Posted by arlene

Windows Server 2003 operating systems enable you to determine what role your server will be used for in the network. Obviously, a domain controller will service user logons and other related services. Servers that are not domain controllers can be used to provide file or print services for the network, as well as

• Application servers
• Database servers
• Web servers
• Certificate servers
• Firewalls
• Remote access servers

Domain controller servers, however, are used for the following functions:

• To store a copy of the domain’s portion of the Active Directory database
• To perform multimaster replication so that all domain controllers within a domain are updatedwith the most recent changes to the Active Directory database for the domain
• To provide for delegation of administrative functions to administrators for a particular domain
• To provide resources to the network that can be used by users in other domains that exist in theAD tree or forest
• To authenticate users who log on to the network

As you can see, servers that are domain controllers are used for important security services in the network. Member servers (those servers that are not domain controllers) simply offer the services, such as file and print services, to the network.

Tiip

Unlike Windows NT 4.0, you can promote a member server in a Windows Server 2003 network to become a domain controller. You can also demote a domain controller to become a member server. Neither of these role changes requires a new installation of the operating system.

An Example of Upgrading Windows 2000 Server to Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition

To upgrade from Windows 2000 Server (with the Active Directory installed) to Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, use the steps outlined in this section. First, be sure to read any text files labeled Readme and so on. Many services (Windows 2000 components) are not compatible with Windows Server 2003, each depending on the edition you’re upgrading to. As displayed later in this sample upgrade, you might have to exit the upgrade procedure to fix these problems by removing certain components. As well, some third-party applications might not be compatible with Windows Server 2003; the upgrade process will continue, but these will be disabled. As mentioned in the previous section, running the Compatibility Wizard can help you prevent this problem from occurring in the first place.

Tip

Before you begin an upgrade, one of the most important things you should think about is the Active Directory. The Windows Seaver 2003 extends the schema to include new objects and attributes, and this requires that your current directory be prepared. Before starting the upgrade, insert the Windows Server 2003 CD, switch to the \i386 directory, and execute adprep /domainprep. This program will prepare the domain controller for the upgrade. Next, to prepare the forest for the upgrade, use adprep /forestprep. This command will modify your Active Directory forest and depending on the amount of data, its execution might take a while.

When you’re ready to begin the upgrade, insert the Windows Server 2003 CD and select Install Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition from the typical Windows installation window

The default selection here is to upgrade your current Windows version to Windows Server 2003. You can also opt to install a new installation using the current disk/partition, or by selecting a different one later in the process. To perform a new installation, select it from the drop-down menu in this dialog box. In this case, the upgrade option is selected and will be used.

The next dialog box requires you to accept the license agreement. Read the license agreement and then, if you still want to upgrade, click on I Accept This Agreement and then the Next button.

As with all Windows installations, you must enter the key code that is found on the jewel case that came with your CD. Enter the code and click Next to continue.

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