Summary

When migrating directly to Windows Server 2003 from Windows NT4, you must consider many factors while preparing and performing the migration. This chapter covered the three main migration methods as well as the tools available from Microsoft to assist with the migrations.

The inplace upgrade is by far the easiest method for migration and retains security principles and configuration settings that minimize interruption of the network. However, for some organizations that want to start with a completely clean structure, the second option of migrating Windows NT4 objects such as user accounts, computer accounts, and the like to a new Active Directory forest allows organizations to start completely from scratch. The third option is to consolidate multiple existing Windows NT4 domains into a single Active Directory domain configuration. This consolidation method is frequently used by organizations that want to minimize the number of domains they have. All three options serve their purpose for various migration needs. Organizations that want to migrate will find one of these options will best fit their needs.