replacement.

I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting any operations. Then stand up the new one, patch it fully, license it, 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 again verify health, when all is good you can decommission / demote old one.

[#3]

@jackyboy 

just checking if there's any progress or updates? please don't forget to mark helpful replies

[#4]

to be honest, your answer is an excellent guide if I had that choice but your reply is not an answer to my question.

Let me explain: I will do the P2V since I have only 1 DC & there're few applications (ERP/accountancy) on this server . I know it is not the best setup but that what I found here when I started working here 3 months ago. The server now is running WS2012R2 on a DL360 which is 7 yrs old and not under contract anymore. That's why I wanna P2V as soon as possible to Hyper-V on another newly bought server. Later on, I'll add a second DC, split ERP&accountancy from this DC server. But for now: I'll P2V asap.

My question was if I can do that ONLINE ? make an image or disk2vhd while server is running ...
Of course I would stop services like Active Directory Domain Services, SQL Server, etc.

Another possibility is offline (boot from rescue media and backup from there).

That is my dilemma.

[#5]

You could but very risky, if it were me I'd stand up the new domain controller (as above), then demote the application server to member server before doing the P2V

[#6]

@jackyboy just checking if there's any progress or updates? please don't forget to mark helpful replies

[#7]

You can do whatever you want, but it would be way easier to add another virtual DC before (so you have 2) and then do the P2V