NT4 -> W2K3 -> AD Sync w/Zentyal

[3dge14]

Since Zentyal supports AD sync with Windows 2003 Server but not NT4, I had this idea to replace the old (NT4) PDC:

Use Active Directory Migration Tool (v3.0) to fully migrate the domain (users/groups/security) to a (temporary) Windows 2k3 Server fresh install.  Then set up a Zentyal special install networked together with the 2003 server.  Follow the Zentyal_adSync.exe guide to sync the users to the Zentyal.

My question is:  Does anyone with experience with Windows 2003 onward know how the licensing works? Will I be able to migrate users to Win2k3 temporarily without buying CALs (the users will not be connecting)

Will this work? Thanks..

[Ventajou]

From what I understand, you're trying to use this trick to import your NT users into Zentyal. I don't think that will work.

I might be mistaken but the AD Sync of Zentyal won't let you sync once then remove your Windows server. I have sync between Win2k3 and Zentyal and in the Zentyal admin I can only see the users and groups and not modify them because changes would not be sent back to the Windows box.

[3dge14]

Thanks for the response.

So if you were to remove the Windows server from the network and remove the settings in the Zentyal specifying it as a slave and enable PDC under File Sharing, would it not take over as the authenticating DC on the network for all users?

[Ventajou]

That would be beyond the realm of my experimentation with Zentyal. But when you consider everything in play then it's unlikely that your Zentyal box would just be able to replace your Windows one. I think that a clean start using a new domain will probably cause you less headaches. Do you have many users to migrate?

What you can do, as I did myself, is set up Zentyal in a VM and mess with it. I'm currently using that technique to prepare my 2.0 install. You could set up a second VM as a client computer so that you can disconnect your virtual network from your physical one and play around.

[FutureTechSys]

If you have less than say 20 or 30 users, I would honestly consider migrating them manually

[3dge14]

I guess I've been overlooking the simplest option all along.  We have about 40-50 users. 

I was worried I'd have to migrate everyone's account profiles and files over in one night (not possible with 40-50) I realize now I can just have 2 different domains up and slowly copy over profiles and transition them into the new domain a few at a time.

Thanks for the responses, I appreciate it.