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- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows Server 2008
    - Admin Tips
      - Active Directory
        Preparing an Existing Domain for a Windows Server 2008 Domain Controller

Section(s): Active Directory
Published on Aug 14, 2008.
Last Modified on Jul 03, 2008.
Last Modified by Chris Sanders.
Rated 3.7 out of 5 based on 3 votes.

Implementing a Windows Server 2008 domain controller in your already existing Windows Server 2003 domain requires a bit of prep work. Here is what needs to be done.

Many people who will be implementing Windows Server 2008 for the first time will be doing so in an existing Windows Server 2003 network. If you are going to be installing this Server 2008 box as a domain controller, you will first have to prep the forest and domain for the introduction of Server 2008. This is done with the adprep tool, found on the Server 2008 CD in the \sources\adprep folder. You will need to run both the adprep /forestprep and adprep /domain prep commands. These commands will need to be run on the domain controller on your network that contains the scheme operations master FSMO Role as they will extend the schema to support the 2008 server. In addition to this, if you will be installing a read-only domain controller (RODC), you will need to run the adprep /rodcprep command.

About Chris Sanders

Chris Sanders is a network consultant for KeeFORCE, one of the most popular network consulting firms in western Kentucky. Chris is the author of the book Practical Packet Analysis as well as several technical articles. His personal website at www.chrissanders.org contains a great deal of information, articles, and guides related to network administration, network security, packet analysis, and general information technology.