Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed (R2 Edition)

As outlined in the preceding chapter, the Windows Server 2003 platform contains such a wealth of features that planning a migration to it can seem quite daunting at first. This chapter provides some guidance and best practices that can assist with the process and assist organizations in creating a well-thought-out and structured implementation plan.

Rather than forging ahead with no plan or goals and simply building new servers, loading application software, and inserting them into an existing network environment, a more organized process will control the risks involved and define in detail what the end state will look like.

The first steps involve getting a better sense of the scope of the project, in essence writing the executive summary of your design document. The scope should define from a high level what the project consists of and why the organization is devoting time, energy, and resources to its completion.

Creating this scope of work requires an understanding of the different goals of the organization, as well as the pieces of the puzzle that need to fit together to meet the company's stated goals for the project. For Windows Server 2003, the primary pieces are servers that handle key network functionality, servers that handle and manage the data, servers that control or provide access to the information, and servers that handle specific applications.