Cloning a DC/DNS Server

[msmith4204]

Has anyone had experience with cloning a dc/dns server in vc? Does it work or screw things up in AD?

Thanks

[TomHowarth]

it can be done but in my honest opinion it is better to create a new machine and DC promo it you will have a hell of a better weekend.

[kucharski]

There is a been several posts in the P2V forum but people having problems P2V'ing a DC from physical to virtual. I would image you will have the same problem. Probably what I would do is build a vm without running dcpromo and then convert to template. Then deploy a new vm from the template and then run dcpromo on it.

Michael

[bggb29]

Why do you want to clone a dc. What is your actual goal. If it is just to have a second dc then dcpromo is the only way to go.

[littleroot]

Knock on wood our DC Ops Master, GC, DHCP, DNS Server 2003 has been virtualized for a week and going well on Server 2003 host. We did it for server consolidation and the flexability to move images around on different machines.

[FredPeterson]

As long as you don't try to run both physical and virtual at the same time or you don't create the image and wait a week to turn it on you should have no problems.

Better idea is to start fresh with a brand new domain controller to prevent weird problems.

[TomHowarth]

I do not understand this fixation on P2Ving DC's, it is simpler and more cost effective to just create a new VM, DC Promo it and if necessary move the FSMO rolls. you can then just dcpromo the original DC and remove it cleanly, I have attempted numorus DC P2V's (Customers not taking advice)all have ended in pain that could have been avoided.

Just because it can be done does not mean it should be done.