Mixed or Native Mode?

[drewmaztech]

We're migrating my company from NT to 2000 and everything seems to be going smoothly until now...

We have an optical storage system which is critical to our operation but it IS NOT 2000 compatable!

Now, we have the option to upgrade the optical system to a Raid Array - which would be nice but we have not budgeted for it and it's certainly not cheap.

We also could run the network in "mixed mode" to allow the system to coexist on the network.

What would we lose out on by remaining in "Mixed Mode" as opposed to "Native Mode"?

THANKS!

[storm]

mixed mode and native mode is probably the biggest thing that gets confused in AD.

here's the bottom line:

mixed and native refers to Domain controllers only. clients, storage units, win9x machine none of these have anything to do with mixed or native mode.

Native mode means all your DCs are win2k

Mixed mode means your running a DC and BDCs

so, if your going to have all w2k DCs go with native. the first DC on line will act as a pdc emulatur so no problems there.

also, when you say not 2000 compatible for your storage unit, what do you mean by that? I have a linux based storage unit and it's running just fine. are you using a CIFS or NFS file system?

[drewmaztech]

I'm not all that familiar with the system as I didn't install it and I don't manage it ( yet I'm expected to upgrade it to 2000)...

It's a SureStore Optical 125ex - running a "TIMS" system. Connected to a Compaq Proliant ML350.

I was told by the people that manage the hardware that the jukebox controller is not 2000 compatable. I have to take their word for it - albeit sometimes they have no clue.

If we switch our servers to "Native" mode - would workstations and other servers be able to access the NT server system? That's my primary concern. It never has been a "BDC" so I'm not concerned about failover. The NT system also has mapped drives back to the PDC and vice-versa.

You're right on the "Native" and "Mixed" mode thing - it's a very vague concept for me.

[storm]

ok, just to make sure I'm tracking. you have a nt domain and now your going to stand up a 2000 (AD) domain but leave the nt domain in place, at least for now?

to bad you can't sit next to me i'm doing this right now.

anyway, if my statement above is what you're looking to do you need to set up a trust between the 2000 domain and the nt domain. there is a kb article on how to do this. after you establish the trust you may have to play with the permissions some but you can go between domains and hit your shares, printers, etc.

you didn't mention migrating users, workstations and the like; this could be a really long post so i'll stop here. if you have specific questions post'em and i'll do my best to answer.

btw, i am not familiar with your specific storage device but if it's nothing but a file server with shares ask yourself how are we getting to it now. if it's mapped drives for instance then you would still be able to map a drive from an AD domain.

[drewmaztech]

I'll give you a little overview of our big picture.

Workstations are all now 2000 running on an NT domain.
And it was good...

Going to be upgrading the 16 servers we have to 2000 Server, Active directory - starting with the PDC. The night we do the PDC is the night we go to Active Directory.
And it better be good...

1 member server has software and hardware attached that are not 2000 compatable.
And it was not good...

So it boils down to:

1. Do we lost out on anything by not going to NATIVE mode?

2. If I have a 2000 domain (native mode) and 1 lonely NT server - will it communicate with the network via mapped drives and such. If we have to "manually" add users to that 1 system, that would not be a problem.

If you have more questions, feel free to PM me a novel - I'm into reading.

[Ya_know]

This guy explains it pretty well:
Mixed Mode vs. Native Mode

After reading that article, you should have a better perspective on the answers you are looking for.

Bottom line is that you could remain in Mixed mode indefinitely and notice little trouble with the environment. If the NT server is a member server, and a member of the AD domain, it could easily function in a Native mode environment. The problem is if there is a NT domain trying to trust or be trusted by a native mode domain--this can't be done.

I suggest that you stay mixed for a specified duration, until you can get all of the network prepared/migrated. In 6 months you may be able to budget in the hardware upgrade you are looking for, and this will all be moot. Regardless, if you add the server as a member to the new domain, you could go native at any time thereafter.

Something else to keep in mind; if your company were to acquire another, or be acquired, by remaining in mixed mode you could facilitate the trust with a NT4 domain. If you go Native, you would have to upgrade the other domain before integration could be facilitated…gotta’ love Microsoft’s sense of humor…

[storm]

Originally posted by Ya_know
The problem is if there is a NT domain trying to trust or be trusted by a native mode domain--this can't be done.

Sure it can. I have this going on right now. I have two domains (NT, AD, in native mode) running in parallel with a two way trust. The trick is to take the domain admin group from each domain and put it in the local admin group of each domain. I can manage both domains from my workstation with no problems(and I'm on the AD side) I can use user manger for NT to manage the NT side and Domain Users and Computers for the AD side.

My print server still resides on the NT side but we're going to start moving servers over this week.

Standing up a parallel domain is the most common migration method. The main reason is, it gives you a solid fall back if the AD side gets really messed up.

If you're going to upgarde I recommend taking an extra BDC off line then if the AD migration goes bad you can turn the BDC on, promote to a PDC then move people back to the NT domain. The key is fallback, can you??

[drewmaztech]

That link was helpful. I have to explain my reasoning to higher-ups and I need to be speaking english.

I think we're going to stick to mixed mode for the time being because I think the wayward NT server is set as a BDC, not a standalone server.
The hardware upgrade would cost $10,000+ (it's a permanent storage) and since we are a bank, it's likely we'll eat or be eaten by something sometime!

[storm]

The link was good, but the article was wrote in '99 and there's been some newer info since then in respects to migration strategy.

If your going to be leaving a BDC on line in the same domain, and thats the point to remember SAME DOMAIN, then you will want to stay in mixed. In my situation I can have Native Mode with PDC/BDC because they are two different domains, with two different NETBios names.

Good luck with your migration. I'm off to migrate another server, woohoo....

[Ya_know]

Originally posted by storm
If your going to be leaving a BDC on line in the same domain, and thats the point to remember SAME DOMAIN, then you will want to stay in mixed. In my situation I can have Native Mode with PDC/BDC because they are two different domains, with two different NETBios names.

Thanks for clearing that misconception up for me. Everything I_know is from theory, and small lab environments. I have not used native mode on any of my developments. My most recent one is two different domains; I should be able to upgrade to native mode, contrary to my first understanding...