Chapter 62. Migrating from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000, Windows 2003, and Windows XP

SOME OF THE MAIN TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE

Do You Need to Upgrade the Operating System or Applications?

Upgrading to Windows 2000 Server

Before You Begin

Implementing a Migration to the Active Directory for Windows 2000

Upgrading Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 to Windows 2003 Servers

This chapter covers two types of upgrades: upgrading servers and upgrading users' desktop workstations. Windows NT 4.0 Server can easily be upgraded to Windows 2000 or Windows 2003. Windows NT 4.0 Workstation can be upgraded to Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional. This chapter examines the need for upgrading your operating system and applications. Perhaps the more difficult upgrade will be from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000 or one of the Windows 2003 servers. This assumes that you'll be using Active Directory, which was not part of an all “Windows NT 4.0 network. Active Directory requires you to make some choices and acquire additional skills to manage users and resources.

Upgrading Windows NT 4.0 Workstation or Windows 2000 Professional, or to Windows XP from either of these, does not present much of a problem.

Although you can use both Windows 2000 and 2003 servers without the Active Directory, doing so is not advisable at this time unless you currently use another directory service. LDAP directories are becoming more important every year because they can be used to manage not just your network, but also interoperation between other networks. Unless you're operating a very small LAN that you don't see changing for a few years , it's time to bite the bullet and upgrade. The new features, after you learn them, are one benefit. New applications that make use of directory services are another.