Merging SBS 2003 domain with Windows Server domain

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

john@computerguy.com.au wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have been handed a situation to "tidy up". My client had an
> existing Windows Server 2003 Sandard Edition SP2 running a domain with
> about 15 clients (i.e. DOMAIN-A). They purchased a new Server that
> came bundled with SBS 2003 Premium and set it up in its own seperate
> domain (i.e. DOMAIN-B). DOMAIN-B only has one user setup simply so
> that the clients can access a number of Share Points on the new
> Server.
>
> The aim is to merge the two domains to make one domain with the two
> servers in the domain.

That's a good plan.
>
> Both the old and the new servers have now data on them and are beng
> used by the clients.
>
> So, I'd like some advice please on the best approach to take to merge
> the new server into DOMAIN-A. The old server was the Domain
> Controller in DOMAIN-A, but I understand that SBS needs to be the
> Domain Controller in such a domain.

Yes, but more specifically, it needs to have all the FSMO roles. There can
be multiple DCs
>
> Can I just rename the Domain on the SBS 2003 Server to be DOMAIN-A?

Nope.

> Will the Windows 2003 Server (old server) realise that there is a new
> server and demote itself?

Nope.
>
> Any advise on the best approach to take with this one would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> regards
> John

You'll need to reinstall the SBS box if you want to join it to the existing
domain & transfer the FSMO roles, whatnot. You can't just rename it. Back
up the data & start over - see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884453 (How
to install Small Business Server 2003 in an existing Active Directory
domain). Since you only have one user on there, no big deal, really.

 

[john@computerguy.com.au]

Merging SBS 2003 domain with Windows Server domain

Hello,

I have been handed a situation to "tidy up". My client had an
existing Windows Server 2003 Sandard Edition SP2 running a domain with
about 15 clients (i.e. DOMAIN-A). They purchased a new Server that
came bundled with SBS 2003 Premium and set it up in its own seperate
domain (i.e. DOMAIN-B). DOMAIN-B only has one user setup simply so
that the clients can access a number of Share Points on the new
Server.

The aim is to merge the two domains to make one domain with the two
servers in the domain.

Both the old and the new servers have now data on them and are beng
used by the clients.

So, I'd like some advice please on the best approach to take to merge
the new server into DOMAIN-A. The old server was the Domain
Controller in DOMAIN-A, but I understand that SBS needs to be the
Domain Controller in such a domain.

Can I just rename the Domain on the SBS 2003 Server to be DOMAIN-A?
Will the Windows 2003 Server (old server) realise that there is a new
server and demote itself?

Any advise on the best approach to take with this one would be greatly
appreciated.

regards
John

 

[john@computerguy.com.au]

Re: Merging SBS 2003 domain with Windows Server domain

On Aug 22, 1:29 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
> j...@computerguy.com.au wrote:
> > Hello,
>
> > I have been handed a situation to "tidy up".  My client had an
> > existing Windows Server 2003 Sandard Edition SP2 running a domain with
> > about 15 clients (i.e. DOMAIN-A).  They purchased a new Server that
> > came bundled with SBS 2003 Premium and set it up in its own seperate
> > domain (i.e. DOMAIN-B). DOMAIN-B only has one user setup simply so
> > that the clients can access a number of Share Points on the new
> > Server.
>
> > The aim is to merge the two domains to make one domain with the two
> > servers in the domain.
>
> That's a good plan.
>
>
>
> > Both the old and the new servers have now data on them and are beng
> > used by the clients.
>
> > So, I'd like some advice please on the best approach to take to merge
> > the new server into DOMAIN-A.  The old server was the Domain
> > Controller in DOMAIN-A, but I understand that SBS needs to be the
> > Domain Controller in such a domain.
>
> Yes, but more specifically, it needs to have all the FSMO roles. There can
> be multiple DCs
>
>
>
> > Can I just rename the Domain on the SBS 2003 Server to be DOMAIN-A?
>
> Nope.
>
> > Will the Windows 2003 Server (old server) realise that there is a new
> > server and demote itself?
>
> Nope.
>
>
>
> > Any advise on the best approach to take with this one would be greatly
> > appreciated.
>
> > regards
> > John
>
> You'll need to reinstall the SBS box if you want to join it to the existing
> domain & transfer the FSMO roles, whatnot. You can't just rename it.  Back
> up the data & start over - seehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/884453(How
> to install Small Business Server 2003 in an existing Active Directory
> domain). Since you only have one user on there, no big deal, really.

