For you Network Admins out there: Question

Nocturnal

Lifer
Jan 8, 2002
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I'm planning on going to Heald college and majoring in their network technology program. You come out with an AAS degree. Anyways I was just wondering how much longer is Windows 2000 going to be used as a networking product? I believe Windows 2003 Server is the newest edition that is out, right?

Will Win2k as far as networking goes be used for quite some time? Or will MS phase out the Win2k MCSE test and make everything over to the Win2k3Server?
 

badet77

Guest
Sep 28, 2003
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I graduated from Heald, just one advice, study more than what they give you if you want your money's worth.
 

PlatinumGold

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
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Originally posted by: Nocturnal
I'm planning on going to Heald college and majoring in their network technology program. You come out with an AAS degree. Anyways I was just wondering how much longer is Windows 2000 going to be used as a networking product? I believe Windows 2003 Server is the newest edition that is out, right?

Will Win2k as far as networking goes be used for quite some time? Or will MS phase out the Win2k MCSE test and make everything over to the Win2k3Server?

shoot, i'm going to keep using Win2k for a long time with my clients. Terminal service clients are FREE with Win2k as long as you have Win XP Pro or Win 2k Pro clients, with Win2k3, you have to pay for Terminal Services CAL's no matter WHICH os the clients are, SUCKS.
 
Jan 31, 2002
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IIRC, 2000 was supposed to be moved into a "reduced support role" in 2003.

*not speaking for anyone but his own brainfarts*

- M4H
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
5
81
The entire computer system where I work is NT 4.0 SP6. Over 30,000 computers. No, I am not joking. Every last workstation, and all the minor servers (but running 4.0 server)

They are thinking of upgrading to 2000 sometime in 2004.
 

SagaLore

Elite Member
Dec 18, 2001
24,036
21
81
Chances are, it's going to last longer than even NT did. Where as 2k was based on the NT kernel and file system - XP, 2003, and future versions are going to be 2k based - all interoperable. The new version are more of feature enhancements rather than a new paradigm.
 

PlatinumGold

Lifer
Aug 11, 2000
23,168
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Originally posted by: SagaLore
Chances are, it's going to last longer than even NT did. Where as 2k was based on the NT kernel and file system - XP, 2003, and future versions are going to be 2k based - all interoperable. The new version are more of feature enhancements rather than a new paradigm.

Yup, basic feature sets are the same, the wizards are better in Win 2k3.

basically win 2k3 server is to win 2k server what Win XP pro is to Win 2k pro
 

HappyPuppy

Lifer
Apr 5, 2001
16,997
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71
NT 4.0 is still being used far and wide. I run into it every day. You will have to make your own decision.
 

SagaLore

Elite Member
Dec 18, 2001
24,036
21
81
Originally posted by: Evadman
The entire computer system where I work is NT 4.0 SP6. Over 30,000 computers. No, I am not joking. Every last workstation, and all the minor servers (but running 4.0 server)

They are thinking of upgrading to 2000 sometime in 2004.

Oh boy, is that going to be fun.

My company had about 40 servers, over 22 locations - we upgraded them all at once by brining them back to headquarters during a 4 day extended holiday. That was both a horrible disaster and a wonderful success story.

Migrating our user's machines to 2000 took a more relaxed 2 years - for 500 users. There is just 7 of us.

If they were thinking about migrating to 2k on the server end in 2004, they should have already started on migrating the workstations. 2k will run in mixed mode with NT4 servers, and they will be your greastest obstacle in obtaining native mode with Active Directory and dynamic DNS.

30,000 computers... you guys should at least have figured what you wanted for your OUs in AD by now...

I could be available for outsourced consultation. ;)
 

cloude27

Senior member
Sep 29, 2003
834
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well, I work in the network services group at my company and we are still running a NT 4.0 domain. our server farm are a mix of NT, 2k, and one 2k3 machine that our net admin is useing for testing. we're still working on getting rid of all the NT machines and we been doing that for 2 years. your best best is to make sure you know everything.
 

rudder

Lifer
Nov 9, 2000
19,441
86
91
In our department we have 60 servers spanning the state of Tennessee. Most are win2k and we have begun installing a few 2003 servers. The domain controller is a NT4.0 machine which we planto upgrade to 2000 or 2003 within 6 months.

I think windows 2000 will be around for a while since you will not see nt4.0 completly phased out for quite a while. Even if the program is for windows 2000, learn all you can about 2003 as well and you will be in good shape. It seems like much less of leap going from w2k to 2003 then it was going to w2k from nt4.0.
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,392
1,780
126
We stopped using Windows 2000 a while back for almost everything. It was too hackable and too unstable. We are running DHCP on Win2k now and that's about it. There are a couple of secondary production Apps that require Microsoft, but everything else has been transitioned to Netware 6 and Linux for most of the heavy-weight web services.

We have around 18,000 clients.
 

Gand1

Golden Member
Nov 17, 1999
1,026
0
76
We finally got rid of our NT 4 and Novell servers last year and are all Win2000. We are playing with 2003 but there is not great desire or need to move to it for quite some time.