Migrating from Win NT 4.0 to Win NT 5.0 in the Marine corps Enterprise Network (MCEN)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide the United States Marine Corps (USMC) with an analysis of Windows NT 5.0 Network Operating System (NOS). This analysis will assist the Network Operations Center (NOC) in preparation for the eventual migration of Windows NT 5.0 into the Marine Corps Enterprise Network (MCEN). NT 5.0 offers some significant enhancements over earlier versions. Active Directory provides a unified platform to manage NOS resources by storing user information, network shares and policies. NT File System (NTFS) version 5 permits dynamic allocation of primary storage space to each user. NT 5.0 also improves network security by incorporating use of the Kerberos Version 5 protocol, providing integrated security for authentication and file encryption. A top-down migration strategy should be incorporated by the NOC. Particularly important is how the NOC builds the Domain Naming Service (DNS) conventions for the MCEN. This will require every subordinate unit to adhere to the naming convention of its chain of command. Migrating from Banyan Vines to Windows NT presents a significant change to the organization. An effective Change Management strategy can assist members of the organization in understanding the sense of loss and uncertainty that occur in times of transition, and to deal with these changes effectively.