W2k3 Standard Domain to SBS

[mofusjtf]

Is it possible to migrate from a Windows Server 2003 Standard domain into SBS? I have a client that has about 13 workstations in a standard Windows domain that are inquiring about Exchange. Exchange 2007 is a lot more expensive than going with SBS.

Is it possible to just install SBS right on top of my Win2k3 Standard installation?

 

[ShackDaddy]

You can't run an upgrade on the server to SBS.

Probably the best way to transition would be to bring in your own temp box, install W2K3 server on it, add it to the domain, and make it a DC. Then migrate your file shares to it and your FSMO roles. Then demote the old server. Then format and reinstall SBS on the old server (using the same server name as before), but don't do the full SBS install. After setting the time zone stuff, there is a reboot. During that reboot, remove the installation media, and you will have a W23K server that is not SBS. Join it to the existing domain (configure DNS to point at your temp server first), and make it a DC. That will bring all the AD objects over, and then when you move forward with the SBS setup, you will have all your current AD objects in there.

My summary has left out a lot of other little things you'd need/want to do along the way and more that you'd want to do afterward, but my goal has been to give you a possible direction for doing this migration and not having to touch the workstations, except to configure them for Exchange.

For a complete how-to on this process, I highly recommend you go to

http://www.sbsmigration.com

and buy the documentation and support for the migration process. It will save you all sorts of time and hassles and you will learn a lot in the process. The documentation is meticulously complete and includes nearly every gotcha you may run into.

Dave Shackelford
Shackelford Consulting

 

[mofusjtf]

Thanks Shackdaddy. I already have the swingmigration stuff. I have used it to migrate from SBS2k to SBS2k3 on new hardware but never even thought about just 'upgrading' a W2k3 Standard AD Domain to SBS Standard. I'll look at that document more closely.

 

[Mark1977]

ShackDaddy is spot on.

I have just done one last week.
Have you seen this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884453

It works a treat. Well, I say 'a treat' and hit about 1001 Replication Errors, due (I think) to an originally badly configured DNS on the server that was being replaced.

But my main problems there were relating to Moving Exchange Mailboxes - I doubt you'll hit half the problems, because you're starting Exchange from fresh.
You just need to make sure its a Global Catalogue Server and that the FSMO Roles are Transferred.

Thanks, Mark