> The "DFS Replication Requirements" section of online help indicates that
> we
> must run adprep.exe /forestprep from one of the Win2003 R2 CDs. Because
> there
> isn't a specific illustration of doing this in the context of a Win2K
> domain,
> am I going to be okay doing this? Does it make a difference running it
> from
> the storage server box versus directly on the domain controller?


You need to run adprep from the first CD of the R2 set on the schema master
for your existing domain to prepare the Win 2k domain for Win 2k3, then you
need to run adprep from the second disk of the R2 set to prepare the domain
for the updated R2 features. From your post you need to run both adpreps on
your existing Win 2k DC.

> There is a relatively large volume of data (well, what we used to think
> was
> a large volume of data) in the range of 100 GB that will eventually be
> migrated to the Storage Servers and DFS folders. Is it best to move the
> files
> to the primary server and let it replicate to the secondary? Or manually
> copy
> to both to start?

You can prestage the data by restoring using backup software or robocopy the
data to the new server. If you let it replicate it may take a few days.

> Eventually we want to move off of the Win2K domain and onto a Win 2003 R2
> domain structure. How much more painful will having DFS in place make this
> migration? In other words, would it be seriously worth my while to do the
> Win2K to Win2003 migration first? (Having done this before, I am not
> relishing the idea. Our business need is to get the storage issues handled
> first).


Actually for DFSR to work both servers need to be Win 2k3 R2. After running
adprep you've just about done everything you need to do to move to Win 2k3
except for upgrading your existing DC to Win 2k3. Upgrade it and you are
done. The two servers in the DFSR replication group have already been
upgraded. You don't have to touch them. You are 2/3 of the way there.

hth
DDS


"Geoff" wrote in
message news:8DF138C1-4173-4147-AABB-C973D4C02C63@microsoft.com...
>
> I have an existing Win2K domain with a solitary domain controller.
>
> For reasons I won't go into, we need to migrate all "important" company
> data
> onto onsite and offsite storage, and the solution decided upon is a pair
> of
> Win2003 R2 Storage Server boxes. The sites are connected with a 100Mbps
> fiberoptic line.
>
> The intent is to have one storage server act as the "primary" repository
> fpr
> company data, backup files, etc, and the second merely act as an offsite
> mirror for disaster recovery.
>
> Because the sites are connected with what amounts to a LAN, the initial
> intent was to use DFS replication on the servers, mirror the directory
> structures accordingly, and let the OS deal with all the offsite storage
> issues, replication, etc. etc. The applications that use the biggest chunk
> of
> data will need to point to the primary server, and if it suffers a
> catastrophic failure we could live with manually pointing the client
> software
> at the secondary server. So we don't feel compelled to set up a namespace
> and
> the additional server-based functions it requires. At least not right now.
>
> The ultimate goal basically is pictured in the online DFS help file (the
> replication group image).
>
>
> My questions:
>
> The "DFS Replication Requirements" section of online help indicates that
> we
> must run adprep.exe /forestprep from one of the Win2003 R2 CDs. Because
> there
> isn't a specific illustration of doing this in the context of a Win2K
> domain,
> am I going to be okay doing this? Does it make a difference running it
> from
> the storage server box versus directly on the domain controller?
>
>
> There is a relatively large volume of data (well, what we used to think
> was
> a large volume of data) in the range of 100 GB that will eventually be
> migrated to the Storage Servers and DFS folders. Is it best to move the
> files
> to the primary server and let it replicate to the secondary? Or manually
> copy
> to both to start?
>
>
> What happens when the domain controller is rebooted / off / crashes?
>
>
> Eventually we want to move off of the Win2K domain and onto a Win 2003 R2
> domain structure. How much more painful will having DFS in place make this
> migration? In other words, would it be seriously worth my while to do the
> Win2K to Win2003 migration first? (Having done this before, I am not
> relishing the idea. Our business need is to get the storage issues handled
> first).
>
>
> Thanks in advance for all the helpful advice.
>
> --
> GG Smith