When considering a Windows 2000 project's design and IT goals, envision how you want the back-end and front-end components to look. This lesson introduces a number of endpoint scenarios that you should consider for your migration. Your migration project will likely meet at least one of these scenarios.
After this lesson, you will be able to
Estimated lesson time: 15 minutes
Part of an infrastructure's perspective is on the outcome or endpoint of the migration project. Several endpoints that you'll almost certainly encounter are as follows:
Table 1.1 describes the advantages and disadvantages of using Windows 2000 clients and Windows NT 4.0 servers.
Table 1.1 Pros and Cons of Using Windows 2000 Clients and Windows NT 4.0 Servers
Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|
Minimal cost and planning. | Can't take advantage of the latest server applications such as Microsoft Exchange Server 2000. |
No change to the server infrastructure is required. | No Active Directory features. |
Greater local security via the Encrypting File System (EFS). | No native security for data over the LAN. |
All the benefits of Microsoft Windows 98 (for example, Plug and Play support) and Windows NT 4.0 (for example, greater application robustness and DACLs). | No native delegation of control available. |
Better hardware support (for example, DVD-ROM, universal serial bus (USB), and power management). |
Table 1.2 describes the advantages and disadvantages of using clients running any of Windows NT, Windows 9.x, and Windows Me with Windows 2000 servers.
Table 1.2 Pros and Cons of Using Windows NT, Windows 9.x, and Windows Me Clients and Windows 2000 Servers
Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|
Some Active Directory features are available provided the ADClient package is installed. | Some Active Directory features might not be available. |
Lower costs because of desktop hardware inventory analysis and upgrades only where required. | No desktop security from a file encryption perspective. |
The maxim "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" applies. | Requires much design and planning. |
Provides a more robust, scalable server environment. | No Plug and Play support on Windows NT systems. |
Table 1.3 describes the advantages and disadvantages of using Windows 2000 clients and Windows 2000 servers.
Table 1.3 Pros and Cons of Using Windows 2000 Clients and Windows 2000 Servers
Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|
No downlevel or server-level integration issues. | Requires much planning, design, and analysis. |
All the advantages of Windows 2000 from a server and workstation perspective. | Costly due to the time spent engaged in design, planning and analysis, and hardware upgrades on the desktop. |
The latest applications such as Exchange Server 2000 can be used. | Some legacy applications might not work. |
Table 1.4 describes the advantages and disadvantages of using mixed Windows NT and Windows 2000 clients and servers.
Table 1.4 Pros and Cons of Using Mixed Windows NT and Windows 2000 Clients and Servers
Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|
Can take advantage of both Windows 2000 and Windows NT applications. | Several skill sets are required to maintain both environments. |
Slows the migration down while Windows 2000 knowledge is built up. | Many integration issues to be considered. Best to segregate the two environments. |
Heterogeneous environments contain some mixture of Novell, Windows 2000, UNIX, or mini/mainframe environments. These environments are beyond the scope of this book; however, they highlight important issues to be considered, briefly outlined in Table 1.5.
Table 1.5 Pros and Cons of Heterogeneous Environments
Advantage | Disadvantages |
---|---|
Follows the maxim of "the right platform for the right job." | Several skill sets are required to maintain multiple environments. |
Many integration issues to be considered. |
In this lesson, you learned about some of the advantages and disadvantages of the different Windows NT/Windows 2000 scenarios. You'll likely be working in a mixed environment at some stage of your migration. Many corporations will be taking advantage of the Windows 2000 client/Windows NT 4.0 servers configuration while designing their directory services, and it's best for you to leverage this.