Server 2012 migration

[TomF]

My place of business is currently looking at introducing some Windows 8 machines into our environment (mainly Surface RT/Pro) and I'm curious as to some of the details to get this done properly. Our current environment is one domain/forest with ~25 domain controllers (GC's, one located at each site) running Server 2008 R2 and managing all Windows 7 clients (nothing previous). From what I gather, this is the process, and please correct me if I'm wrong:

 

1. Build and introduce Server 2012 to our environment

2. Promote (I understand there is no longer dcpromo) to domain controller

3. Raise domain/forest function levels to 2012

 

The questions I have around this are:

 

1. With the domain/forest function levels raised to 2012, can our current Server 2008 R2 domain controllers manage Windows 8 machines (group policy)?

2. If the Windows 8 devices are mainly located at one location that has the Server 2012 managing them (AD Sites and Services), can the device move to another location where it will pull a new IP and use the domain controller at that site (Server 2008 R2) for authentication and group policies? Or do we need to build/upgrade to have a Server 2012 at each site?

 

Unfortunately I haven't had the time to research the details of a deployment, so any help is much appreciated!

[adnanh]

I've deployed Windows 8 computers in a server 2008 r2 domain all you have to do is import gpo admx files if u just want to have the new policies.

[TomF]

Really, that's it? I would have thought at least the domain function level would have to be raised. If that's all it really is, then rock on! Thanks

[Rocket Man]

can the device move to another location where it will pull a new IP and use the domain controller at that site (Server 2008 R2) for authentication and group policies?

 

Well if it is a single domain then of course it will be able to authenticate at any of the other sites, but your Group Policy is site specific not unless you are using the default domain policy at root level, then this will filter through to all sites instead of having GPOs on OUs' etc..

[TomF]

As in the site the device is using will have to have the server 2012 admx files to apply group policies properly? Even if another domain controller in a different site has the new admx files. Do I have that right?

[WinOutreach4]

In answer to your question, your current Windows Server 2008 R2 domain controllers can use the Windows 8 ADMX/ADML files to manage your Windows 8 machines. You have to update the Group Policy Central Store on your Windows Server 2008 R2 with the ADMX/ADML files from Windows 8. You can get all the files from the Winsxs directory on your Windows 8 machine, and they need to be copied to the Central Store. This TechNet Blog article explains this process in further detail, and provides the commands needed to copy the files from Windows 8. In addition to the blog post, I also found this TechNet forums thread discussing the same issue, which should also be helpful.

 

Further information to help you manage Group Policy on Windows 8 (including the Group Policy Settings Reference) can be found in the Managing Settings with Group Policy for Windows 8 section of the Manage and Operate Windows 8 page of the Springboard Series on TechNet.

 

Hope this helps,

 

David

Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro