Build Guides

One of the best ideas I've seen for migration planning is that of Reed Elsevier and what it calls Build Guides the brainchild of HP consultant. Build Guides the brainchild of HP consultant are documents that define step-by-step processes to create various components of the infrastructure. Some of the processes the company built Build Guides for include

• DC installation

• Organization Unit (OU) structure

• GPO

• Time Services

• WINS

• Backbone infrastructure

• Terminal Services

• Migration infrastructure

• DNS

The Build Guides are the intermediate link between the design docs and the implantations. The design docs specify high-level design. The Build Guides detail specific steps on how the design will be implemented. For instance, in the DNS design, you specify the namespace, zone characteristics (ADI primary, secondary, and so on), placement of DNS server, forward and delegation paths, and so on. In the DNS Build Guide, you would detail how to install the DNS and configure characteristics that must be set in the server and zone properties. The step-by-step process Reed Elsevier used for DNS installation included the following steps:

• Prerequisites
  
  
• Installing the DNS Server (the company actually had a separate section for each DNS server)
  
  
• Setting the Primary DNS Suffix
  
  
• Confirming TCP/IP Configuration
  
  
• Promoting Server to DC
  
  
• Posting Installation Checklist
  
  
• Delegating DNS Zones
  
  
• Configuring Forwarding (including Conditional Forwarding)
  
  
• Configuring Stub Zones
  
  
• Removing Root Hints
  
  
• Setting Aging/Scavenging
  
  
• Setting the Scavenging Server
  
  
• Setting DNS Server Options
  
  
• Setting Zone Properties
  
  

Each of these sections contains a detailed set of instructions on how to configure the setting. A sample detail for the Setting Zone Properties section appears here. ( Note: to protect the security of Reed Elsevier, I have entered a fictitious name of domain.)

1. Right-click regn.net zone and select Properties.

2. Select the Start of Authority (SOA) tab.

3. Enter the following parameters:

 Responsible person:   dnsadmin.company.com 

4. Select the Zone Transfers tab.

5. Uncheck Allow Zone Transfers.

6. Click OK.

7. Right-click _msdcs.company.com zone and select Properties.

8. Select the Start of Authority (SOA) tab.

9. Enter the following parameters:

 Responsible person:   dnsadmin.company.com 

10. Select the Zone Transfers tab.

11. Uncheck Allow Zone Transfers.

12. Click OK.

Note that there is also a Post Installation Checklist following the installation of DNS on the server, which includes the following points:

1. Click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, DNS.

2. Click the [+] next to the < servername > in the DNS admin MMC (Microsoft Management Console) to expand the server details.

3. Click the [+] next to 'Forward Lookup Zones'.

4. Click the [+] next to the 'company.com'.

5. Confirm the existence of the following sub items:

• _msdcs

• _sites

• _tcp

• _udp

• DomainDnsZones

• ForestDnsZones

6. Right-click company.com and select Properties.

7. Confirm that Replication = All DNS in the AD domain.

8. Click OK.

9. Right-click _msdcs.company.com and select Properties.

10. Confirm that Replication = All DNS in the AD forest.

11. Click OK.

12. Click the [+] next to Event Viewer

13. Click on DNS Events.

14. Check for the existence of any Warning or Error events.

15. Click File, Exit to quit the DNS MMC.

Using the Build Guides is an excellent way to ensure that the design is implemented properly and that the IT staff know exactly what to do, and it serves as good documentation of how the infrastructure was built for later reference and troubleshooting, especially if you ever want to go back to the initial migration setting. Although they are an added step, and the benefits might not be as great for small environments, Build Guides are an excellent way of implementing change control from the start.

Now that you have completed the assessment and design of the logical and physical design, you are ready to implement the pilot and test the design.