[Samba] Eventually transitioning to Windows Server 2016

[Rowland Penny]

On Mon, 18 Dec 2017 08:41:24 +0100
Andreas Heinlein via samba <samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:

> Am 16.12.2017 um 15:45 schrieb Rowland Penny via samba:
> > You can use the Samba 'classicupgrade' tool to migrate your
> > NT4-style domain to a Samba AD domain, but, at the moment, you will
> > only get a 2008R2 domain. The work to update 2012 is nearing
> > completion and will possibly be in Samba 4.8.0. The work to upgrade
> > to 2016 hasn't even started yet, but from what I have read, it
> > shouldn't take as much work as the 2012 upgrade has taken.
> >
> > From my understanding 'ADMT' will only run on a windows server, so I
> > don't think this is going to work. What you should be able to do is
> > upgrade to a Samba AD DC, join a windows 2008 DC, transfer all the
> > FSMO roles to the windows DC, demote the Samba AD DC, then upgrade
> > the windows DC to the domain function level you require and then
> > start paying for cals.
> >
> > Probably easier to set up a new domain ;-)
> >
> > Rowland
> Just a question for clarification, since I will be going the same way
> some time next year:
> 
> Are we just talking about domain function levels (Windows Server 2016
> should run as a DC on the 2008R2 level just fine), or is it really not
> possible to join a Server 2016 to a domain with a samba DC?
> 
> The way you describe doesn't really make sense to me - either you
> would first set up a Windows Server 2008R2 as DC, transfer the FSMO
> roles and demote the samba DC, but then you can't "upgrade the
> windows DC to the domain function level you require" since Server
> 2008R2 obviously won't support any newer function level. You would
> have to install yet another Server 2016 DC or upgrade the DC to
> Server 2016 first. Or do you mean "set up a Server 2016 as a DC using
> the 2008R2 level, transfer the FSMO roles, demote the samba DC and
> then upgrade the function level"?
> 
> Thanks,
> Andreas
> 

Using a 2016 server will not work. As I said, you would first have to
classicupgrade the NT4-style domain, then join a 2008 server to it
(using a 2012 server is experimental). Now demote the Samba DC and
start the upgrade climb, how you do it is up to you and what is
possible ;-)

OR, as I also said:

Probably easier to set up a new domain ;-)

Rowland