Thanks for your reply.

Reinstalling the SBS Server will be a huge exercise now because the
client is running their main operational application on it. When it
was migrated from the old server to the new server, the Providor had a
lot of trouble getting aspects of the application working. Now that
it is running smoothly, the site is very reluctant to have any more
downtime and run the risk of issues again.

How about if we leave the SBS Server alone and try and move the
Windows Server over to the other Domain DOMAIN-B?

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Re: Merging SBS 2003 domain with Windows Server domain

john@computerguy.com.au wrote:
> On Aug 22, 1:29 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
>> j...@computerguy.com.au wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>
>>> I have been handed a situation to "tidy up". My client had an
>>> existing Windows Server 2003 Sandard Edition SP2 running a domain
>>> with about 15 clients (i.e. DOMAIN-A). They purchased a new Server
>>> that came bundled with SBS 2003 Premium and set it up in its own
>>> seperate domain (i.e. DOMAIN-B). DOMAIN-B only has one user setup
>>> simply so that the clients can access a number of Share Points on
>>> the new Server.
>>
>>> The aim is to merge the two domains to make one domain with the two
>>> servers in the domain.
>>
>> That's a good plan.
>>
>>
>>
>>> Both the old and the new servers have now data on them and are beng
>>> used by the clients.
>>
>>> So, I'd like some advice please on the best approach to take to
>>> merge the new server into DOMAIN-A. The old server was the Domain
>>> Controller in DOMAIN-A, but I understand that SBS needs to be the
>>> Domain Controller in such a domain.
>>
>> Yes, but more specifically, it needs to have all the FSMO roles.
>> There can be multiple DCs
>>
>>
>>
>>> Can I just rename the Domain on the SBS 2003 Server to be DOMAIN-A?
>>
>> Nope.
>>
>>> Will the Windows 2003 Server (old server) realise that there is a
>>> new server and demote itself?
>>
>> Nope.
>>
>>
>>
>>> Any advise on the best approach to take with this one would be
>>> greatly appreciated.
>>
>>> regards
>>> John
>>
>> You'll need to reinstall the SBS box if you want to join it to the
>> existing domain & transfer the FSMO roles, whatnot. You can't just
>> rename it. Back up the data & start over -
>> seehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/884453(How to install Small
>> Business Server 2003 in an existing Active Directory domain). Since
>> you only have one user on there, no big deal, really.
>
> Thanks for your reply.
>
> Reinstalling the SBS Server will be a huge exercise now because the
> client is running their main operational application on it. When it
> was migrated from the old server to the new server, the Providor had a
> lot of trouble getting aspects of the application working. Now that
> it is running smoothly, the site is very reluctant to have any more
> downtime and run the risk of issues again.
>
> How about if we leave the SBS Server alone and try and move the
> Windows Server over to the other Domain DOMAIN-B?

Sure. You can blow away their existing AD and join all the computers to the
new domain & set up new user accounts, if you like. The user profiles will
be your main issue. I'd be prepared to have everyone start over rather than
spend hours futzing. There will be downtime with this, regardless of which
server you choose to (reinstall/blow away). It's a weekend's worth of work
if you kill the existing AD. I don't know what the application is, but if
it's that much trouble to get it working, I'd have a word with the vendor
and see what the problems were - redoing SBS would be a much better way to
go, I think.

Whoever recommended that SBS be purchased & installed in this way shouldn't
have, but I expect you know that now.

