RE: [ActiveDir] Moving NT4.0 Dns to Win2k3 DNS

[Mulnick, Al]

Title: Message

Let's make sure we're talking the same thing: For forwarders, you can specify several forwarders per DNS host.  You may be talking about making this particular host the only forwarder in the organization e.g. the other servers refer to this one for forward requests possibly for ease of input or for legacy reasons.  Can you clarify?   The servers: Can you get a list of the servers and see which servers they use for they for their name resolution?  If none of them are using the existing servers, but rather the W2K hosts, then you may not need to worry about it.  Either way, it's worth it to get them to change over and just take longer to do so, vs. replacing the IP address.  I'm basing that on opinion, because you could do it by replacing the machine.  It's just that based on the conversation so far, I'd say the risk is much higher that way.   I think it's a good idea to make this suggestion: If you're designing AD, changing out DNS could very well result in your having to revisit the DNS design in the near future.  AD is so heavily dependent on DNS that it would be worthwhile for you to plan both at the same time. Anyone who's had to troubleshoot AD in the past will likely tell you the same.     Al     From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Strongosky Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 11:37 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] Moving NT4.0 Dns to Win2k3 DNS Al, thanks for the response. answer to your questions below. 1. Didn't know we could have more than 1 forwarder. 2. yes our client workstations are using dhcp. but our server are not and we have about 100+ that are hard coded with the dns entries. 3. no we are not using AD but are in the design process of migrating to AD. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mulnick, Al Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 6:35 AM To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] Moving NT4.0 Dns to Win2k3 DNS Couple of questions:   Why do you have only one forwarder?  Does it matter to you that you have only one?  That seems like a single point of failure to me.   Are you setting DNS hosts via DHCP?  If so, why not use that as a way to work in the new DNS servers vs. changing IP addresses?  Much better to work them in in a parallel method vs. cut over and take your chances. ;)  DHCP would be harder to change over as the routers often have to be adjusted to forward the bootp packets.       Do you use Active Directory?  Or are these intended to be standalone for ever?     Ajm From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Strongosky Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 11:23 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ActiveDir] Moving NT4.0 Dns to Win2k3 DNS I've currently been tasked with moving our nt4.0 dns to win2k3 and I think I have an understanding how I want to do but I'm not sure,  so i thought I would run it by the this group and see if my logic will pass muster.   1. we have 2 nt4.0 sp6a dns servers called ntdns1 and ntdns2, plus 5 other win2k dns servers as secondary dns servers on other campus's. 2. ntdns1 is our forwarder and the primary dns server for 70+ domains and its also running dhcp for about 30 scopes and wins. 3. ntdns2 is our secondary for these zones and also has wins on it. 4. wins servers are not in a push/pull scenario. They act on there own.   How I was thinking about migrating these dns servers is to do ntdns2 first.   1. after I  load win2k3 on let's say  "ntdns3", then  load dns and then  add the zone files as a secondary zones and reverse lookup zones and let them propagate, then add wins and do a scavenge. 2. turn off ntdns2 and then change the ip address of "ntdns3" to the ip address of ntdns2.   Then do ntdns1 in the same way but with another server and after the zones and wins have been done, change the ip to the same on that ntdns1 was, change the zones from secondary to primary and add it as the forwarder....     The thing that I'm worried about is browsing and netbios shares won't work and that we will have to reboot all the workstation and servers....for the entire district which would cause me probably to be fired....   any thoughts would be appreciated.   john.