Analyzing the Effect of Active Directory on the Technical Environment

Before you can start implementing a technology such as Active Directory, you must understand the organization that plans to implement it. A huge and important part of implementing Active Directory is performing a thorough analysis of the existing environment. The following section and the remainder of this chapter focus on gathering the information required later in the design process.

Analyzing Hardware and Software Requirements

It's important to analyze information pertaining to the current hardware and software in use. Information about the hardware and software requirements and how the current configurations will integrate with Active Directory must be included in the initial design plans. Consider some of the following questions when analyzing hardware and software requirements:

• Do the current systems meet the hardware requirements?

• Is the hardware currently used supported by Windows Server 2003?

• What operating systems are currently in use? What service packs have been applied?

• How will the current operating systems integrate with Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory?

• Will any operating systems have to be upgraded to a later version before installing Windows Server 2003?

• Does the business have any DNS servers configured and how will they interoperate within Active Directory?

Not only must the systems be assessed but attention must also be given to the applications that the business is running on them. What applications does the business currently use? What applications do the business and its employees require to perform their job tasks? After you've determined which applications are required, test them to ensure that they are compatible with Windows Server 2003 and to see how they can integrate with Active Directory.

This might seem like an unimportant step in the design of Active Directory, but it will be much easier for you and the organization if it is known beforehand that some systems or applications need to be upgraded.

Analyzing Interoperability Requirements

Many networks consist of a number of different operating systems. For example, when new workstations are added to the network, they might be configured with the latest operating system, whereas current workstations might remain configured with older platforms. So, an important part of implementing Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory is to analyze the existing platforms and determine how they will interoperate within the new environment.

Windows Server 2003 interoperates with and supports the following platforms:

• Windows 2000

• Windows XP

• Windows NT 4.0

• Windows Me/98/95

• Windows 3.x

• Unix

• Macintosh

By default, Windows Server 2003 domain controllers secure communications using Server Message Block (SMB) signing and encrypting or signing of secure channel traffic. This is to prevent communications between a domain controller and a client from being intercepted and tampered with. Not all platforms have built-in support for these features. So, when assessing the interoperability of existing platforms with Windows Server 2003 Active Directory, keep the following points in mind:

• Windows 95 clients do not have built-in support for these features. The Active Directory client must be installed or the operating system must be upgraded.

• Windows for Workgroup clients must be upgraded.

• It is recommended that any Windows NT 4.0 clients be upgraded. They can interoperate with Windows Server 2003 Active Directory if Service Pack 4 or later has been installed.

Windows NT 4.0 can also have the Active Directory client installed as long as Service Pack 6a is installed.

Analyzing the Current Level of Service Within an Existing Technical Environment

The rollout of Windows Server 2003 is bound to have an effect on the technical support within an organization. The current technical support requirements must be assessed to determine how they will be affected. If a business currently relies on internal staff for technical support, what effect will Active Directory have on this? The skill set of the current technical support staff must be assessed and a training plan must be put into place. If you're upgrading from Windows NT 4.0, the IT staff might require highly specialized training on Active Directory features and functions that are being implemented. Upgrading from Windows 2000 may require training only on the new features included with Windows Server 2003. In any case, it's an important consideration. Imagine performing a rollout of Windows Server 2003 only to discover afterward that the IT staff cannot provide the technical support necessary to maintain the new structure.

When analyzing the current level of service, consider including end users as well as the IT staff. Providing end users with some basic training on the Active Directory infrastructure being implemented might help reduce the technical support requirements as the upgrades and rollouts occur.

If a business currently outsources all or some of its technical support to external companies, the effect that the rollout will have on these arrangements must be considered. After the business begins to migrate to Windows Server 2003, consider whether the company currently responsible for the business's technical support will still be able to meet the business's needs. If not, this job must be managed by a company that is fluent in Active Directory technologies.

One of the jobs of the design team is to ensure that the upgrades and rollouts go as smoothly as possible for everyone. Therefore, determining the current level of service within a technical environment is crucial.