Swing it or new install- Opinions please 2

[noveyron]

Hi

I have a potential client, running SBS2K, 11 clients, approx 40 gig of data, want to migrate to a new SBS2k3 server.

He has installed Outlook 2000 the 2k server. I am not keen to migrate any "nasties" across to the new system.

In your opinion, should I press on and do the swing migration, or do a clean install, given the small number of clients ?

PS he has 2 W98 clients, I am guessing that this will cause some issues too?

TIA
NV

 

[58sniper]

Swing it, but don't put Outlook on the new server.

98 isn't an issue, since it's not technically joined to the domain.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[ShackDaddy]

If you "swing" it, you will basically just be pulling the AD and the mail over, and keeping the same servername and domain name. Any other programs or "nasties" currently on the 2K system would not be "swung." The Outlook issue relates to a .dll, not to AD data, so that shouldn't be an issue. The goal of a good swing is to have the server migration be transparent to the clients, so I don't think it would matter to the Win98 client, as long as it still has the AD-client add-on installed. It should still be able to access network shares and printers as it currently does.

Your first swing (using the sbsmigration.com Swing Kit ideally) will take a little time, but for at least 80% of that time, your existing network will stay online. You would take the existing server offline only to replace it with the new server that is already fully configured to take its place. Once you've gotten familiar with how swing works, 1) you'll want to do it again in the future, and 2) it won't take quite as long.

All in all, for your environment, I'd say the two options would likely take the same amount of time, given that you have to migrate all the clients and their profiles if you don't swing.

Personally, I'd recommend swinging it just for the education it will give you and the prep you'll get for larger networks. When you later swing a network with 50 clients in four locations, you'll be so glad you were familiar with the process and didn't have to mess with clients and profiles.

Lastly, don't try to swing without having a good walkthrough at your fingertips. There aren't any walkthrough's as good as the one Jeff Middleton at SBSMigration has put together, so I'd go with that one. The cost is minor compared to the knowledge and confidence it will give you.

Dave Shackelford
MCSE, CCNA, Microsoft MVP: Exchange
Shackelford Consulting

 

[noveyron]

Thanks Pat and Dave for your input, looks like a swing it then!

I have used the swing it kit twice already and found it to be an excellent piece of kit, well worth the money. Suppoprt from Jeff is top quality too.

NV