Migrate from SBS 2003 to Full Server

[pjscott13]

We have approx 60 users and are rapidly out-growing the Small Business Server environment. We are practically set to move to Windows Server.

Our plan is to add an additional Domain Controller. This domain controller will be on a Windows Server 2003 R2 server, so I am told that we need to prep the SBS DC for an R2 Domain Controller.

Our SBS Server is not running R2, and will also require the upgrade to R2 before we can transition to full Windows Server.

My question: Do we install R2 on the SBS server first, then add the additional domain controller... or just follow the steps for preparing the SBS server for an R2 DC then upgrade after the additional DC is in place?

My preference would be to get the 2nd DC in first... i think more so that I can start moving some of the responsibilities off the SBS server before hand... and have a backup of the AD Database.

Your thoughts are appreciated!

 

[noveyron]

http://www.sbsmigration.com

is generally accepted as the most cost effective way of doing it for companies your size.

 

[ShackDaddy]

It's my understanding that you do NOT need to upgrade the SBS box to R2 before deploying an R2 server as an additional DC. I don't think that R2 adds any AD schema changes.

That being said, I would highly recommend spending $200 for the detailed plan at sbsmigration, not for an SBS-to-SBS migration, but for an SBS-to-nonSBS, which involves migrating the AD and Exchange and then "removing the bolts" that lock things into an SBS world.

The other option, if you want to save a significant amount of money, is that you should look into buying the Transition Pack, which takes the lid off of SBS and allows you to migrate SQL and Exchange roles to other servers if you like, or not, but also removes the limit on number of users and allows you to move some of the roles to other DC's, even removing the DC role from the original server if you choose. The other nice thing about this is that many of the unique SBS features still work, like RWW and other things. This is actually the route that I'd recommend you take. The cost of the Transition Pack is typically the difference between what you paid for SBS and what you would have paid for each retail component, so basically a $650 savings off of barebones Exchange and Windows server, plus CALs.

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[ShackDaddy]

BTW, Transition Pack is a Microsoft product with its own SKU. I didn't want to make it sound like it was something you'd buy at SBSMigration.

***Just make sure you buy the TP that matches your server's service pack level, so SP1 if you have SP1. There's a version for R2 as well, so don't buy the R2 pack unless you've already upgraded your SBS to R2, which I don't think you'd need to do. And you buy "Transition CALs" to upgrade your SBS CALs to CALs that support both Server and Exchange...

Here's Transition Pack documentation. There's no significant difference between the process of transitioning between R2 and non-R2.
[link]http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=bbcf7319-4947-4fd2-a2ea-145588765e68&displaylang=en[/url]

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[pjscott13]

Thanks everyone for your posts! We have already investigated the MS Transition Pack and this is the method we will be using for the migration. Unfortunately, we were unable to purchase a Transition Pack from our supplier for SP1... we had to purchase the R2 upgrade and then the Transition pack for SBS R2. It is all on order now and we are waiting for it to come in. I am hoping that it all goes smoothly!

 

[LWComputingMVP]

Well, since you already bought it, this might be pointless... but Microsoft is releasing a new product designed for businesses who outgrow SBS. Essential Business Server (EBS) is for 25-300 users. It uses Server 2008 and includes 3 server licenses (for the standard product). It's not released yet, but it's coming soon...

-Lee

Those who ask why, learn

http://www.lwcomputing.com

 

[pjscott13]

I had heard about EBS, but unfortunately, I don't think we will be able to wait that long. We estimate that the 75 user limit would be reached by the end of this year! thanks for the post though!

 

[LWComputingMVP]

The product is due BEFORE the end of this year. I don't have exact release dates, but I'd expect it in 3-5 months.

-Lee

Those who ask why, learn

http://www.lwcomputing.com

 

[ShackDaddy]

Also, note the difference between your licences and your "active licenses". I'm helping a consultant out who has a client with 80 users who is waiting for EBS. We bought 80 licenses (not my idea) but could only install 75. Only 54 of the licenses are "in use" for some reason, and that number is creeping up a bit daily as they bring those 80 users online. I know that at least 70 are active daily users, there's about a 15-user discrepancy between that and the current active license count. I'm banking on being able to migrate them to EBS when it comes out and beat the creep of active licenses before it reaches 75...

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[pjscott13]

Hey Dave,

Thanks.... I am already aware of that. We have just under 90 users connecting to our SBS box already but whenever I check our Active License, the most I have ever seen it is close to 60. It was decided to be more proactive on the impeding license issue. Plus we also want to move all of the services on to separate servers to provide better performance to the potential 120 users we will have by the end of the this calendar year.

 

[LWComputingMVP]

Just in case you weren't aware - that's the idea behind EBS - it has 3-4 servers (depending on the version purchased) which split off things.

-Lee

Those who ask why, learn

http://www.lwcomputing.com