Developing a Test Plan for Your Migration

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

It is important to develop a test plan to assist you in systematically testing each object after it is migrated to the new environment, and identifying and correcting any problems that might occur. Testing to verify that your migration is successful allows you to ensure that users who are migrated from the source to the target domain are able to log on, to access resources based on group membership, and to access resources based on user credentials. Testing also allows you to ensure that users are able to access the resources that you migrate.

Use the following process to test your account object and resource object migration:

1. Create a test user in the source domain. Include this test user with your migrations.

2. Join that user to the appropriate global groups to enable resource access.

3. Log on to the source domain as the test user and verify that you can access resources as appropriate.

4. After you translate the user profile, migrate the workstation of the user, and migrate the user account, log on to the target domain as the test user and verify that the user has retained all necessary access and functionality. For example, you might test to verify that:

   • The user can log on successfully.

   • The user has access to all appropriate resources, such as file and print shares; access to services such as messaging; and access to line of business applications. It is especially important to test access to internally developed applications that access database servers.

   • The user profile was successfully translated, and the user retains desktop settings, desktop appearance, shortcuts, and access to the My Documents folder. Also, verify that applications appear in and start from the Start menu.

After you migrate resources, log on as the test user in the target domain and verify that you can access resources as appropriate.

If any steps in the test process fail, identify the source of the problem and determine whether you can correct the problem before the object needs to be accessible in the target domain. If you cannot correct the problem before access to the object is required, roll back to your original configuration to ensure access to the user or resource object. For more information about creating a rollback plan, see "Creating a Rollback Plan" later in this chapter.

As part of your test plan, create a migration test matrix. Complete a test matrix for each step that you complete in the migration process. For example, if you migrate 10 batches of users, complete the test matrix 10 times, once for each batch that you migrate. If you migrate 10 member servers, complete the test matrix for each of the 10 servers.

For a worksheet to assist you in creating a test matrix, see "Migration Test Matrix" (DSSREER_3.doc) on the Windows Server 2003 Deployment Kit companion CD (or see "Migration Test Matrix" on the Web at https://www.microsoft.com/reskit).

Figure 11.6 shows an example of a completed migration test matrix.

Figure 11.6   Example of a Completed Migration Test Matrix