 

[john@computerguy.com.au]

Re: Merging SBS 2003 domain with Windows Server domain

On Aug 22, 11:21 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
> j...@computerguy.com.au wrote:
> > On Aug 22, 1:29 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> > <lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
> >> j...@computerguy.com.au wrote:
> >>> Hello,
>
> >>> I have been handed a situation to "tidy up". My client had an
> >>> existing Windows Server 2003 Sandard Edition SP2 running a domain
> >>> with about 15 clients (i.e. DOMAIN-A). They purchased a new Server
> >>> that came bundled with SBS 2003 Premium and set it up in its own
> >>> seperate domain (i.e. DOMAIN-B). DOMAIN-B only has one user setup
> >>> simply so that the clients can access a number of Share Points on
> >>> the new Server.
>
> >>> The aim is to merge the two domains to make one domain with the two
> >>> servers in the domain.
>
> >> That's a good plan.
>
> >>> Both the old and the new servers have now data on them and are beng
> >>> used by the clients.
>
> >>> So, I'd like some advice please on the best approach to take to
> >>> merge the new server into DOMAIN-A. The old server was the Domain
> >>> Controller in DOMAIN-A, but I understand that SBS needs to be the
> >>> Domain Controller in such a domain.
>
> >> Yes, but more specifically, it needs to have all the FSMO roles.
> >> There can be multiple DCs
>
> >>> Can I just rename the Domain on the SBS 2003 Server to be DOMAIN-A?
>
> >> Nope.
>
> >>> Will the Windows 2003 Server (old server) realise that there is a
> >>> new server and demote itself?
>
> >> Nope.
>
> >>> Any advise on the best approach to take with this one would be
> >>> greatly appreciated.
>
> >>> regards
> >>> John
>
> >> You'll need to reinstall the SBS box if you want to join it to the
> >> existing domain & transfer the FSMO roles, whatnot. You can't just
> >> rename it. Back up the data & start over -
> >> seehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/884453(Howto install Small
> >> Business Server 2003 in an existing Active Directory domain). Since
> >> you only have one user on there, no big deal, really.
>
> > Thanks for your reply.
>
> > Reinstalling the SBS Server will be a huge exercise now because the
> > client is running their main operational application on it.  When it
> > was migrated from the old server to the new server, the Providor had a
> > lot of trouble getting aspects of the application working.  Now that
> > it is running smoothly, the site is very reluctant to have any more
> > downtime and run the risk of issues again.
>
> > How about if we leave the SBS Server alone and try and move the
> > Windows Server over to the other Domain DOMAIN-B?
>
> Sure. You can blow away their existing AD and join all the computers to the
> new domain & set up new user accounts, if you like. The user profiles will
> be your main issue. I'd be prepared to have everyone start over rather than
> spend hours futzing. There will be downtime with this, regardless of which
> server you choose to (reinstall/blow away). It's a weekend's worth of work
> if you kill the existing AD. I don't know what the application is, but if
> it's that much trouble to get it working, I'd have a word with the vendor
> and see what the problems were - redoing SBS would be a much better way to
> go, I think.
>
> Whoever recommended that SBS be purchased & installed in this way shouldn't
> have, but I expect you know that now.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Once again, thanks for your reply.

I am looking at KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216498. Is
this the correct procedure that I should follow to blow away/reinstall
the AD on the Windows 2003 Server? If not could you please recommend
the best KB procedure for this.

I am happy to reconfigure the user profiles - there are only about 16
users, so no real big deal. I think this will be a better option then
rebuilding the SBS at this stage. The Windows 2003 Server has very
little running on it now. It's going to be redeployed as a Terminal
Server for remote users.

regards
John

 

[kj [SBS MVP]]

