Active Directory migration planning checklist

I read over and over again, "you must plan your migration to Active Directory." Exactly what do you include as part of the planning? I can plan, but I want to make sure what I have planned has covered all the requirements.

    Requires Free Membership to View

    Login

You will have to cover at least the following:
  • Collect diagrams configuration of current DNS
  • Collect diagrams and configuration of current network structure -- include bandwidth, remote locations and stability
  • Collect listings of all servers and their criticality
  • Collect listing of workstations that will be affected
  • Understand how all of the servers and workstations interrelate
  • Collect information on the security policies or the requirements if you have to create a security policy
  • Determine the type of migration (post restructure, pre-restructure, pristine build or upgrade)
  • Determine the rights, objects and policies that will need to be migrated.
  • Determine the fall back procedures in case of failure
  • This involved procedures for servers, backups, secondary systems, etc.

    Then you start the development the plans:

  • User education and notification plan (this gets missed so often)
  • IT training plan
  • DNS structure and implementation plan (must be completed first)
  • AD installation and implementation/migration plan
  • Must include fallback plan
  • Must have interim operations plans (how to support)
  • Must have interim functionality plan (how replication, WINS, DNS and logins will be working)
  • Installation of AD
  • Installation/upgrade of servers
  • Trusts required and how to install
  • Sites that will be installed
  • Hardware required

    Here is the post-AD installation planning:

  • Must include cleanup of old accounts, groups, ACLS, etc.
  • Retirement of old systems
  • Retirement of old domains
  • Move to NATIVE mode
  • Upgrading other servers (applications, Web systems, etc.)
  • Support plan for the migration and post migration

    Here is the group policy planning:

  • Development of group policy for user accounts, passwords, security
  • GP for event logs, desktops, etc.
  • Who has access to modify group policy

    Here is the operations planning:

  • Who will be administrating the AD and each piece of the AD
  • Help desk functions
  • IT server administration functions

    Well, that is my quick list. There is more of course, and the list is a little dynamic based on the type of migration that occurs.

    • This was first published in August 2003

    Join the conversationComment

    Share
    Comments

      Results

      Contribute to the conversation

      All fields are required. Comments will appear at the bottom of the article.
      Back to top