2 Domains

We have an existing Server 2003 setup as a domain controller. We just
purchased a new Dell Server which will eventually replace the existing
server. My plan is to setup the new server on our network with a different
Server Name and domain name than our current server and domain, then join
our workstations to the new domain at our leisure.

Our workstations are assigned the OLD server's ip address for their DNS. As
we move them to the new domain I will need to change the DNS on the
workstations to the NEW server's IP. This may cause some loss of
communications.

My question is this:
If I assign the workstations a primary DNS of the OLD server's IP address,
and a secondary DNS of the NEW server's IP address will this cause any
problems?

Thanks.

As
> we move them to the new domain I will need to change the DNS on the
> workstations to the NEW server's IP. This may cause some loss of
> communications.

There is no way to avoid a loss of communication when adding a computer to a
new domain. It requires a reboot.

> If I assign the workstations a primary DNS of the OLD server's IP address,
> and a secondary DNS of the NEW server's IP address will this cause any
> problems?

Yes it will.

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish. Take the computer out of the old
domain, you have to reboot, loss of communication. Add the computer to the
new domain, you have to reboot, loss of communication at this point. Also
when adding them to the new domain a new profile will be created.


hth
DDS

"Mark" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> We have an existing Server 2003 setup as a domain controller. We just
> purchased a new Dell Server which will eventually replace the existing
> server. My plan is to setup the new server on our network with a different
> Server Name and domain name than our current server and domain, then join
> our workstations to the new domain at our leisure.
>
> Our workstations are assigned the OLD server's ip address for their DNS.
> As we move them to the new domain I will need to change the DNS on the
> workstations to the NEW server's IP. This may cause some loss of
> communications.
>
> My question is this:
> If I assign the workstations a primary DNS of the OLD server's IP address,
> and a secondary DNS of the NEW server's IP address will this cause any
> problems?
>
> Thanks.
>

Mark this is a really bad plan.

First off you should have two DCs MINIMUM for AD fault tolerance. Both
should be GC holders and DNS servers. This is recommended by Microsoft.
Leave the old server in place.

Second is you are thinking in NT terms. You are thinking domains when you
should be thinking forests. AD is a forest with a subset called domains.
Since you don't mention this specifically I have to assume you are not
putting both domains in the same forest but will actually create two forests
of the same name. You will have problems. Migrating users at your leisure
will surely impact your users since they will no longer have access to
resources in the first domain.

Standard operating procedure is to add the new server [if the new one is R2
you have to run adprep first] to the existing forest. Configure GC/DNS, xfer
the fsmo roles and data then dcpromo down the older server. This is a known
working migration path and a lot less work than what you propose.

Seriously reconsider decommissioning the older server

"Mark" wrote:

> We have an existing Server 2003 setup as a domain controller. We just
> purchased a new Dell Server which will eventually replace the existing
> server. My plan is to setup the new server on our network with a different
> Server Name and domain name than our current server and domain, then join
> our workstations to the new domain at our leisure.
>
> Our workstations are assigned the OLD server's ip address for their DNS. As
> we move them to the new domain I will need to change the DNS on the
> workstations to the NEW server's IP. This may cause some loss of
> communications.
>
> My question is this:
> If I assign the workstations a primary DNS of the OLD server's IP address,
> and a secondary DNS of the NEW server's IP address will this cause any
> problems?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>