Microsoft provides a free utility called Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT), which might be sufficient for your needs instead of using a third-party product. The latest version, ADMT 3.1, provides support for 64-bit environments; you can find it in the Microsoft Download Center. Nov 01, 2016 The Microsoft Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT) is a free utility administrators can use to move Active Directory objects, such as computers, users and groups, from one Windows Server Active Directory domain or forest to another. Apr 01, 2014 Open the Active Directory Domains and Trusts console on your new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer. Right click your domain and select Change Active Directory Domain Controller. In the sub menu. In the Change Directory Server window, select This Domain Controller or AD LDS instance. Active Directory Migration Checklist During an AD DS greenfield installation and migration, system engineers need checklists to keep up with what they should be doing to stand up a new domain. This checklist is a working checklist, one that has been created here for peer review and peer additions.
The Microsoft Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT) is a free utility administrators can use to move Active Directory objects, such as computers, users and groups, from one Windows Server Active Directory domain or forest to another.
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Administrators use ADMT for crucial changes in the Active Directory environment, such as changing domain names, merging or consolidating domains, or optimizing the arrangement of Active Directory objects in the Active Directory structure. IT may need to change the Active Directory environment to accommodate a merger, acquisition or divestiture within the business as users and systems are added or removed. For example, the IT staff could use ADMT to migrate a 40,000-user environment spread across 50 Active Directory domains to a single domain. ADMT includes wizards that can automate migration operations, but administrators can also perform ADMT operations through the ADMT console, or the command line or with a script.
An Active Directory migration can be a complex process that, if done wrong, can cause disruptions in an organization. As a best practice, administrators should perform extensive pre-migration testing. For example, creating, migrating and verifying access for one or more test users can help reveal issues before administrators make changes in production.
Microsoft developed ADMT to speed the migration process and reduce the chance of errors. ADMT performs object migrations and security translations in a way to limit disruptions to let users access network resources while the migration is underway.
Administrators can install ADMT on any supported version of Windows Server that includes a user interface. Source and target domain controllers must be writable and must be running at an Active Directory domain functional level of Windows Server 2003 or later. Any version of SQL Server can run the ADMT database.
With the end of support for Windows XP, Office 2003 and Exchange 2003 now upon us, April 8th 2014 to be exact, attention now turns to Windows Server or specifically Windows Server 2003. End of support for Windows Server 2003 is currently slated for July 14th 2015 and a great many organizations still utilize said offering as the cornerstone to their infrastructure to this day. One question to keep in mind though is that with the move on the client end to Windows 8.1, will Windows Server 2003 or 2003 R2 be robust enough to properly enable employees and provide secure access to the plethora of devices in a world now dominated by BYOD? Alternatively an IT administrator might ponder on the further enablement invoked via the deployment of Windows Server 2012 R2 should it be deployed in said organization. Lets explore this possibility via the cornerstone of access enablement offered via Windows Server by investigating the evolution of the Active Directory offering now found in Windows Server 2012 R2
As you may know, Active Directory provides authentication and authorization mechanisms as well as framework from within other related services that can be deployed. As an LDAP compliant database, it commonly contains the most used objects such as users, computers, and groups organized into organizational units or OUs by any number of logical or business needs. Group Policy Objects or GPOs are then linked to OUs to centralize the settings for various users or computers across an organization. Part of the quandaries that IT professionals face is taking advantage of nuances provided in Active Directory in newer server offerings such as Windows Server 2012. As detailed in Pierre's post, 'Windows Server 2012 Active Directory – What’s New?', Active Directory provided in Windows Server 2012 R2 is provided impactful enhancements. Yet some organizations choose not to migrate due to reasons of uncertainty.
This Step-By-Step has been created to assist with that uncertainty and provide guidance for IT professionals looking to migrate their organizations Active Directory offering from Windows Server 2003 to 2012 R2.
Prerequisites
- Download Windows Server 2012 R2and create your lab environment. (Instructions can be found here)
- Complete Step-By-Step: Adding a Windows Server 2012 R2 Domain Controller to an Existing Windows Server 2003 network
Transferring the Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) Role
- Open the Active Directory Users and Computers console on your new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer.
- Right click your domain and select Operations Masters in the sub menu.
- In the Operations Masters window, ensure the RID tab is selected.
- Select the Change button.
