migrate WINS from Windows 2000 Server to 2003

I need to migrate WINS from a Windows 2000 Server to a Windows 2003 Server host.

I. put WINS on the 2003 Server

1. install WINS on the 2003 Server

Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs >

Components > Networking Services > Details

Subcomponents of Networking Services > Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) > OK >

Next > Continue >

Finish > Close.

2. point TCP/IP services at this WINS server

Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > Properties >

General > Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) > Properties > Advanced >

WINS > Add >

[put the ip address of the 2003 Server] > Add >

check 'Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP'

OK > Close.

3. check that this WINS Server appears within the WINS service

Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > WINS >

...and the 2003 Server name should appear here:

II. copy the WINS database from the Windows 2000 Server host to the Windows Server 2003 host

1. verify that this WINS server is not replicating

on the Windows 2000 Server-based host, open the WINS service and right click the server icon to stop any replication partners:

2. stop the WINS service on both servers

Start > Run > type 'cmd' > OK

type 'net stop wins' > ENTER

3. copy the WINS files

copy all files in %systemroot%\System32\Wins from the 2000 Server to the same location on the 2003 Server:

4. restart the WINS service on both servers

Start > Run > type 'cmd' > OK

type 'net start wins' > ENTER

III. set up a WINS replication partnership

I have to gradually phase out my old Windows 2000 Server from its WINS responsibilities. Because there are dozens of servers here whose IP settings were manually configured and point to the old server for WINS, I need to set up a replication partnership between the old and new WINS servers. This partnership will need to function until all clients, those receiving DHCP and those that are manually configured, are communicating with the new server.

set up a WINS replication partner in Windows 2000 Server (same for Windows 2003):

Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > WINS >

right-click the 'Replication Partners' node > New Replication Partner... >

enter the IP address of the other WINS server

There are 2 areas worth configuring: the push settings and the pull settings. By again right-clicking the 'Replication Partners' node and selecting 'Properties' you can get in to the settings for these 2 items. Push Replication is based on revision number while Pull Replication is based on time. Both are typically used.

you should see the replication partner appear, here:

...and on the Windows 2003 Server, the old WINS server will automatically appear:

Settings for Windows Server 2003 are the same as for Windows 2000 Server.

IV. change DHCP scope settings

it's time to point DHCP clients at the new WINS server:

 

see also:

• How to migrate a WINS Database from Windows 2000-based WINS server to a Windows 2003-based WINS server
• Migrating WINS from Windows NT to Windows Server 2003

migrate DHCP from Windows 2000 Server to 2003

These are brief instructions. Microsoft has the full-value version, here: How to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003. If you're like me, you don't wear a helmet, and you will appreciate my brevity. And actually, I changed a couple things.

One notable difference between me and whoever documents technical procedures for Microsoft is that I work on Earth, for a company, and my implementation must not cause an explosion. We have a bunch of VLANs, managed by Cisco routers, that are configured with the ip helper-address command to ensure DHCP broadcasts are forwarded from clients to the DHCP server. I deviate from Microsoft's generic recommendation for DHCP service migration in this way: I will move one VLAN at a time. This allows me to test things as I go, knowing both servers are handling at least some DHCP scopes, affecting as few clients as possible in the event of catastrophe, and giving myself a clear method for reversing my changes. Also, by adjusting the ip helper-address value on my core routers one VLAN at a time I am able to prevent the new and old DHCP servers from handing out addresses for the same subnet.

I. export the DHCP database from the Windows 2000 Server host

1. stop the DHCP service

command line: net stop dhcpserver

2. compact the DHCP data base

command line: cd c:\winnt\system32\dhcp

command line: jetpack dhcp.mdb temp.mdb

3. export the database

download, install, and run Microsoft's DHCP Database Export Import Tool (dhcpexim.exe)

4. restart the DHCP service

command line: net start dhcpserver

II. import the DHCP database to the new Windows Server 2003 host

1. install the Windows DHCP component

Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Comonents > Netwoking Services >

Details >

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) > OK > Next > Finish

2. import the database file

command line: netsh dhcp server import c:\dhcpdb.txt all

3. authorize this DHCP server

before authorizing:

right-click the server object, then click Authorize

III. point the ip helper-address at the new DHCP server

existing configuration, pointing at the old DHCP server:

in Cisco IOS, use this command: ip helper-address 172.16.12.12

IV. confirm

I set my Vista laptop to retrieve an ip address from a DHCP server and plugged it in to a port on the VLAN we just set up...

have my laptop send a DHCP request on to this subnet...

command line: ipconfig /renew

and confirm on the new DHCP server that this address was handed out by the new server...

V. change DHCP lease duration

If you let Windows DHCP do it's own thing, leases will automatically expire after 8 days. But if you want to speed things up, change the DHCP lease duration to something like 2 hours. At least then you'll know sooner if something's broken.

change DHCP lease duration in Windows 2000 Server:

Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > DHCP >

expand the server node you're interested in > right click the scope whose lease you want to change > Properties > on the 'General' tab, in the 'Lease duration for DHCP clients' box, check 'Limited to:' and specify a time span

VI. turn on DHCP logging

Just in case any clients got left behind, check the DHCP log files for unexpected requests. Do this on the Windows 2000 Server for a couple weeks.

to turn on DHCP logging in Windows 2000 Server:

Start > Programs > Administrative Tools > DHCP >

on the 'General' tab, select 'Enable DHCP audit logging'

Windows 2000 will write DHCP log files, one for each day of the week, to this directory: %systemroot%\system32\dhcp

see also:

• How to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003

• What's in store when you migrate DHCP to Windows Server 2003