DC migration from 2003 to 2012 R2 - DNS/DHCP?

[Vertigo]

Hi,

About to migrate my DCs from 2003 to 2012 R2 and wondering what the best procedure is or whether anyone has any words of wisdom.

I'm totally fine with the process of migrating the DC itself, I'm more concerned with the DNS/DHCP servers and what the best way of doing this is.

My general instinct is to do each separately - get the new DC up and running then transfer the FSMO roles whilst leaving the DNS & DHCP on the 2003 box, then migrate each of those separately. Is this the best way or will it even work? Will the 2012 R2 DC be happy using DNS on a 2003 box or will it want to use its own?

As an alternative I could install DNS during the process of promoting the 2012 R2. Will this automatically replicate everything to the new DNS and I can then simply remove the old one?

 

[Vertigo]

Cool thanks, I'll do it that way then

EDIT: Not sure how I'll handle the DHCP server yet, may just backup the database and throw it across to the new server.

 

[Vertigo]

Ta for the advice, all going well so far although I've yet to migrate the DHCP server, just getting the domain itself sorted and FSMO roles transferred etc etc.

One thing that's always confused me though - Group Policy.

As I currently have a mixed environment with the new 2012R2 DC and two 2003 DCs, how exactly does Group Policy work? Everything has synchronised but, if I edit a policy on the new server, the hierarchy of options looks different.

For example, at the top level, the old servers show:

Computer Configuration
Software Settings
Windows Settings
Administrative Templates
User Configuration
Software Settings
Windows Settings
Administrative Templates

The new one however, shows:

Computer Configuration
Policies
Preferences
User Configuration
Policies
Preferences

Now I assume the latter is the new system/organisation and indeed appears to have new options I didn't have before. Can I start making use of these new policies even though my domain functional level is still 2003? Do I need (or should I) update the 2003 DCs somehow so they show the same options?

I've done some searching and read about CSEs but not sure exactly whether these are what I need to download and apply and, if so, to the 2003 DCs or clients.

Group Policy has always confused me slightly in this regard so if anyone has any advice it'd be appreciated

 

[Vertigo]

I believe you can keep the same domain/forest levels, but extend the schema to take into account the new GPO options.

Yeah just been experimenting and it seems to work fine. I can set new options not available on the 2003 DCs and they are applied correctly at the client, even if the client obtains them from one of the 2003 DCs.