Upgrade Microsoft Domain Controller 2008 R2 to DC 2012 R2 with Exchange 2010 in the current environment.

Upgrade Microsoft Domain Controller 2008 R2 to DC 2012 R2 with Exchange 2010 in the current environment.

Prerequisites:

1- Windows 2012 R2 fully patches

2- New Windows 2012 R2 server should be joined to the Domain controller 2008r2

After you get all the prerequisites ready, start the Server manager and click on Add roles then add the ADDS role and follow the following instructions

Install the role and the n configure it as following

Add it to the existing DC

To migrate the AD Operations Master roles. The simplest way to move these roles is via PowerShell.

On Server 2012 AD PowerShell modules, this can be done from anywhere. Simply run the following command to view you current configuration, and change them:

PS C:\> netdom query FSMO

Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole -identity “dc1” -OperationMasterRole 0,1,2,3,4

Making sure that all the roles have been migrated :

netdom query FSMO

Adding second DC

Reference:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee617229.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

Source: Default-First-Site-Name\DC2

******* 1 CONSECUTIVE FAILURES since 2015-03-23 19:37:45

Last error: 8524 (0x214c):

The DSA operation is unable to proceed because of a DNS lookup failu

re.

Naming Context: CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local

Source: Default-First-Site-Name\DC2

******* WARNING: KCC could not add this REPLICA LINK due to error.

Naming Context: CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=domain,DC=local

Source: Default-First-Site-Name\DC2

******* WARNING: KCC could not add this REPLICA LINK due to error.

Naming Context: DC=domain,DC=local

Source: Default-First-Site-Name\DC2

******* WARNING: KCC could not add this REPLICA LINK due to error.

Resolution:

After joining new DC you will see this error until the replication with the PDC and schema master is finished.

Use the repadmin /syncall to hasten the sync process.

After we changed the PDC and Schema master role server to the new DC and shut down the old DC for test. On Exchange 2010 server you might get the following error

Exchange Console

Current deployment

1. Exchange 2010
2. New DC 2012 R2 with another Additional DC installed newly.
3. Two DC 2008R2 but have been shut down for testing.

Problem:

After you shutdown or demote the old PDC or Schema master Demote Domain Controller role, Microsoft Exchange Management Console fails to retrieve any Exchange information with error message “An error caused a change in the current set of Active Directory Server settings. Restart Exchange Management console.”

Cause

Microsoft Exchange management console caches the data in the user’s profile for quick access, So whenever you try to open EMC from an existing Exchange admin profile you will get the same error.

Resolution:

Navigate to the following folder and delete the Exchange Management Console file.

%userprofile%\appdata\roaming\Microsoft\MMC\Exchange Management Console

Hope this was useful