Hey everyone! I'm planning to upgrade the Active Directory (AD) forest functional level from Windows Server 2003 to 2016, and the domain functional level from 2008 to 2016. All my domain controllers are running Windows Server 2016. What kind of issues should I be prepared for during this process? Is it fine to carry out the upgrade through the GUI, or is there a better method?
3 Answers
Totally agree with AdminGuru88! Also, make sure you're aware of any applications or services in your environment that might not support higher functional levels right away. A little planning ahead can save you a lot of headaches later.
You might also want to review Microsoft's documentation on the upgrade process and any specific tasks that need to be performed before and after the upgrade. It’s super helpful for avoiding problems.
You'll want to upgrade in stages: first from 2003 to 2008, and then from 2008 to 2016. One important step is migrating SYSVOL from DFS to DFS-R after the upgrade to 2008 functional level. Oh, and definitely avoid in-place upgrades! It's best to get some additional domain controllers set up for the migration.
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