Migrate actively used 2003 server to 2011

[JS4949]

thread1780-1644310

If I follow the migration documentation to go from 2003 SBS to 2011 SBS, are the users going to be knocked offline or even know what's going on.?

The reason I ask this is because if something goes astray, I don't want any troubles accessing the old server.


Thanks
Jon

 

[ShackDaddy]

No. There is a single reboot of the source server required at the very beginning of the process, but that's it.

When you are moving mailboxes to the new server, 2-3 users at a time will be unable to access their mail while their mailboxes are "in flight".

I recommend breaking the migration up into stages. Just give yourself 2-3 days per chunk so that you aren't making a lot of changes all at onces. So 1) mail and public folders, 2) file shares 3) redirected docs, 4) printers, 5) LOB apps. You get the idea. That way you only have to troubleshoot one thing at a time.

When it comes time to change the drive mappings to point to the new server, I would advise using Group POlicy to do that, and to set the source server shares to read-only so that users could see that information if they need to, but won't be making any changes to that data.

I've done more than 40 of these projects, so feel free to bring any questions you have to the forum.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[JS4949]

All this server is, is to host a proprietary software named MCM from a company by the name LifeLine Communications. We also install ACT 4.0 on it (Yes I know its old...Cant teach an old dog new tricks)

This company will be RDP into the server to do the install and with the maintenance agreement, they will have access to it.

So basically all this server has is MCM, ACT and Citrix with I think 3 CAL's

I have it all setup, I'm thinking at this point to just leave it as is and work with what I have. Thoughts?

 

[ShackDaddy]

If the vendor has admin rights on the server, they can remote in using native Windows RDP, and not worry about Citrix.

If you feel like you can keep the hardware running, I'd just stick with what you have. Also, if you did get new hardware, you might just want to move this install over as a virtual machine and still not bother with upgrading it.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net

 

[JS4949]

Ok so I need advice then from someone who has done this MANY times.

This existing server is a Proliant Gen 5 server. It has issues, hence the new hardware. Either way I have to use this new hardware for its intended purpose.

1. Do I keep going with what I have and maybe just get an updated Citrrix Presentation server (XenApp 5?)
Or do I clone the old server to these new HDD's and get it working at way?

The problem lies is, I guess I misunderstood CALs and that there was a difference between normal CAL and RDS CALS. (Why do they have to be SOOOOO expensive? Really!?!?!?) With that misunderstanding, I though terminal services that are included did what Citrix did. I guess I was wrong. The existing system (software and setup) works good enough, it only needs new H/W.

Honestly, I have no idea where to go at this point. I'm out of my realm but am struggling to understand as this is what I enjoy.

 

[ShackDaddy]

Install Windows 2012 R2 on your new hardware. Add the HyperV role.

Convert the corrent SBS server to a VM and run in on that server. There are several paths to get there. The path I usually take is to back all the volumes with StorageCraft ShadowProtect and then convert the backups to VHDX files, then run the HIR tool against them and build the VM out of them. Probably a three hour process, depending on the size of the volumes on the existing server.

Since you get licenses to run two VMs with Windows 2012, you still have one more VM you can set up. Just don't do anything with the host (hardware) OS besides hosting the HyperV environment. Don't make it a DC. Don't set up file shares on it, etc. Maybe set up the second VM to run SBS 2011 if you already bought the licenses, and gradually migrate things from one VM to the other.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net