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Overview of Deploying Regional Domains

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

After you complete the deployment of the forest root domain, you are ready to deploy any new Windows Server 2003 regional domains specified by your design. Windows Server 2003 regional domains include domain controllers that are running the Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003, Standard Edition; Windows® Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; or Windows® Server 2003, Datacenter Edition operating systems.

The design team determines which regional domains to deploy. As an alternative or in addition to creating a new regional domain, your Active Directory design might require upgrading existing domains. For more information about performing an in-place upgrade of a Microsoft® Windows NT® 4.0 account domain to a regional domain, see "Upgrading Windows NT 4.0 Domains to Windows Server 2003 Active Directory" in this book. For information about performing an in-place upgrade of a Microsoft® Windows® 2000 domain to a regional domain, see "Upgrading from Windows 2000 Domains to Windows Server 2003 Domains" in this book.

Note

  • You can simultaneously create multiple regional domains and perform in-place upgrades of multiple Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 domains. You do not need to complete the deployment of one regional domain before proceeding to the next regional domain.

After you deploy a new regional domain, you can create an organizational unit (OU) structure and either add new users, groups, and resources to the domain, or use the domain as a target for restructuring existing Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 domains.