Migrating servers

[marsdenprimary]

Hello!

 

We've got a new server running Server 2008 R2. Our old server, currently in operation, is running 2003. Is it possible to just blitz everything over onto the new one? Group policies, usernames etc...?

 

I was thinking if i tidy up the current one it would be simple just to send everything over to the new server.

 

Is this possible???

[VeryPC_Ed]

Hey there,

 

You could add the new server as an additional domain controller and this should then allow replication of active directory, dns, group policies etc.

 

You will need to migrate services such as DHCP etc manually.

 

Once you have everything across, you will be able to transfer roles and then demote and remove the old server from the domain if it is to be decommissioned.

 

Let me know if you need any more pointers or help with it !

[marsdenprimary]

Hey there,

 

You could add the new server as an additional domain controller and this should then allow replication of active directory, dns, group policies etc.

 

You will need to migrate services such as DHCP etc manually.

 

Once you have everything across, you will be able to transfer roles and then demote and remove the old server from the domain if it is to be decommissioned.

 

Let me know if you need any more pointers or help with it !

 

That sounds more simple than i imagined...! ) My only fear is relating to the SIMS stuff and files and folders but can this be done last?

 

My next question is- can this all be done while the school is open...?

[VeryPC_Ed]

Hi there,

 

I've no experience with SIMS so I can't help you there but I would check documentation (better yet someone else from here can answer) as I know some software such as SQL (if i remember correctly) doesn't like being installed on a domain controller but will happily work if the box is promoted to one.

 

You can add the other server as domain controller while everything is still running and this shouldn't cause any issues.

 

Migrating services I would leave to after hours, especially if you are unsure (plenty of time to take it steady then !).

[shadowx]

You can (in theory, I accept no responsibility!) set up the new domain controller during school time, this will then automatically sync the data, I would then wait a day or two to make sure the new server is stable (having two DCs is better than one anyway!) then once everything checks out leave it until as late as possible and send around an email a day before to tell staff to log out before 4pm (or whenever you like) then just shut the old server down. This should then force the new server to act as the sole DC, give it a week or so and if everything still works as expected you can reboot the old server, demote it so that it cleanly removes itself and job done!

 

I wouldn't install SIMS or SQL on the same machine though... that's far too many fragile, fragile eggs in one very unstable basket! Use the old server as your SQL/SIMS server, that's my advice! Can't help with that side of things though.

[DavidIrwin]

When migrating domain controllers it is VERY important to remember to migrate the FSMO roles before you try to demote the old server. I will not post instructions as there are loads of guides in these forums and on Technet if you search for "Migrate FSMO Roles".

 

If you are struggling PM me and I will sent you specific instructions.

 

Dave

[Davit2005]

You'll need to update the schema on the 2003 DC to 2008 R2 before you add the 2008 R2 as a DC. There are plenty of guides from Microsoft giving upgrade paths (as others have said) as well as transfer the master roles over before you get rid of the old DC.

 

Is this their only server, does it hold any shares etc.

[marsdenprimary]

You'll need to update the schema on the 2003 DC to 2008 R2 before you add the 2008 R2 as a DC. There are plenty of guides from Microsoft giving upgrade paths (as others have said) as well as transfer the master roles over before you get rid of the old DC.

 

Is this their only server, does it hold any shares etc.

 

We've got a new physical server and I want to transfer everything from the old one onto it. The old server has shares etc... and SIMS. I do have access to a company who will migrate SIMS as we have a service contract with them but that's as far as it goes.

[zag]

We've got a new physical server and I want to transfer everything from the old one onto it. The old server has shares etc... and SIMS. I do have access to a company who will migrate SIMS as we have a service contract with them but that's as far as it goes.

 

Its a pretty bad idea to run SQL server on the same machine as a DC.

 

Personally I would run Hyper-V and a separate domain controller.

 

Migrating all that to a single new machine would be very difficult!

[marsdenprimary]

We've been running SQL server on the same machine as a DC for years it seems...!!

[VeryPC_Ed]

It works but isn't recommended, as zag mentioned if you have a license of server 2008 R2, running Hyper-V and putting SQL on it's own VM would be ideal as this will be the best case for performance, security, redundancy (VM is hardware agnostic) and management imo. Edited September 6, 2012 by VeryPC_Ed

[marsdenprimary]

It works but isn't recommended, as zag mentioned if you have a license of server 2008 R2, running Hyper-V and putting SQL on it's own VM would be ideal as this will be the best case for performance, security, redundancy (VM is hardware agnostic) and management imo.

 

I don't really understand what that is or how to do it unfortunately...!

[VeryPC_Ed]

Hyper-V is Microsofts Virtualization technology, essentially (in basic terms) it allows you to chop up a physical machine and run multiple 'Virtual Machines'.

 

Depending on the specification of your server and the license you guys have, you could potentially have that server running a few different virtual servers, so you could have say the following..

 

1st Server - Domain Controller (not primary domain controller- potential catch 22 situation if you have problems)

2nd Server - SQL Server

 

etc etc

 

For example, as has been mentioned in the thread, having SQL on a seperate server (maybe your old one) or on a virtual machine would be the best bet as one example would be that SQL is quite resource intensive and could cause performance issues on a server which is providing other applications.

 

If you want any advice on virtualization etc, feel free to give me a call and I'd be happy to give you some more info.

[zag]

Yeh basically you could have 1 or 2 physical machines and as many "virtual" machines as you wanted on them.

 

This makes disaster recovery or migrating servers much easier in the future. It really is the way forward.

 

I would hate to think my entire organization relied on 1 PC with ALL the software on...