Updating the schema

I'm in the planning process with the intention of updating our AD schema. I
will be adding the Win 2008 and Exchange 2007 schema updates.

For business reasons (don't ask), I would like to do both schema updates
consecutively instead of days apart.
What delay should I leave before the completion of 1 schema update before
starting the next one? Can I force replication of the schema after the first
update to speed things up rather than waiting for a replication cycle?

What AD health checks do you recommend I do before and after the first and
after the second udpate. I am currently using DCDIAG, NETDIAG and REPADMIN do
check replication. Anything else I should use?

Thanks in advance for any help.
Iain

Hello IainM,

As you said, wait for replication before starting the next update. I would
use replmon for forcing the replication, here you have a good graphical overview.
repadmin /syncall will also start the replication.

dcdiag and netdiag are always a good solution for controlling especially
before starting and upgrade to see if everything is ok.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm


> I'm in the planning process with the intention of updating our AD
> schema. I will be adding the Win 2008 and Exchange 2007 schema
> updates.
>
> For business reasons (don't ask), I would like to do both schema
> updates
> consecutively instead of days apart.
> What delay should I leave before the completion of 1 schema update
> before
> starting the next one? Can I force replication of the schema after the
> first
> update to speed things up rather than waiting for a replication cycle?
> What AD health checks do you recommend I do before and after the first
> and after the second udpate. I am currently using DCDIAG, NETDIAG and
> REPADMIN do check replication. Anything else I should use?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help.
> Iain

Hi Iain,

You will find answers to your questions in a document I wrote for the IT
Showcase group at Microsoft. The document is titled "Structured Active
Directory Schema Changes at Microsoft" and can be downloaded here:
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...nagmentTWP.doc

--

JPolicelli, MVP - Directory Services

http://www.policelli.com
http://policelli.com/blog

This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties and confers no rights.
Always plan and test.

----

"IainM" <IainM@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:83B03136-B1FE-4407-9260-562764B7A1A4@microsoft.com...
> I'm in the planning process with the intention of updating our AD schema.
> I
> will be adding the Win 2008 and Exchange 2007 schema updates.
>
> For business reasons (don't ask), I would like to do both schema updates
> consecutively instead of days apart.
> What delay should I leave before the completion of 1 schema update before
> starting the next one? Can I force replication of the schema after the
> first
> update to speed things up rather than waiting for a replication cycle?
>
> What AD health checks do you recommend I do before and after the first and
> after the second udpate. I am currently using DCDIAG, NETDIAG and REPADMIN
> do
> check replication. Anything else I should use?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help.
> Iain
>

Iain,

you need to ensure that your forest is in the healthy state and all schema
updates introduced at each stage have been fully replicated to all domain
controllers before you proceed with the next one. How many domain
controllers/sites do you have and what's the replication schedule between
sites? Ideally, you should run NETDIAG and DCDIAG on each - as well as use
REPADMIN /SHOWREPL and REPADMIN /REPLSUM * /BYSRC /BYDEST /SORT:ERROR
(confirm that there are no fails/errors) to determine replication status
(pay particular attention to the Schema Operations Master). You should also
review the content of adprep.log.

Considering the amount of changes you are planning on applying, my
recommendation would be to run a test schema update in an isolated
environment, mirroring your production AD. Alternatively, you might want to
consider disabling replication on the Schema Operation Master (as well as
its direct replication partners) prior to each stage of schema update,
verify that no errors are generated following it, and reenabling and forcing
replication afterwards.

hth
Marcin

"IainM" <IainM@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
news:83B03136-B1FE-4407-9260-562764B7A1A4@microsoft.com...
> I'm in the planning process with the intention of updating our AD schema.
> I
> will be adding the Win 2008 and Exchange 2007 schema updates.
>
> For business reasons (don't ask), I would like to do both schema updates
> consecutively instead of days apart.
> What delay should I leave before the completion of 1 schema update before
> starting the next one? Can I force replication of the schema after the
> first
> update to speed things up rather than waiting for a replication cycle?
>
> What AD health checks do you recommend I do before and after the first and
> after the second udpate. I am currently using DCDIAG, NETDIAG and REPADMIN
> do
> check replication. Anything else I should use?
>
> Thanks in advance for any help.
> Iain
>

Thanks for all your replies, they were very helpful. I have covered most
items included in the posts in the process for pre and post testing.
I had already included a few things, but it's always good to get a second
opinion.

Many thanks.
Iain

"Marcin" wrote:

> Iain,
>
> you need to ensure that your forest is in the healthy state and all schema
> updates introduced at each stage have been fully replicated to all domain
> controllers before you proceed with the next one. How many domain
> controllers/sites do you have and what's the replication schedule between
> sites? Ideally, you should run NETDIAG and DCDIAG on each - as well as use
> REPADMIN /SHOWREPL and REPADMIN /REPLSUM * /BYSRC /BYDEST /SORT:ERROR
> (confirm that there are no fails/errors) to determine replication status
> (pay particular attention to the Schema Operations Master). You should also
> review the content of adprep.log.
>
> Considering the amount of changes you are planning on applying, my
> recommendation would be to run a test schema update in an isolated
> environment, mirroring your production AD. Alternatively, you might want to
> consider disabling replication on the Schema Operation Master (as well as
> its direct replication partners) prior to each stage of schema update,
> verify that no errors are generated following it, and reenabling and forcing
> replication afterwards.
>
> hth
> Marcin
>
> "IainM" <IainM@newsgroups.nospam> wrote in message
> news:83B03136-B1FE-4407-9260-562764B7A1A4@microsoft.com...
> > I'm in the planning process with the intention of updating our AD schema.
> > I
> > will be adding the Win 2008 and Exchange 2007 schema updates.
> >
> > For business reasons (don't ask), I would like to do both schema updates
> > consecutively instead of days apart.
> > What delay should I leave before the completion of 1 schema update before
> > starting the next one? Can I force replication of the schema after the
> > first
> > update to speed things up rather than waiting for a replication cycle?
> >
> > What AD health checks do you recommend I do before and after the first and
> > after the second udpate. I am currently using DCDIAG, NETDIAG and REPADMIN
> > do
> > check replication. Anything else I should use?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for any help.
> > Iain
> >
>
>
>