Copy data keeping ALL security permissions etc...

[Martstone]

Hi

New server going in, really big folder structure with various permissions, how would you copy ALL data from one to the other? Obvioulsy need to keep all permissions intact.

I read Robocopy can do it but I see so many differing switches to capture permissions

Any tools that you could recommend?

 

Ta

[Michael]

Have you considered virtualising?

[bald_pig]

robocopy should just need the /COPYALL flag to copy permissions? Edited July 23, 2020 by bald_pig
typo in flag

[Ausy]

This has worked for me on a recent move but do test it. Someone here may be able to tweak it.

 

robocopy \\Old-Server\Share \\New-Server\Share /COPYALL /E /LOG:C:\copylog1.txt /XD “RECYCLER” “Recycled” “System Volume Information” /XF “desktop.ini” /NP /TEE

 

You can use server IP addresses instead of server names.

[caffrey]

I always add a few retries and waits to that eg. /R:10 /W:30

[ricki]

Robocopy is good but you can also use DFS to replicate the folder or restore from backup

[3s-gtech]

Yeah the /COPYALL switch in Robcopy and DFS-R can both do it (though I often use Robocopy to pre-seed DFS-R as it kicks things in much quicker).

[ITGURU]

i always use this when doing transfers, keeps all permissions and date/time stamps between the folders,

 

robocopy \\source \\destination /FFT /MIR /SEC/ DCOPY:T

[Martstone]

Are you sure

robocopy \\source \\destination /COPYALL

will actually copy everything including security permissions??

[3s-gtech]

The /COPYALL flag is the same as

/COPY:DATSOU

- which is Data, Attributes, Timestamps, Security (NTFS ACLs), Owner info, Auditing info. Pretty comprehensive.

[Martstone]

Hmmm.. Cant get it to copy all sub folders with COPYALL

[bald_pig]

From SS64.com:

 

[color=#000000][font=&quot]/COPYALL : Copy ALL file info (equivalent to /COPY:DATSOU).
[/font][/color]

[bald_pig]

Hmmm.. Cant get it to copy all sub folders with COPYALL

 

Copyall is for the permissions. you'd still need /E to copy subfolders.

[k-strider]

DFS does this which is how we move files from old to new... NTFS Encrypted files dont copy though. using the DFS namespace also means people dont notice when you move the files around from server to server.