Windows 2012 Active Directory Backup: Disaster Recovery procedure

Drive CrashIn this post I’ll write about Active Directory backup and restore through System State in Windows 2012, and for a single domain-controller in a forest with only this domain.

System state backup creates a backup file for critical system related components and, last but not least, Active Directory database: this backup file can be used to recover the critical system components after a crash.

I’ll explain the step-by-step procedure to backup & restore using System State. Continue reading

Migrate a domain controller from Windows 2003 R2 SBS to Windows 2012

Windows 2012 logoIn this blog post , I am going to list the steps involved in transition from a Windows 2003 R2 Small Business Server Domain Controller to a Standard Windows 2012 Domain Controller.

The server involed in this process are:
Windows 2003 Small Business: adc-sbs
Windows 2012 Standard: adc-2012.

First of all, I’ve installed the Windows 2012 Server using a static IP address and set the preferred DNS server “pointing” to adc-sbs ip address. Next we have totally updated both Servers with all the latest Windows, and verified that the date/time is correct. Continue reading

Migrate a domain controller from Windows 2008 to Windows 2012

AgenThe environment is very simple: single domain in single forest and we do not use Exchange and other stuff. Only AD and file shares.

The Windows 2008 Domain Controller is configured to be the only Adc for the domain test.local: this server is also the DNS server for this domain.

We’re going to migrate to Windows 2012 Server, and power off the Windows 2008 ADC.

Continue reading