Create an End-User Communication Plan

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

Develop a plan to inform all affected users about the upcoming account migration, to ensure that they understand their responsibilities, the impact of the migration, and who to contact for help and support.

Before you begin the user migration process, send a notice to all users who are scheduled to be migrated. Because you typically migrate users in batches of approximately one hundred users at a time, it is also helpful to send a final notice to the users in each batch 2-3 days before their batch is scheduled. If your organization maintains an intranet, publish the account migration schedule and the information contained in the user mail on an easily accessible Web page.

Include the following information in your end-user communication.

General information

Alert users to the fact that their user accounts are scheduled to be migrated to a new domain. Point users to a Web page or internal resource where they can find additional information, and view a migration schedule.

Inform users of their new domain name. Be sure to let them know that their account passwords will not change. Let them know that the original domain account will be disabled immediately following the migration, and the disabled account will be deleted after a specified period of time. This is not needed if users use User Principal Names (UPNs) to log on.

Impact

Make sure that users understand that when their account is migrated, it is possible that they could be unable to access some resources, such as Web sites, shared folders, or resources that are not widely used by individuals in their group or division.

Provide information to users about who to contact for assistance in regaining access to required resources.

Logon status during migration

Make sure that users understand that during the migration process, they will be unable to log on to the domain or access e-mail or other resources. Be sure to specify the period of time for which they will be unable to log on.

Premigration steps

Alert users to any steps that they need to complete before the migration process begins. For example, they must decrypt files encrypted by means of Encrypted File System (EFS). Failure to decrypt encrypted files will result in loss of access to encrypted files following the migration.

Expected changes

Describe other changes that users can expect to experience following the migration, such as changes in use of smart cards, secure mail, or instant messaging if applicable.

Scheduling and support information

Provide information about where users can go to find more information; for example, an internal Web site where you post information about the migration. Also, provide information about who to contact if a user has a conflict with the date scheduled for the migration.