Novice Queries

[Tony Foster]

We are being 'expected' to upgrade our small 10 user infastructure (single
domain) into Windows 2003. (Actually the choice could be 2000 also, but we
have access to 2003 so thought why the hell not). Thats two of us, with
myself being assigned most responsibility for the move since the other
person works offsite and has done no research so far.

Training resources are limited (no official curriculum etc suggested) but
whats available I have been taking note of as training materials and we will
probably invest in some resource guides like the Official MS one.
Some users have expressed interest that we keep the computer names in NEW
domains, although Im not yet convinced and might even consider installing
our new dell servers as DIFFERENT machine names, integrating into the
existing domain under compatibility mode (then removing the old PDC when
necessary).
As far as Im concerned any application modifications required as a result,
are inavoidable anyway as a result of the domain/machine name change.

I am wondering regarding the best approach. We could set the new domain up
seperate from the existing domain, or try and implement into it.
I'm already playing with the setup of the Windows 2003 standard server in
its own network, its things like DNS also that is confusing me.
We have our DNS forwarded from our ISP so do we really need to have DNS
installed here.
I noticed a setting about just forwarding unresolved requests to an ISP
forwarding address.
Also what about the Primary DNS of the domain, I was just going to have a
straight name like OURDOMAIN.COM and not bother with any sublevels since
were mostly one big pot, no seperate physical areas or departments as such.
although I suppose we could have something like MIDLANDS.OURDOMAIN.COM to
indicate locality etc and (unlikely but) allow for future expansion perhaps?

Is it safe to have the 2003 server on the same network (currently seperate
domain name) as our existing infastructure do you think, given this is
Active Directory?
Also we have to upgrade Exchange from 5.5 in current domain to 2000 in this
new domain. As the new machines dont have backup tapes thats a limitation of
either burning cds or using network to get data across to them.

Just very very cautious and nervious since this seems like a huge
undertaking, it would help just to know which is the best method - to use NT
compatible mode with different machine names to replace existing servers, or
to retain server names and replace with complete new network servers.

Any help thankful for, many many thanks.

Regards,
Tony

[David Copeland [MSFT]]

Tony,

You may want to look at Windows Small Business Server 2003.. which can do
alot of the configuration work for you.. SBS 2003 Standard Edition includes
things like Windows Server 2003 Standard, Exchange Server 2003, Windows
SharePoint Services etc.. SBS 2003 Premium edition also includes SQL Server
2000, and Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000..

For more information check out..

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/features/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/trial/default.mspx


Keep an eye on the following url for a doc describing steps on how to
migrate from NT v4.0 to SBS 2003 on different hardware..

This document describes the process for migrating from Microsoft® Small
Business Server 4.5 or Windows NT® Server 4.0 to Microsoft Windows® Small
Business Server 2003.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0ff405d5-4dd1-41c3-930c-4f79ea73ec9c


--

Hope that helps,
David Copeland
Microsoft Small Business Server Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


"Tony Foster" <tonyfosterit@hotmail-butnospam.com> wrote in message
news:vonumooiig1m53@corp.supernews.com... We are being 'expected' to upgrade our small 10 user infastructure (single domain) into Windows 2003. (Actually the choice could be 2000 also, but we have access to 2003 so thought why the hell not). Thats two of us, with myself being assigned most responsibility for the move since the other person works offsite and has done no research so far. Training resources are limited (no official curriculum etc suggested) but whats available I have been taking note of as training materials and we
will probably invest in some resource guides like the Official MS one. Some users have expressed interest that we keep the computer names in NEW domains, although Im not yet convinced and might even consider installing our new dell servers as DIFFERENT machine names, integrating into the existing domain under compatibility mode (then removing the old PDC when necessary). As far as Im concerned any application modifications required as a result, are inavoidable anyway as a result of the domain/machine name change. I am wondering regarding the best approach. We could set the new domain up seperate from the existing domain, or try and implement into it. I'm already playing with the setup of the Windows 2003 standard server in its own network, its things like DNS also that is confusing me. We have our DNS forwarded from our ISP so do we really need to have DNS installed here. I noticed a setting about just forwarding unresolved requests to an ISP forwarding address. Also what about the Primary DNS of the domain, I was just going to have a straight name like OURDOMAIN.COM and not bother with any sublevels since were mostly one big pot, no seperate physical areas or departments as
such. although I suppose we could have something like MIDLANDS.OURDOMAIN.COM to indicate locality etc and (unlikely but) allow for future expansion
perhaps? Is it safe to have the 2003 server on the same network (currently seperate domain name) as our existing infastructure do you think, given this is Active Directory? Also we have to upgrade Exchange from 5.5 in current domain to 2000 in
this new domain. As the new machines dont have backup tapes thats a limitation
of either burning cds or using network to get data across to them. Just very very cautious and nervious since this seems like a huge undertaking, it would help just to know which is the best method - to use
NT compatible mode with different machine names to replace existing servers,
or to retain server names and replace with complete new network servers. Any help thankful for, many many thanks. Regards, Tony

[Tony Foster]

David

In case your wondering....we have MAPS for partners so that includes just
2003 std, 2003 web, 2000 adv, and 2000 SBS (single license of each).
It also includes other stuff like Exchange 2000 Enterprise etc. We already
got SQL 2000 and the MAPS also includes the developer edition of this.
I dont know much about the other technologies, but unlikely were that
concerned about having them (sharepoint, Internet security etc).

I am aware of the limitation of exchange but that was going on a seperate
dell anyway, with the Windows 2000 advanced server license I think.
I dont think we would go and buy SBS2003 without a good justification for
the cost, (penny pinching managers :) but thanks anyway.

