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IT Interview Questions: What is the difference between Mixed mode and Native mode in AD when dealing with RRAS?
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IT Interview Questions: What is the difference between Mixed mode and Native mode in AD when dealing with RRAS?
The domain functional levels that can be set for Active Directory in Windows Server 2003 are listed below. The Windows 2000 Mixed and Windows Native domain functional levels were available in Windows 2000 to enable backward compatibility to operating systems such as Windows NT 4.0. The latter two functional levels are only available with Windows Server 2003.
Windows 2000 Mixed
: This is the default functional level implemented when you install a Windows Server 2003 domain controller. The basic Active Directory features are available when this mode is configured.
Windows 2000 Native
: In Windows 2000 Native functional level, the backup domain controllers of Windows NT is not supported as domain controllers in the domain. Only Windows 2000 domain controllers and Windows Server 2003 domain controllers are supported. The main differences between Windows 2000 Mixed and Windows 2000 Native when discussing Active Directory features is that features like group nesting, or using Universal Groups and Security ID Histories (SIDHistory) is not available in Windows 2000 Mixed, but is available in Windows 2000 Native.
Windows Server 2003 Interim
: This functional level is used when Windows NT domains are directly upgraded to Windows Server 2003. Windows Server 2003 Interim is basically identical to Windows 2000 Native. The key point to remember on Windows Server 2003 Interim is that this functional level is used when the forests in your environment do not have Windows 2000 domain controllers.
Windows Server 2003
: This domain functional level is used when the domain only includes Windows Server 2003 domain controllers.
The features available for the new Windows Server 2003 Interim and Windows Server 2003 domain functional levels are discussed later on in this article. The forest functional level can also be raised to enable additional Active Directory features. You have to though first raise the functional of domains within a forest before you can raise the forest functional level to Windows Server 2003. The domain functional level in this case has to be Windows 2000 Native or Windows Server 2003 before you raise the forest functional level. Domain controllers in the domains of the forest automatically have their functional level set to Windows Server 2003 when you raise the forest functional level to Windows Server 2003. Additional Active Directory features are immediately available for each domain in the forest.
The forest functional levels that can be set for Active Directory in Windows Server 2003 listed below.
Windows 2000
: In this forest functional level, Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 domain controllers can exist in domains.
Windows Server 2003 Interim
: Windows NT backup domain controllers and Windows Server 2003 domain controllers can exist in domains.
Windows Server 2003
: The domain controllers are all running Windows Server 2003.
Your Exchange organization is a candidate for native mode operation if you have no remaining Exchange 5.5 servers--or plans to add any--and you don't require Exchange 5.5 connectors.
Now that you know about native vs. mixed mode, you may want to start planning a switch to native mode. While making the switch isn't difficult, it's permanent. Begin testing and refining your plan for switching to native mode in a lab environment now.
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