Re: Merging SBS 2003 domain with Windows Server domain

john@computerguy.com.au wrote:
> On Aug 22, 11:21 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
>> j...@computerguy.com.au wrote:
>>> On Aug 22, 1:29 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
>>> <lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> j...@computerguy.com.au wrote:
>>>>> Hello,
>>
>>>>> I have been handed a situation to "tidy up". My client had an
>>>>> existing Windows Server 2003 Sandard Edition SP2 running a domain
>>>>> with about 15 clients (i.e. DOMAIN-A). They purchased a new Server
>>>>> that came bundled with SBS 2003 Premium and set it up in its own
>>>>> seperate domain (i.e. DOMAIN-B). DOMAIN-B only has one user setup
>>>>> simply so that the clients can access a number of Share Points on
>>>>> the new Server.
>>
>>>>> The aim is to merge the two domains to make one domain with the
>>>>> two servers in the domain.
>>
>>>> That's a good plan.
>>
>>>>> Both the old and the new servers have now data on them and are
>>>>> beng used by the clients.
>>
>>>>> So, I'd like some advice please on the best approach to take to
>>>>> merge the new server into DOMAIN-A. The old server was the Domain
>>>>> Controller in DOMAIN-A, but I understand that SBS needs to be the
>>>>> Domain Controller in such a domain.
>>
>>>> Yes, but more specifically, it needs to have all the FSMO roles.
>>>> There can be multiple DCs
>>
>>>>> Can I just rename the Domain on the SBS 2003 Server to be
>>>>> DOMAIN-A?
>>
>>>> Nope.
>>
>>>>> Will the Windows 2003 Server (old server) realise that there is a
>>>>> new server and demote itself?
>>
>>>> Nope.
>>
>>>>> Any advise on the best approach to take with this one would be
>>>>> greatly appreciated.
>>
>>>>> regards
>>>>> John
>>
>>>> You'll need to reinstall the SBS box if you want to join it to the
>>>> existing domain & transfer the FSMO roles, whatnot. You can't just
>>>> rename it. Back up the data & start over -
>>>> seehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/884453(Howto install Small
>>>> Business Server 2003 in an existing Active Directory domain). Since
>>>> you only have one user on there, no big deal, really.
>>
>>> Thanks for your reply.
>>
>>> Reinstalling the SBS Server will be a huge exercise now because the
>>> client is running their main operational application on it. When it
>>> was migrated from the old server to the new server, the Providor
>>> had a lot of trouble getting aspects of the application working.
>>> Now that it is running smoothly, the site is very reluctant to have
>>> any more downtime and run the risk of issues again.
>>
>>> How about if we leave the SBS Server alone and try and move the
>>> Windows Server over to the other Domain DOMAIN-B?
>>
>> Sure. You can blow away their existing AD and join all the computers
>> to the new domain & set up new user accounts, if you like. The user
>> profiles will be your main issue. I'd be prepared to have everyone
>> start over rather than spend hours futzing. There will be downtime
>> with this, regardless of which server you choose to (reinstall/blow
>> away). It's a weekend's worth of work if you kill the existing AD. I
>> don't know what the application is, but if it's that much trouble to
>> get it working, I'd have a word with the vendor and see what the
>> problems were - redoing SBS would be a much better way to go, I
>> think.
>>
>> Whoever recommended that SBS be purchased & installed in this way
>> shouldn't have, but I expect you know that now.- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
> Once again, thanks for your reply.
>
> I am looking at KB article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216498. Is
> this the correct procedure that I should follow to blow away/reinstall
> the AD on the Windows 2003 Server? If not could you please recommend
> the best KB procedure for this.
>
> I am happy to reconfigure the user profiles - there are only about 16
> users, so no real big deal. I think this will be a better option then
> rebuilding the SBS at this stage. The Windows 2003 Server has very
> little running on it now. It's going to be redeployed as a Terminal
> Server for remote users.
>
> regards
> John

You needn't go to that much trouble. Just dcpromo and specify last domain
controller in the domain (seperate domain and forest from SBS). With the
Server 2003 Std planning to be a TS, you needn't (and shouldn't) promote it
to be a DC in the SBS domain.
TS servers running on DC's have "issues" you don't want and shouldn't need.

Just use SBS "connectcomputer" or if 64 bit, manually join to the SBS domain
and add a dash of TS + licensing.
(Make sure the Std server is using the SBS for DNS first)
--
/kj