Developing a Test Plan for Your Migration

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2

Applies to: Active Directory Migration Tool 3.2 (ADMT 3.2)

The Active Directory Migration Tool does not include a test migration option. However, you can develop a test plan to systematically test each object after it is migrated to the new environment and identify and correct any problems that might occur. Testing to verify that your migration is successful helps ensure that users who are migrated from the source to the target domain are able to log on, access resources based on group membership, and access resources based on user credentials. Testing also helps ensure that users are able to access the resources that you migrate.

After your testing is complete, you can proceed with migrating small pilot groups and then gradually increase the size of each batch of migration objects in your production environment.

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

  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 migrate the user account, translate the user profile, and migrate the workstation of the user, 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 (LOB) 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.

      You cannot migrate every user property when you migrate user accounts. For more information about user properties that cannot be migrated, see Migrate User Accounts, later in this guide.

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 has 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 guide.

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) in the Job_Aids_Designing_and_Deploying_Directory_and_Security_Services download of the Job Aids for Windows Server 2003 Deployment Kit (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=14384).

The following illustration shows an example of a completed migration test matrix.