CC4 Matrix is a network architecture change, allowing the introduction of Microsoft® Windows Server® 2012R2 vanilla servers into a Community Connect® 4 (CC4) network. CC4 Matrix is ideally suited to a virtualised network (but is not a must have) as it involves the introduction of one or two new servers. This is why it is more suited to larger schools or colleges.

In essence, this is about taking what we've got at the moment where CC4 is intertwined into the Microsoft AD and separating these two key parts so that they can work more independently. CC4 will remain a 32-bit application but the Windows Server 2012R2 will be 64-bit.

• The architecture will allow greater flexibility with future Windows Server operating system changes as the Microsoft element will have a Microsoft supported upgrade or migration path. Therefore when a new version of Windows Server is released or as CC4 changes over time, neither having to wait for the other.
• The Active Directory (AD) and CC4 aspects are split so if there is a hardware issue that requires recovery, only one will be affected.

A new server running Windows Server 2012R2 Server Core Edition** is added to the network and promoted to be a domain controller. The Active Directory FSMO roles are transferred to it from the CC4 First Server. DNS and DHCP are also moved from the CC4 First server. The CC4 First server, which is currently also serving as an Active Directory domain controller, then has dcpromo run to remove Active Directory from it.

In a network with more than one CC4 domain controller, a second new server running Windows Server 2012R2 Server Core Edition is also introduced as a domain controller. All CC4 DCs are dcpromoed to remove Active Directory from them.

After the above process, the CC4 First server is still the CC4 First server, as it has all the CC4 components and the CC4 database on it. It is just no longer a domain controller and is no longer running DNS or DHCP. The new Windows Server 2012R2 servers only run Active Directory, DNS and DHCP, nothing else. They will not have any CC4 components installed and will not be visible in the CC4 Management Console. The standard Microsoft Management Consoles (MMC) can be used from the desktop of the CC4 First server enabling Active Directory, DNS & DHCP to be managed in the normal way through the familiar snap-ins.

** We also support the standard version of Windows Server 2012R2 as the domain controllers in a CC4 Matrix environment (i.e. this is the version of the operating system with the User Interface installed).