Active Directory Migration

Migration of – Active Directory

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS & TECHNOLOGIES (PVT.) LTD.

AD Migration Prepared by: IT/NOC Dept. Created: MAY/18/2023

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Table of Contents

1. ASSESS YOUR CURRENT AD ENVIRONMENT

2. DEFINE MIGRATION GOALS AND REQUIREMENTS

3. DESIGN THE TARGET AD ENVIRONMENT

4. PREPARE FOR MIGRATION

5. SET UP THE TARGET AD ENVIRONMENT

6. MIGRATE USERS, GROUPS, AND COMPUTERS

7. MIGRATE APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES

8. TEST AND VALIDATE THE NEW ENVIRONMENT

9. DECOMMISSION THE OLD AD ENVIRONMENT

AD Migration Prepared by: IT/NOC Dept. Created: MAY/18/2023

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Migrating Active Directory (AD) requires careful planning and execution to

ensure a smooth transition. Here is a general outline of the steps involved
in an AD migration plan:

1. Assess your current AD environment:

1.1. Identify the existing AD structure, domain controllers, sites, and trusts.
1.2. Understand the dependencies, applications, and services that rely on AD.

2. Define migration goals and requirements:

2.1. Determine the objectives of the migration, such as upgrading to a newer

version of Windows Server or consolidating multiple AD forests.
Understand the dependencies, applications, and services that rely on AD.

2.2. Identify any specific requirements or constraints, such as maintaining

service availability or minimizing downtime.

3. Design the target AD environment:

3.1. Decide on the new AD structure, including domains, organizational units

(OUs), and sites.

AD Migration Prepared by: IT/NOC Dept. Created: MAY/18/2023

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3.2. Plan the schema extensions, if necessary

3.3. Establish the trust relationships between domains or forests, if applicable.

4. Prepare for migration:

4.1. Perform a thorough backup of the existing AD environment.

4.2. Verify and resolve any issues with the current AD, such as replication
problems, DNS configuration, or schema conflicts.
4.3. Ensure that all applications and services are compatible with the target
AD version.

5. Set up the target AD environment:

5.1. Install and configure new domain controllers with the desired Windows
Server version.
5.2. Create the new AD structure, including domains, OUs, and sites.
5.3. Configure DNS and other required services.

6. Migrate users, groups, and computers:

6.1. Develop a plan to migrate user accounts, groups, computer accounts, and
security settings
6.2. Use tools like Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT) or third-party
migration tools to facilitate the migration.
6.3. Test the migration process in a controlled environment before executing
it in production.

AD Migration Prepared by: IT/NOC Dept. Created: MAY/18/2023

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Migrate applications and services:

6.4. Identify and plan for the migration of applications and services that rely
on AD, such as Exchange Server, SharePoint, or other line-of-business
applications.
6.5. Coordinate with application owners or vendors to ensure a smooth
transition.

7. Test and validate the new environment:

7.1. Perform thorough testing to verify that the migrated AD environment
functions as expected.
7.2. Validate authentication, access controls, group policies, and application
integrations.
7.3. Conduct user acceptance testing to ensure end-users can access
resources without issues.

8. Decommission the old AD environment:

8.1. Gradually decommission the old domain controllers after verifying that all
resources have been successfully migrated.
8.2. Update DNS and other network configurations to point to the new AD
infrastructure.
8.3. Monitor and resolve any post-migration issues that may arise.

It's important to note that this is a high-level overview, and the actual
migration plan may vary depending on the specific requirements and
complexities of your environment. It is recommended to engage with

AD Migration Prepared by: IT/NOC Dept. Created: MAY/18/2023

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experienced professionals or consultants who specialize in AD migrations to

ensure a successful and efficient transition.

AD Migration Prepared by: IT/NOC Dept. Created: MAY/18/2023

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