Forest Function Level Question

higherho

Hi All,

When adding new 2008 R2 servers to a Domain with 2003 servers The forest level needs to be 2003 mode correct? Then when every server is 2008 R2 and I can upgrade the forest level to 2008 R2? Because I'm pretty sure if I did change the forest level in my current environment to a higher one it would mess up the whole working 2003 servers. Just double checking thats all.

erpadmin

higherho wrote: »

Hi All,

When adding new 2008 R2 servers to a Domain with 2003 servers The forest level needs to be 2003 mode correct? Then when every server is 2008 R2 and I can upgrade the forest level to 2008 R2? Because I'm pretty sure if I did change the forest level in my current environment to a higher one it would mess up the whole working 2003 servers. Just double checking thats all.

If I have Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (just R2, mind you) acting as domain controllers, then I have to have the forest and domain set for Windows 2000 Native. If I had Windows Server 2003, that means my W2K DC will not function, only my W2K3 DCs and W2K8 R2 DCs.

You only raise to the maximum (Windows Server 2008 R2) when you have replaced your old DCs (there's no upgrading them, as those servers are most likely not 64-bit). It's unlikely that if you have 5 W2K3 DCs but one W2K8 R2 DC, that you will raise the forest and domain for one DC. (Unless you're at a shop that doesn't care for redundancy...that's unlikely though.)

Of course...you have to prep the domain and forest before adding the 2008 R2 DC for updates to the schema. But you're still not going to just raise the levels until and unless you not only replaced the older DCs, but transferred FSMO roles appropriately, and all of that.

higherho

erpadmin wrote: »

If I have Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (just R2, mind you) acting as domain controllers, then I have to have the forest and domain set for Windows 2000 Native. If I had Windows Server 2003, that means my W2K DC will not function, only my W2K3 DCs and W2K8 R2 DCs.

You only raise to the maximum (Windows Server 2008 R2) when you have replaced your old DCs (there's no upgrading them, as those servers are most likely not 64-bit). It's unlikely that if you have 5 W2K3 DCs but one W2K8 R2 DC, that you will raise the forest and domain for one DC. (Unless you're at a shop that doesn't care for redundancy...that's unlikely though.)

Of course...you have to prep the domain and forest before adding the 2008 R2 DC for updates to the schema. But you're still not going to just raise the levels until and unless you not only replaced the older DCs, but transferred FSMO roles appropriately, and all of that.

Thank you for giving me more detail! I was going to replace the DC's first (all the DC's are 64 bit) and make sure that I prepped the domain / forest prior. Again thanks the function levels make a bit more sense now