Active Directory migration from server 2008 r2 to server 2012 r2

We will migrate Windows Server 2008 r2 domain to Windows Server 2012. The construction of the domain running on Windows Server 2008 R2 will move into Windows Server 2012 r2 server.

The user account we will use must be member of the groups below to accomplish the task:

Enterprise Admins

Schema Admins

Our Topology

Server 2008 r2 – 192.168.6.35

Server 2012 r2 – 192.168.6.40

Note: I would definitely recommend you to take a backup of AD before the start of transition and FSMO roles in the transport process.

Both servers also we are sure to turn off the firewall, date & time settings must be checked .

Then, Let’s get started:

Server 2012 r2 installed on the server we include our domain, we restart the server.

Once you logon on our server with domain account, Server Manager Console from Manage-> Add Roles and Features we choose.

Choose role-based installation, we continue with Next.

Select the server  to do the installation, we continue with Next ..

We choose the Active Directory Domain Services  Role on this screen.

Features screen appears, we continue with the Next.

In the Information screen, we continue with the next.

We start the installation by clicking Install button.

We show the continuation of the installation process.

When we see “Installation succeeded on "servername.domain", we have completed a successful installation.

We are opening from a warning message from the Server Manager console and "Promote this server to a domain controller" we choose.

Building on our existing Domain Server 2012 r2 as we add to our server for Additional Domain Controller, "Add a domain controller to an existing domain" option select, we continue with the next.

We need to install the DNS and Global Catalog server roles to our server as follows:

Site Name: Default-First-Site-Name selected

DSRM password: Here we will define the password to maintain the absolute case of an Active Directory restore  will use this password.

Continue with the next

On this screen, we choose the server where the replication process will start that makes the new Domain Controller, so select "Any domain controller" if we continue to set the system to replicate the best controller. Next the best possible control.

Active Directory Database, Log Files, weshow where to keep the SYSVOL files, we continue to remain under Microsoft's C drive. Continue with Next.

It automatically prepares  Schema as well as domain as new server 2012 R2 features  continue with Next on this screen.

Screen can display the settings that we have done so far, we continue to check and Next.

If the installation is prior to this point done correctly then you can’t continue with Installation. So you need to correct the Errors on this screen.  Choose Install to start error correcting procedures.

.

we see our new server added when we check Active Directory-> Domain Controllers OU.

I open the CMD console, we check that the server or servers on which the FSMO roles. (I'm on a single server environment), we command by;

netdom query fsmo

All the roles that I see on my environment SERVER 2008.

All FSMO roles we have established a new and Additional Domain Controller will carry on as we add Server2012 R2.

cmd > ntdsutil >roles> connections > connect to server sunucu2012.burak-ugur.com You must write your own server, your name and domain name)

After connecting;

server connections : exit with  q

Fsmo maintenance : Transfer infrastructure master

Continue with Yes

Fsmo maintenance : Transfer naming master

Continue with Yes

Fsmo maintenance : Transfer PDC

Continue with Yes

Fsmo maintenance : Transfer RID master

Continue with Yes

Fsmo maintenance : Transfer Schema master

Continue with Yes

Finally, we see the Results screen.

When we check with netdom command for the all FSMO roles, we see that they’re all transferred to the new SERVER 2012 domain controller.

In order to verify how successful we did the whole process, we go to the AdsiEdit à Schema à Right Click à Properties to open the Object Version, if it’s 69, then we succeeded because it’s the correct value for Server 2012 R2

Thus our migration process are now completed.