- SelectYes when asked about transferring the operations master role.
- Once the operations master role has successfully transferred, clickOK to continue.
- Ensure the Operations Master box now shows your new 2012 R2 Windows Server.
- Repeat steps 4 to 6 for the PDC and Infrastructure tabs.
- Once completed, clickClose to close the Operations Masters window.
- Close the Active Directory Users and Computers window.
Changing the Active Directory Domain Controller
- Open the Active Directory Domains and Trusts console on your new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer.
- Right click your domain and select Change Active Directory Domain Controller.. in the sub menu.
- In the Change Directory Server window, selectThis Domain Controller or AD LDS instance.
- Select your new 2012 R2 Windows Server.
- ClickOK to continue.
- Back in the Active Directory Domains and Trusts window, hover over the Active Directory Domains and Trusts found in the folder tree on the left hand side to ensure the server now reflects your new 2012 R2 Windows server.
- Right clickActive Directory Domains and Trusts found in the folder tree and select Operations Manager.. in the sub menu.
- In the Operations Master window, clickChange to transfer the domain naming master role to the 2012 R2 Windows Server.
- When asked if you are sure you wish to transfer the operations master role to a different computer, clickYes.
- Once the operations master is successfully transferred, clickOK to continue.
- ClickClose to close the Operations Master window.
- Close the Active Directory Domains and Trusts console.
Changing the Schema Master
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- Open a command prompt in administration view on your new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer.
- On the command prompt window, enterregsvr32 schmmgmt.dll and hit enter.
- Once completed successfully, clickOK to close the RegSvr32 window.
- Close the command prompt.
Add the Active Directory Schema Console from MMC
- Open a MMC console on your new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer.
- Click File > Add/Remove Snap-in..
- In the Add or Remove Snap-ins window, selectActive Directory Schema and click the Add > button.
- ClickOK to continue.
Change the Schema Master
- In the same MMC console, right clickActive Directory Schema and selectChange Active Directory Domain Controller.. in the sub menu.
- In the Change Directory Server window, selectThis Domain Controller or AD LDS instance.
- Select your new 2012 R2 Windows Server.
- ClickOK to continue.
- A warning will appear stating that the Active Directory Schema snap-in in not connected. ClickOK to continue.
- Hover over the Active Directory Schema folder in the folder tree to ensure the new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer is shown.
- Now right clickActive Directory Schema and selectOperations Master.. in the sub menu.
- In the Change Schema Master window, clickChange to transfer the schema master role to the 2012 R2 Windows Server.
- When asked if you are sure you wish to transfer the schema master role to a different computer, clickYes.
- Once the schema master is successfully transferred, clickOK to continue.
- ClickClose to close the Change Schema Master window.
- In the MMC, clickFile > Exit.
- When asked to save the console, clickNo.
Once completed, open the Active Directory Users and Computers console to verify that the Active Directory database successfully replicated to your new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer. Be aware that the database replication may take some time depending on the number of objects in Active Directory.
Removing the 2003 Windows Server from the Global Catalog Server
Active Directory Migration Steps
- Open Active Directory Sites and Services on your new Windows Server 2012 R2 computer.
- Expand the Sites folder, then the Default-First-Site-Name folder, then the Servers folder.
- Expand both listed servers. One should be your new 2012 Windows Server and one should be you 2003 Windows Server.
- Right clickNTDS Settings found under your old 2003 Windows Server.
- In the sub menu, selectProperties.
- Under the General Tab, unselectGlobal Catalog and then click the Apply button.
- ClickOK to continue.
- Close the Active Directory Sites and Services window.
- Verify that your new 2012 R2 Windows Server is running the FSMO role by opening the command prompt in Administrative view and running the following command: Netdom query fsmo.
- In the Network and Sharing Center, be sure to change the Preferred DNS server to match the Alternate DNS server, then delete the IP address listed under the Alternate DNS server should it currently be pointed to the old 2003 Windows Server.
Microsoft Active Directory Migration Tool 3.2
All that's left is to demote the old 2003 Windows server by first adding the new 2012 R2 Windows Server as the Primary DNS, followed by running DCPROMO to demote the old 2003 Windows server. Be sure to also visit Microsoft Virtual Academy created to further enable IT professionals in regards task such as migrating to Windows Server 2012 R2.