[THIN] MF 1.8 to MFXP migration strategy

  • From: Rob Slayden <rslayden@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 12:45:45 -0800

I'm planning to migrate a 27-server MF 1.8 farm to MFXP. Going to do the
mixed-mode migration by replacing the master browser with an MFXP ZDC in
interoperability mode, then rebuild all NT 4/MF 1.8 servers to W2K3/MFXP
FR3. Should be no problems competing the migration within 6 weeks and going
to native mode. I've been reading all I can on this including Brian Madden's
Adv. Technical Design Guide (Da' bomb!) and Citrix WPs and it appears that
part of the key to this is to use the same farm name as the MF 1.8 farm.
Well, it is not actually in "Farm" mode but NT domains scope. Also
complicating matters potentially is the existence of a new MFXP farm (5
servers) with which I want to communicate.

These are the steps I believe I need to complete to accomplish my end goal
of a single farm with two zones.
In the existing MF 1.8 farm, "Create a Server Farm" in PAM and name it the
same as the existing MFXP farm.
Replace the MF 1.8 Master Browser with an MFXP ZDC in interoperability mode
(same IP), as a second zone. This ZDC and the other ZDC should communicate
now and all 4000 terminals pointing to the Master Browser IP should work.
Upgrade the 27 servers from NT 4/MF 1.8 to W2K3/MFXP, in a phased approach
obviously, but as quickly as possible.
When the migration is complete, re-configure the ZDC for native mode to
eliminate all the unnecessary "interoperability" traffic.

That said, here are some questions that come to mind:
What are the ramifications of the MF 1.8 "Create server farm" with the same
name as the existing MFXP farm?
Will there be any issues adding the ZDC to the MF 1.8 farm with the name of
an existing MFXP farm? I presume I will be able to simply make it another
zone.
Will the data store (in the MFXP farm) have any issues when the ZDC is
brought online in the MF 1.8 farm?
Any issues using the same DS for the two zones even though the servers in
the second zone are MF 1.8?

I do intend to test as much of this in the lab as possible before I swing
the wrecking ball through my production MF 1.8 farm <g> but I thought maybe
some of the experts might be able to point out some glaring holes in this
strategy.

Thanks in advance! 

Rob
24 Hour Fitness, Inc.


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