Domain Merger

Question

Hi All, We are in the process of a company merger and have been asked to provide information on how to complete certain Domain services tasks. The process is complicated due to the fact we are actually in the middle of a merger with a different company which has not been fully completed. All the Security groups, GPOs, Users, and associated AD objects have been migrated, however there are still numerous servers which remain on the legacy Domain. We are now in a position where we need to complete a merger with this new company. I suspect the new company will provide input and as far as I am aware from an infrastructure point of view the ADDS will need to be migrated and updated/amended. I am aware of GPO.s Sites & Services, Domain Trusts, Security Groups, Users and computers etc. Can anyone give me any further guidance on what else should be part of a company merger. Any information would be greatly received.

Answer 1

Hi, I'd be happy to help you out with your question. Sorry for the inconvenience caused. Congratulations on your company merger. It feels like you've made good progress in migrating your AD objects and ensuring that your security groups, GPOs, and users are all up-to-date. To complete the merger with the new company, you'll need to make sure that their AD objects are also migrated and that any necessary updates or amendments are made to your existing infrastructure. Here are some additional steps you might want to consider: DNS integration: You'll need to integrate the DNS infrastructure of the new company with your existing DNS infrastructure so that all servers and workstations can communicate with each other. This means creating DNS zones and configuring DNS servers to provide name resolution for both companies. Exchange migration: If both companies are using Exchange servers for email, you'll need to plan and execute an Exchange migration. This involves migrating mailboxes, public folders, and other Exchange-related objects from the legacy Domain to your new Domain. Network integration: You'll need to make sure that the networks of both companies are integrated so that all users can access resources on both sides of the merger. This may involve reconfiguring firewalls, routers, and switches to allow traffic to flow between the two networks. File server consolidation: You may need to consolidate file servers from both companies into a single file server infrastructure. This involves moving data from the legacy Domain file servers to the new company's file servers or vice versa. Application integration: If both companies use different applications, you'll need to make sure that they are integrated so that users can access all necessary applications. This may involve updating application configurations, creating new application accounts, and configuring application permissions. Active Directory cleanup: As part of the merger, it's a good idea to clean up your AD environment. This involves identifying and removing any unused or unnecessary objects, such as stale user accounts, empty security groups, and unused GPOs. These are just some of the steps you might need to take when completing a company merger. I recommend working closely with your IT team and the new company's IT team to ensure that all necessary steps are taken and that the migration process goes smoothly. If you have any other questions or need assistance with anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'm here to help.

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