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 HALP! Questions on Windows and Windows Server
 Windows Server 2008 R2
 Best Practice: Upgrade or Clean Install
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landry_bc
Seasoned But Casual Onlooker

Canada
60 Posts
Status: offline

Posted - 06/06/2012 :  11:46:38 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi Folks.

Looking for best practices here... I've got 30 Windows 2008 DC's through out the city that I need to upgrade to 2008 R2. These boxes are only DC's, and only run ADDS/DNS. They do not have FSMO roles, and are catalog servers.

I'm torn between performing an upgrade of the OS, or demoting-reinstall-promoting.

My first instincts tell me to rebuild from scratch, and re-promote to DC. Down time is not an issue for us.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

-P

Paul Landry, MCITP: Enterprise Admin
Greater Victoria School District

netmarcos
Honorable But Hopeless Addict

USA
2219 Posts
Status: offline

Posted - 06/06/2012 :  2:10:08 PM  Show Profile  Visit netmarcos's Homepage  Click to see netmarcos's MSN Messenger address  Look at the Skype address for netmarcos  Send netmarcos a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
Demote, destroy, rebuild, redeploy. Sounds easy. Unless there are specific GUID retention requirements, that seems like a safe option.
On the other hand, is there any reason not to upgrade in place? Has there been and trouble with the existing servers? Lingering errors maybe?

Personally? I usually opt for burn and rebuild, but others disagree.

Mark M. Webster

Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped. - Elbert Hubbard

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wobble_wobble
Honorable But Hopeless Addict

Ireland
4517 Posts
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Posted - 06/06/2012 :  5:20:39 PM  Show Profile  Visit wobble_wobble's Homepage  Look at the Skype address for wobble_wobble  Reply with Quote
Personally? I usually opt for burn and rebuild, but others disagree.

+1 for burn and rebuild.

Joe

After everything that has happened during the month of Jan 07, I do believe that pigs fly backwards!

http://whatismyv6.com/
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jaxdave
Honorable But Hopeless Addict

USA
2426 Posts
Status: offline

Posted - 06/06/2012 :  5:33:43 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
+1 for the BaR approach
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JSCLMEDAVE
Administrator

USA
6116 Posts
Status: online

Posted - 06/06/2012 :  5:36:31 PM  Show Profile  Visit JSCLMEDAVE's Homepage  Click to see JSCLMEDAVE's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Get a Virtual one in place as a swing and rebuild, then demote the virtual swing server after rebuild is on line and no issues.

Tim-

“This too shall pass"
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Pieter
Old Timer

Belgium
522 Posts
Status: offline

Posted - 06/08/2012 :  07:13:13 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
And what about loss of security settings ? Do you have a fileserver or other resources (exchange, SQL, ...). If so, be careful not to lose your ACLs.

I'd upgrade one to upgrade your active directory database, and then reinstall every DC.

1. Take one DC (DC1) and do an upgrade to Win2008R2 (domainprep, forestprep, etc...)
2. reinstall another DC (DC2) with Win2008R2 (from scratch) and do a DC promote.
3. transfer the FSMO roles to DC2
4. reinstall DC1 with Win2008R2 (from scratch) and do a DC promote
5. reinstall every other DC with Win2008R2 (from scratch) and dcpromo it.
6. change to domain and forest fuctional level 2008R2




Pieter Demeulemeester
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Jazzy
Administrator

Netherlands
1932 Posts
Status: offline

Posted - 06/08/2012 :  08:16:12 AM  Show Profile  Visit Jazzy's Homepage  Click to see Jazzy's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by landry_bc
My first instincts tell me to rebuild from scratch, and re-promote to DC. Down time is not an issue for us.

I have done some in-place upgrades recently and was more then happy with the results. Went very smooth and clean, seen no issues. Based on that experience I would recommend to upgrade them. Saves a lot of time, manual steps and reduces the risk of making mistakes.

Jetze Mellema

Exchange specialist
Former MVP (2005-2012)
My blog: http://jetzemellema.blogspot.com (Dutch)
My company: http://www.imara-ict.nl/
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wobble_wobble
Honorable But Hopeless Addict

Ireland
4517 Posts
Status: offline

Posted - 06/08/2012 :  5:36:23 PM  Show Profile  Visit wobble_wobble's Homepage  Look at the Skype address for wobble_wobble  Reply with Quote
Lads, Jetze and Porter,

Are you suggesting in place server upgrades?
Just wondering am I missing something.


Joe

After everything that has happened during the month of Jan 07, I do believe that pigs fly backwards!

http://whatismyv6.com/
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