Well, you'll have X amount of time where your entire network is down. I can't generally afford sustained downtime like that, even planned.
On Fri, Jun 6, 2014 at 11:43 AM, Neil Standley <standl...@net-venture.com> wrote: > While I have yet to P2V a DC, I have converted several other member > servers and they were all relatively quick, roughly 90 minutes or so to > perform the conversion. Then once the new VM comes up configure the IP if > necessary and reboot, activate license, check event logs/services and done, > at least up to this point. > > > > How would this differ with a DC? > > > > > > *From:* listsad...@lists.myitforum.com [mailto: > listsad...@lists.myitforum.com] *On Behalf Of *Jonathan Link > > *Sent:* Thursday, June 05, 2014 5:40 PM > *To:* ntsysadm@lists.myitforum.com > *Subject:* Re: [NTSysADM] RE: P2V DC > > > > A P2V, especially an offline one, requires some amount of downtime. It's > been a while since I've done a P2V, but I don't remember them being all > that quick... > > > > On Thu, Jun 5, 2014 at 8:35 PM, Sean Martin <seanmarti...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > I'm pretty sure the OP gets the point, converting to virtual is not the > ideal path forward. I think everyone here can appreciate that we don't > always have the luxury of choosing the right path. > > > > I don't have any direct experience, but it looks like the articles cover > the process fairly well. > > > > I'm actually having to consider the same effort for Windows 2003 DCs > running DNS, WINs and DHCP. We have a hardware refresh effort that needs to > be completed ASAP and I'm running up against time constraints that may not > allow me to migrate all of the services and ensure all clients and servers > have been updated accordingly. A P2V would give us some breathing room and > allow the migration to be thoroughly thought through, planned and executed. > > > > Please respond with your experience should you decide to move forward with > your P2V. > > > > - Sean > > > > On Thu, Jun 5, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Jon Harris <jk.har...@live.com> wrote: > > Personally I have never been comfortable with allowing users access to a > DC for any reason other than the purpose the DC is for. Allowing a DC as a > file server is just asking for trouble and on a 2003 having print server is > just asking for multiple restarts if there are printing issues. Both > belong on another machine. > > Jon > > ------------------------------ > > From: jnat...@hotmail.com > To: ntsysadm@lists.myitforum.com > > Subject: RE: [NTSysADM] RE: P2V DC > Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 19:00:50 -0400 > > > > +1 > new DC, DCPROMO, old DC demote, and export / import print servers > (assuming there are dozens or hundreds) otherwise recreate > > > Jean-Paul Natola > > > ------------------------------ > > From: standl...@net-venture.com > To: ntsysadm@lists.myitforum.com > Subject: [NTSysADM] RE: P2V DC > Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 22:14:56 +0000 > > One of the DCs is file/print/DNS, the other is a DC/DNS server, it also > had Exchange 2003 but that was migrated off to a new 2010 server a while > back. > > > > I see the reason for what you’re suggesting and the only arguments I can > come up with is that P2V would save me from having to reconfigure client > device IP settings, and building the new DC. > > I guess it boils down to whether or not I’m willing to take the risk of > something going wrong with the conversion. > > > > Thanks. > > > > *From:* listsad...@lists.myitforum.com [mailto: > listsad...@lists.myitforum.com] *On Behalf Of *Webster > *Sent:* Thursday, June 05, 2014 2:50 PM > *To:* ntsysadm@lists.myitforum.com > *Subject:* [NTSysADM] RE: P2V DC > > > > Why? Is this server a DC only and runs nothing but DC type functions? If > so, bring up a new VM and DCPromo it. > > > > Thanks > > > > > > Webster > > > > *From:* listsad...@lists.myitforum.com [ > mailto:listsad...@lists.myitforum.com <listsad...@lists.myitforum.com>] *On > Behalf Of *Neil Standley > > *Sent:* Thursday, June 05, 2014 4:40 PM > *To:* ntsysadm@lists.myitforum.com > *Subject:* [NTSysADM] P2V DC > > > > I’ve been reading up regarding P2V of Domain controllers (2003 R2 SP2 in > this case) and I think I have it down but wanted to get some feedback from > the collective before setting forth on my project. > > > > Following the recommendations from the articles below, my understanding is > that I should: > > > > a. Perform an Offline conversion. Both DCs would be powered off at > the completion of the conversion process. > > b. Disable time sync between the virtual DC and the virtual host. In > this case I’m using VMware Essentials 5.5 U1 – Note this is already done. > > c. Never connect the original, physical DC to my network again to > avoid USN rollback. > > > > > http://blogs.technet.com/b/askds/archive/2010/06/10/how-to-virtualize-active-directory-domain-controllers-part-21.aspx > > > http://blogs.technet.com/b/askds/archive/2010/06/10/how-to-virtualize-active-directory-domain-controllers-part-2.aspx > > > http://www.sole.dk/virtualizing-your-domain-controllers-without-getting-fired/ > > > > Is it really this simple? I feel like there’s a gotcha out there waiting > to bite me real hard. > > Any suggestions or pointers to additional reading is much appreciated. > > > > > > > > > > >
