New Server

[BobClay]

On a small network of 50 computers I shall shortly be replacing my server with a brand new Windows NT4 machine (installing the operating system). The only thing is how do I get my users data onto the new machine (do not want to type them all in). Have searched my books but cannot find any reference to replacing a server. Dont expect anybody to spell it out here...but would appreciate any pointers to netsites etc where I can find this info. Current set up is a PDC and BDC on WinNT4. It is my eventual intention to make my current PDC the BDC , I know that will require a re-install but done that before. Just never put in a new replacement PDC. Any help appreciated.
Bob Clay

[lmenard]

Hi,

If by "users data"you mean the users & groups of your domain, it's quite easy to do.
First install your new server as a BDC, the SAM base will be synchronise on it.
Then you can promote the BDC as a PDC.
Once it is done you can remove the old server (the BDC now) from the domain.

That is the easy part.

The real work is to move the user's data (work documents) from one server to another cause by copying or move it, you'll lose the right on the files & folders.

There is differents ways to keep rights on files & folders (& shares) :
1 - you can use a backup solution as BackUp Exec or ArcServe wich allow you to backup and restore rights.
2 - you can save your right with the NT ressource kit utility RIGHT.EXE, copy or move your file to the new location, then restore right with RIGHT.EXE.
3 - there are software solutions which allow to migrate user and data from several servers or domains to other servers or domain with automation script, but it is, I think too much work to use for you size of network.

Hope it helps.

[lmenard]

One software solution to manage server/domain user/data migration is Media Transfer
http://www.telelogos.com/english/products/frames.htm

[BobClay]

Many thanks for the info. Much to think about. I had thought about putting it in as a BDC and promoting it. I wondered about the computer name, will the other BDC be ok if a computer with a new name appears as the PDC. It would involve some rewriting of log in scripts etc (as the computer name appears in a number of paths)...but as you say..this may well be the easiest way to go. Having put in the new server and making it the PDC, can I rename it the same name as the old PDC (after removing the old PDC from the net). Does changing the name go deep enough for my current BDC to think this new server is the server it knows and loves. ??
Anyway, regardless of these ponderings please accept my appreciation for your help.

[lmenard]

If you really want to change your new PDC netbios name to the old one, you HAVE to do it once the old has been REMOVED from the domain (not just stopped).
Maybe, it is the perfect time to implement a naming policy.

To avoid further rewriting of your scripts, I invite you to use some environment variable as %LOGONSERVER%.

You will save time to update and have less \\ to type.


Happy it helped.

[lmckeeman]

Well, if you're swift there's a sloppy way to avoid rewriting logon scripts.

Once you have removed the original DC, you can add a manual entry to DNS with the name of the old server pointing to the IP address of the new machine, so when the logon scripts are run they will be pointing to the right box. Granted, this won't work at all if you keep the original machine in the network<unless you rename it>, but this may save you some work.

[lmenard]

You're right, and in Bob's case, it could be a good solution because of the size of his network.

But I prefer to avoid this kind of trick cause Domain Naming is not the only naming service used in a NT Domain (WINS, NBT, ...) and there is different ways to implement it (host file, lmhost file, DNS, WINS server, ...).
If it is not well managed you can introduce problems which can make you crazy.

Loïk