It’s time to get rid of Windows Server 2012 and migrating your Active Directory to Windows Server 2022. At the end of this year Microsoft will stop supporting Windows Server 2012 versions. Therefore administrators must schedule and proceed with the Active Directory Migration as soon as possible.
How you can do this
- Prepare the new server: Install Windows Server 2022 on the new machine. Join it to the domain, and install the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) role.
- Prepare the old server: Ensure that the old server is up-to-date with the latest updates and patches. Take a backup of the AD DS database using the Active Directory Administrative Center or the NTDSUTIL command-line tool.
- Install AD DS on the new server: Use the Server Manager or PowerShell to install AD DS on the new server. During the installation, select the option to add the server as an additional domain controller in an existing domain.
- Promote the new server: Use the Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard to promote the new server as a domain controller in the existing domain. Select the option to replicate the AD DS database from the old server.
- Transfer the FSMO roles: Use the Active Directory Users and Computers console or the PowerShell cmdlets to transfer the FSMO (Flexible Single Master Operations) roles from the old server to the new server.
- Verify replication: Verify that replication is working correctly between the old and new servers. Do this by using the Active Directory Replication Status Tool or the Repadmin command-line tool.
- Decommission the old server: Once you have verified that replication is working correctly, you can decommission the old server by demoting it from being a domain controller.
Note that these are general steps of Active Directory Migration. It may need to be customized based on your specific environment and requirements. Additionally, a recommendation is to test the migration in a non-production environment before performing it in a production environment.