How to replace a SBS 2003 server?

[Wilma]

Hi there.
I know with normal server i'd just join the new one to the domain, promote it then demote the old one.

The problem I have is I am to replace a server with a new one. Both are running Windows 2003 SBS. As its SBS i believe i am unable to join the new server to the domain of the old one an so not able to migrate the exchange across.

Any suggestions on how this can be done please?

One thought i have is to NTBACKUP the old server then restore to the new.

Network is only 6 client PC's so maybe a new install is the way to go?

 

[wahnula]

One thought i have is to NTBACKUP the old server then restore to the new.

Unless the hardware is identical it won't work. With such a small domain I would install a fresh copy of SBS on the new machine, then import the shared folders and the individual's .pst files. That's exactly what I did when I migrated my 9-user network from NT 4.0 to SBS.

Now, I am not an SBS guru, so there may be a better plan, but this is easy, easier now (thanks to cheap 8GB flash drives) than it was when I did it in 2005.

If you know your way around Exchange (I don't )you could simply import your MBDATA store as a whole instaed of each individual user like I did. I saved the .pst files to the desktop of each machine and imported them into SBS from there...not the "guru" way but it worked!


Tony

"...an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind" - M.L. King

 

[58sniper]

http://www.swingmigration.com/

is the most recommended method.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP