Best Microsoft ADMT Migration Alternatives: Complete Explanation

Microsoft ADMT (Active Directory Migration Tool) is an easy-to-use tool for migrating Active Directory objects between domains or forests. However, it has its own limitations and drawbacks. Therefore, it becomes essential for organizations to find alternative ADMT solutions. Which can provide better features, flexibility and support for almost all operating systems.

In this write-up, we are going to discuss some of the best Microsoft ADMT alternatives. After evaluating their features, advantages, technical aspects and use cases. Though before getting into this directly, let’s have a quick glimpse of the Microsoft ADMT solution. Then we will discuss its limitations and drawbacks. 

All About Microsoft ADMT Tool – Step By Step Guide

Microsoft ADMT version 3.2 (ADMT v3.2) migrates objects and restructures tasks within an Active Directory Domain Service (AD DS) environment. With ADMT v3.2, you can efficiently migrate users, groups, and computers between AD-DS domains in separate forests (inter-forest migration) or within the same forest (intra-forest migration). 

Additionally, ADMT can handle security translation, enabling the migration of local user profiles during inter-forest migrations.

However, it is essential to be aware that this tool has some known issues and is currently under limited support. 

Before using ADMT, it is strongly advised to thoroughly review the ADMT Known Problems and Support Statement. By doing so, you can understand the potential challenges and limitations associated with the tool and make informed decisions accordingly.

Let’s Discuss the Problems and Support Statement Issues By Microsoft

ADMT, the Active Directory Migration Tool, was originally released as a free download to facilitate the migration to Windows 2000/Windows Server 2003-era operating systems. However, it hasn’t been updated to support more recent operating systems. 

The following operating systems are not supported by ADMT:

• Windows 11
• Windows 10
• Windows 8.1
• Windows Server 2022
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2012 R2

If you attempt to run ADMT on any of the unsupported operating systems mentioned above, you will encounter the following known issues:

1. ADMT can’t migrate user profiles from operating systems that are later than Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 to other operating systems. Similarly, it can’t migrate user profiles to operating systems that are later than Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 from older operating systems.
2. ADMT isn’t compatible with the secure defaults used by modern operating systems.
3. ADMT hasn’t been tested together with later versions of Microsoft SQL Server. If you use ADMT in such circumstances, you might encounter incompatibilities or other issues.

It is essential to note that using ADMT on unsupported operating systems or unsupported configurations may lead to unpredictable results and potential issues during the migration process. 

Several Pre-Requisite to Run Microsoft ADMT

1. System Requirements for ADMT v3.2:

• • Supported Operating Systems:
    •  Windows Server 2008
    •  Windows Server 2008 R2
    •  Windows Server 2012
    •  Windows Server 2012 R2
• Installation Compatibility:
  • ADMT can be installed on any computer capable of running the Windows Server 2008 operating system or later unless they are Read-only domain controllers or in a Server Core configuration.
• Pre-Requisite for Target Domain:
  • The target domain must be running one of the following operating systems:
    • Windows Server 2008
    • Windows Server 2008 R2
    • Windows Server 2012
    • Windows Server 2012 R2
• Pre-Requisite for Source Domain:
  • The source domain must be running one of the following operating systems:
    • Windows Server 2008
    • Windows Server 2008 R2
    • Windows Server 2012
    • Windows Server 2012 R2
• ADMT Agent Compatibility:
  • The ADMT agent, installed by ADMT on computers in the source domains, can operate on computers running the following operating systems:
    • Windows XP
    • Windows Vista
    • Windows Server 2008
    • Windows 7
    • Windows Server 2008 R2
    • Windows Server 2012
    • Windows Server 2012 R2

Now it becomes quite evident from the above why users seek ADMT alternatives. Let’s discuss it in detail.

Best Microsoft ADMT Migration Alternatives in 2023

SysTools AD Migration Tool is one of the most popular and reliable alternatives to Microsoft ADMT.  It comes with an intuitive and user-friendly interface that further streamlines even the complex task of Active Directory object migration. Additionally, for non-technical users, the tool’s intuitive design ensures smooth learning and, completely eliminates the need for extensive training or expert assistance. 

It supports a wide range of migration scenarios, making it suitable for various business needs. Whether you are performing domain migrations, OU migrations, or subdomain migrations, the tool can handle them all. Moreover, it also ensures a reliable transfer of users, groups, computers, and other objects while maintaining data integrity throughout the migration.

It offers two types of re-run migration options – Retry the failed and Delta SyncUP. It is compatible with several operating systems, including Windows 10 and 11 OS, 64-bit versions, as well as Windows Server 2012, R2, 2016, and 2019.

Features Offered –

• Migrates users, printers, groups, contacts, computers, and shared folders to the destination Active Directory domain.
• Provide an option to create a mapping between source and destination Active Directory.
• It is capable of migrating one or more Active Directory Domains in one go.
• Also migrates the Active Directory user’s passwords as well.
• Compatible with Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016 & 2019 versions.

Must Read: Stepwise Instructions On How to Create a Microsoft 365 Group

Step By Step Way to Operate the Software

Here are the rewritten steps for using the tool mentioned in the context:

Step 1. Download and launch the tool on your computer from the below buttons.

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Step 2. Use administrator as the user ID and Password on the login screen.

Step 3. After logging in, click on the “Register Domain Controller” button.

Step 4. Now, enter the Domain Name and IP Address of the source domain controller. Then click on the “Save & Continue” button.

Step 5. Next, enter the destination Active Directory Domain Name and IP Address. Now click on the “Save & Continue” button.

Step 6. Click on the source Domain and provide credentials in the “Info” tab. Click on the “Save & Validate” option.

Step 7. Now, navigate to the Active Directory section and click on the “Fetch Active Directory Objects” option. This action will fetch all the source Active Directory Domain Objects.

Step 8. Click on the destination Domain and enter credentials in the “Info” tab. Click on the “Save & Validate” option.

Step 9. Navigate to the Active Directory Tab and click on the “Fetch Active Directory Objects” option. This will display the destination AD objects.

Step 10. Go to the Migration Section and click on the “Create Migration Scenario” option.

Step 11. Assign a name and select the Source and Destination Domain. Click on “Save & Continue.”

Step 12. Create a Task and select the required workload from the given options such as User, Printer, Computer, Group, Shared Folder, and Contact.

Step 13. On this screen, you will see all the AD Objects present in the source domain. Click on the Three Dots in front of any object to map it to the Destination.

Step 14. After selecting the object, choose whether you want to Overwrite, Merge, or Create a new file. Click on the “Select” button.

Step 15. Click on the “Start” button to migrate Active Directory users to the new domain.

Also Read: How to Migrate Computers from One Domain to Another With PowerShell?

Conclusion

Whenever organizations undergo digital transformations, the need for efficient and secure Active Directory migrations becomes increasingly vital. While Microsoft ADMT has been a reliable tool for the selective workload, however, its incompatibility and limitations do not make it the prime choice of users. 

Hence, it becomes compulsory to explore ADMT alternatives that can offer added benefits and comprehensive migration requirements. Whether you are conducting a simple domain consolidation or a complex sub-domain OU migration, the ADMT alternative mentioned in this article offers a variety of features to suit your needs.