Foot note/ Im not sure how clever it is to be reliant on MAPS for your core
licenses (vs evaluation)....since MS effectively now make it manadatory to
upgrade -> changes to their products covered under their latest MAPS
licenses could change each annum. That makes us a bit like forced testers of
their products I guess but thats the price of having partner software so
cheap :)

Thanks
Tony

"David Copeland [MSFT]" <davidcop@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:#YA0FUmkDHA.1800@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl... Tony, You may want to look at Windows Small Business Server 2003.. which can do alot of the configuration work for you.. SBS 2003 Standard Edition
includes things like Windows Server 2003 Standard, Exchange Server 2003, Windows SharePoint Services etc.. SBS 2003 Premium edition also includes SQL
Server 2000, and Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000.. For more information check out..
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/features/default.m
spx http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/default.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/trial/default.mspx Keep an eye on the following url for a doc describing steps on how to migrate from NT v4.0 to SBS 2003 on different hardware.. This document describes the process for migrating from Microsoft® Small Business Server 4.5 or Windows NT® Server 4.0 to Microsoft Windows® Small Business Server 2003.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0ff405d5-4dd1-41c3-
930c-4f79ea73ec9c -- Hope that helps, David Copeland Microsoft Small Business Server Support This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights. "Tony Foster" <tonyfosterit@hotmail-butnospam.com> wrote in message news:vonumooiig1m53@corp.supernews.com... We are being 'expected' to upgrade our small 10 user infastructure
(single domain) into Windows 2003. (Actually the choice could be 2000 also, but
we have access to 2003 so thought why the hell not). Thats two of us, with myself being assigned most responsibility for the move since the other person works offsite and has done no research so far. Training resources are limited (no official curriculum etc suggested)
but whats available I have been taking note of as training materials and we will probably invest in some resource guides like the Official MS one. Some users have expressed interest that we keep the computer names in
NEW domains, although Im not yet convinced and might even consider
installing our new dell servers as DIFFERENT machine names, integrating into the existing domain under compatibility mode (then removing the old PDC when necessary). As far as Im concerned any application modifications required as a
result, are inavoidable anyway as a result of the domain/machine name change. I am wondering regarding the best approach. We could set the new domain
up seperate from the existing domain, or try and implement into it. I'm already playing with the setup of the Windows 2003 standard server
in its own network, its things like DNS also that is confusing me. We have our DNS forwarded from our ISP so do we really need to have DNS
installed here. I noticed a setting about just forwarding unresolved requests to an ISP forwarding address. Also what about the Primary DNS of the domain, I was just going to have
a straight name like OURDOMAIN.COM and not bother with any sublevels since were mostly one big pot, no seperate physical areas or departments as such. although I suppose we could have something like MIDLANDS.OURDOMAIN.COM
to indicate locality etc and (unlikely but) allow for future expansion perhaps? Is it safe to have the 2003 server on the same network (currently
seperate domain name) as our existing infastructure do you think, given this is Active Directory? Also we have to upgrade Exchange from 5.5 in current domain to 2000 in this new domain. As the new machines dont have backup tapes thats a
limitation of either burning cds or using network to get data across to them. Just very very cautious and nervious since this seems like a huge undertaking, it would help just to know which is the best method - to
use NT compatible mode with different machine names to replace existing
servers, or to retain server names and replace with complete new network servers. Any help thankful for, many many thanks. Regards, Tony

[Michael Cahan]

sounds like you need serious help here, contact http://cahanconsulting.com
to set it up for you.


"Tony Foster" <tonyfosterit@hotmail-butnospam.com> wrote in message
news:vonumooiig1m53@corp.supernews.com... We are being 'expected' to upgrade our small 10 user infastructure (single domain) into Windows 2003. (Actually the choice could be 2000 also, but we have access to 2003 so thought why the hell not). Thats two of us, with myself being assigned most responsibility for the move since the other person works offsite and has done no research so far. Training resources are limited (no official curriculum etc suggested) but whats available I have been taking note of as training materials and we
will probably invest in some resource guides like the Official MS one. Some users have expressed interest that we keep the computer names in NEW domains, although Im not yet convinced and might even consider installing our new dell servers as DIFFERENT machine names, integrating into the existing domain under compatibility mode (then removing the old PDC when necessary). As far as Im concerned any application modifications required as a result, are inavoidable anyway as a result of the domain/machine name change. I am wondering regarding the best approach. We could set the new domain up seperate from the existing domain, or try and implement into it. I'm already playing with the setup of the Windows 2003 standard server in its own network, its things like DNS also that is confusing me. We have our DNS forwarded from our ISP so do we really need to have DNS installed here. I noticed a setting about just forwarding unresolved requests to an ISP forwarding address. Also what about the Primary DNS of the domain, I was just going to have a straight name like OURDOMAIN.COM and not bother with any sublevels since were mostly one big pot, no seperate physical areas or departments as
such. although I suppose we could have something like MIDLANDS.OURDOMAIN.COM to indicate locality etc and (unlikely but) allow for future expansion
perhaps? Is it safe to have the 2003 server on the same network (currently seperate domain name) as our existing infastructure do you think, given this is Active Directory? Also we have to upgrade Exchange from 5.5 in current domain to 2000 in
this new domain. As the new machines dont have backup tapes thats a limitation
of either burning cds or using network to get data across to them. Just very very cautious and nervious since this seems like a huge undertaking, it would help just to know which is the best method - to use
NT compatible mode with different machine names to replace existing servers,
or to retain server names and replace with complete new network servers. Any help thankful for, many many thanks. Regards, Tony