Upgrading 2019 and 2016 DCs to 2022 - Best Way?

Anonymous
2024-02-26T23:23:33+00:00

Our environment is a 2016 functional level domain with 3 DCs: two are on 2019 OS, one is on 2016 OS. We want to upgrade all three to 2022 and were wondering what the best way to do this is: upgrade them in-place? Create 3 new 2022 OS servers and promote those to DCs?

Thank you for any assistance you can provide!

Windows for business | Windows Server | Devices and deployment | Set up, install, or upgrade

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-02-27T05:58:54+00:00

    Hi BaumJ,

    upgrading the existing DCs in-place is a supported upgrade path, but it is recommended to create new 2022 OS servers and promote those to DCs instead. This is because upgrading in-place can introduce issues and may not be as reliable as creating new servers. Additionally, creating new servers allows for a clean installation and configuration of the DCs, which can help ensure a stable and secure environment.

    Before proceeding with the upgrade, it is important to review the system requirements for Windows Server 2022 and ensure that your hardware and software meet those requirements. You should also perform a full backup of your existing DCs and test the backup to ensure that it is reliable.

    Once you have verified that your environment meets the system requirements and have a reliable backup, you can proceed with creating new 2022 OS servers and promoting those to DCs. This can be done using the standard process for promoting a server to a DC, which involves installing the Active Directory Domain Services role and running the dcpromo wizard.

    After promoting the new DCs, you can transfer the FSMO roles from the old DCs to the new ones and decommission the old DCs. This process should be done carefully and with proper planning to ensure that there is no disruption to your environment.

    Hope it helps.

    Kind regards,

    Lei

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