Important:
If Active Directory replication of the schema preparation changes has not completed, an error occurs. Wait for replication to complete or force replication before running the Prep Forest wizard.

You might want to decide where to store global settings before starting this procedure. If connectivity to the root domain is unreliable, select the Configuration partition. For details about selecting the location, see Deciding Where to Store Global Settings.

The Prep Forest wizard requires that you specify the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) domain to be used for default routing. The default SIP domain is used to construct the server SIP Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), which in the simplest form is <ServerFQDN>@ <DefaultSIPDomainFQDN>. The wizard identifies a default SIP domain as follows:

You must be a member of the EnterpriseAdmins group for the forest root domain to perform this procedure.

Tip:
For a description of the universal groups and the global settings and objects created by forest preparation, see Changes Made by Forest Preparation.
Important:
If you are currently using Office Communications Server 2007 and the forest preparation for Office Communications Server 2007 R2 fails, the rollback might remove access control lists (ACLs) that are required for Office Communications Server 2007 to work properly. If this problem occurs, run Office Communications Server 2007 forest preparation again to restore the missing ACLs, and then run forest preparation for Office Communications Server 2007 R2.

To prepare the forest

  1. From the Office Communications Server installation folder or CD, run SetupEE.exe (for Enterprise Edition server consolidated configuration) or SetupSE.exe (for Standard Edition server) to start the deployment tool.

  2. Click Prepare Environment.

  3. Click Prepare Active Directory.

  4. At Prep Forest, click Run.

  5. On the Welcome to the Forest Preparation Wizardpage, click Next.

  6. On the Select Location to Store Global Settingspage, do one of the following:

    • To store settings in the configuration partition, click Configuration partition. This is the recommended location.

    • To store settings in the System container of the root domain, click System container in the root domain. Select this location only if all sites have very good network connectivity to root domain controllers.

  7. On the Location of Universal Groupspage, under Domain, select the domain where you want to create the groups used by Office Communications Server, and then click Next.

  8. On the SIP domain used for default routingpage, select the SIP domain that you want to use for default routing.

    Note:
    Keep the suggested default SIP domain, use the list to select another existing domain as the default SIP domain, or type in a new domain FQDN for the default SIP domain.
  9. On the Ready to Prepare Forestpage, review your current settings before clicking Next.

  10. On the Forest Preparation Wizard has Completedpage, click View Log.

  11. Under the Actioncolumn, expand Forest Prep, look for <Success>Execution Result at the end of each task to verify that forest preparation completed successfully, close the log, and then click Finish.

  12. Wait for Active Directory replication to complete, or force replication to all domain controllers listed in the Active Directory Sites and Servicessnap-in for the forest root domain controller, before running domain preparation. Force replication between the domain controllers in all Active Directory sites to cause replication within the sites to occur within minutes.