Server 2008 Enterprise

[Zach]

TSCustomer

Questions concerning Server 2008 Enterprise:

I have 2 domains in my environment. 1- domain "otboe.local" has it's own dns and using the numbers 172.16.0.10 subnet 255.255.240.0 default gateway 172.16.0.1 on VLAN 2 Running Windows 2003 standard edition. Board server.
My second domain is oldtappan.nvnet.org has it's own dns and using the numbers 10.0.0.10 subnet 255.255.0.0 default gateway 10.0.0.1 located on VLAN 1 also running Windows 2003 standard edition , has 4 servers for teachers & students. Both these domains do go out through the same physical router.

Q1) If I were to upgrade all my Domain controller servers in oldtappan.nvnet.org network BUT I leave the otboe (Board) network with Server 2003, Can I still pick a 2008 enterprise domain when installing server 2008? Since technically these two networks are separate .....would that be okay?

I don't want to cause a problem adding 2008 to my environment and choosing strictly a 2008 environment, when just down stairs in it's own little network and vlan is the board office still running server 2003.

Please advise

[Coach]

By default, when you upgrade your servers and DC's, your Domain Functional Level will not change. It will remain at whatever functional level it was before (either Server 2000 or Server 2003). Here are two possible scenarios :

1. Assuming that you only have one Forest and these two Domains are in that one Forest, while there are some elements of Server 2008 that require a Server 2008 Functional Level, unless you really need them, you're better off upgrading to Server 2008 and leaving your Domain and Forest Functional Level at Server 2003. You probably won't gain very much by upgrading your functional level unless you have a very specific reason to do so. Better safe than sorry. :)

2. If you have two separate Forests, each one with it's own domain, then after upgrading, by all means, upgrade your Domain and Forest Functional Levels to Server 2008, and the other Domain in the other Forest will not be affected (in theory).

Hope this helps!

Your friendly neighborhood instructor,
Coach Culbertson