I'm getting ready to migrate my Active Directory to new servers running Windows Server 2022. Right now, I have two VMware VMs on Server 2016 for AD and one physical server also on 2016. It's a small shop with about 25 employees, and AD services are super important. As the lone sysadmin, I haven't built a DC in around ten years!
My plan involves setting up two new Windows Server 2022 servers on VMware and a third physical server for the new AD. Before making that move, I want to separate the DHCP role from the AD, which I've inherited and think it's now a good time for a change.
I've found a video that explains the migration process really well. My question is: how would the process differ if the DHCP is set up on two DCs in Failover - Load Balancing mode? What steps should I take to ensure that everything goes smoothly and nothing breaks? I'd appreciate any advice, including potential pitfalls or common-sense tips!
1 Answer
Before you start, set the lease time to about an hour for a day before your migration. This should help reduce issues. You'll want to set up DHCP on a dedicated VM first. Then, break the DHCP failover and recreate it from the remaining DHCP server to the new one. That way, you keep everything organized!
Got it! So you're saying I can use the old load balancing setup to move all my current DHCP scopes? Just to be clear, it would look something like this: oldDHCP01 & oldDHCP02 (load balancing) ➜ break ➜ oldDHCP01 & newDHCP03 (load balancing) ➜ break ➜ newDHCP03 & newDHCP04 (load balancing). Does that sound right? Thanks!