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David Overton's Blog » How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)

I’ve spoken about migration several times now for SBS 2008.  The short answer is that migration from one box to another is vital.  If a customer wants to do migration on the same box, then this is either expensive (and a very long process) or something that requires moving the server temporarily to another system, or as I prefer, virtualising it.  Of course, SBS 2003 is not necessarily supported in a virtual environment, but since all we want to do is migrate from it, not “run it”, this should help you get over this.

The details of the process can be found in the Windows Small Business Server 2008 technical library.  One of the MOST IMPORTANT things to understand is to create the answer file.  This is covered in the migration help below:

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Migration Help  (Download)

  • Provides step-by-step instructions for migrating from Windows SBS 2003 or 2008 to Windows SBS 2008.  Last Updated on June 30, 2008

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Product Help (Download)

  • Provides step-by-step instructions for using the Windows SBS 2008 server software.  Last Updated on June 30, 2008

Downloadable documentation for Windows Small Business Server 2008

Before you start – what you need to remember

  • SBS 2008 is a 64-bit solution requiring x64 capable hardware
  • There is NO 32-bit to 64-bit “in-place” upgrade solution
  • SBS 2008 Standard is a single server solution, while SBS 2008 Premium includes the license and software for a 2nd Windows Server system (as part of the domain)
  • SBS 2008 Premium edition does NOT have ISA as part of the solution.
    • SBS 2003 Premium customers with Software Assurance will be able to “make good” their ISA licenses for a limited amount of time after SBS 2008 is released.
  • SBS 2008 Premium edition has the option to use SQL 2008 Standard edition on either server.
  • SQL 2008 can be downgraded

Migration options at high level

  1. Add a new server to existing SBS 2003 domain and either
    • Remove old SBS 2003 server
    • Purchase SBS 2008 Premium edition and make old server 2nd server using the license as part of SBS 2008 Premium edition
  2. Using the rights of Software Assurance / Full Packaged Product, move physical SBS 2003 to an virtual machine and migrate from it to the existing x64 capable hardware
    • Note that SBS 2003 running in a Virtual Machine is not supported!
  3. Load onto existing server, reloading all data and rejoining all PCs to the domain

 

Option 1 - Process to add new server

Backup up SBS 2003 server

image

Tidy up the SBS 2003 system

  • Remove unwanted software, files, users etc

image

Install the new SBS 2008 system

  • Create the answer file and install the new hardware with SBS 2008

image  image

The answer file tool looks like this:

image

Complete the setup

  • Set up web site information, security and so on
  • Be aware that the migration process is an interactive process, not a click and go process

image  image

Turn off old server

  • Confirm all client applications, printers, shares etc work

image

If you have SBS 2008 Premium edition, rebuild old server

  • Windows Server 2008 Standard or downgrade to Windows Server 2003 Standard for application compatibility reasons (x86 or x64 server)

image

Finally, share how to use SBS 2008

image

Option 2 – Move from physical to virtual to do 1 box migration

You need to do this part before you go to the steps above, starting at step 3

  1. Purchase P2V (Physical to Virtual) software, such as SCVMM or PlateSpin solution
  2. Backup SBS 2003 server
  3. Tidy up SBS 2003 server as before and remove all unnecessary files
  4. Run P2V software
  5. Turn off SBS 2003 system and re-start SBS 2003 virtual machine
  6. Continue migration process as if installing a new server

 

Option 3 – Blow away existing server and rebuild all PCs

Just don’t do this unless you really need to pretend you or your customer never had a network before!

I hope this makes sense.

 

ttfn

David

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Posted Wed, Jul 2 2008 2:06 AM by David Overton
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Comments

???????????????? SBS2003 ???? SBS 2008 ?? ?????????????????? - AboutDigital wrote ???????????????? SBS2003 ???? SBS 2008 ?? ?????????????????? - AboutDigital
on Wed, Jul 2 2008 6:17 AM

Pingback from  ???????????????? SBS2003 ???? SBS 2008 ?? ?????????????????? - AboutDigital

SBS stuff and then some... wrote SBS - Upgrades and Migration
on Wed, Jul 2 2008 3:24 PM

I was inspired by a partner who emailed me this week and said, 'The more bluntly you say "There

SBS Down Under wrote How to migrate from SBS 2003 to SBS 2008
on Thu, Jul 17 2008 10:44 PM

Great post from my colleague David Overton in the UK. There's loads more on his blog, but the nuts of

Scott Williams wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Sat, Nov 15 2008 3:19 AM

Thanks for this post.  Can you give some more details on the SCVMM option?  I imagine it would be installed on the "new" 2008 before you start installing SBS.

[email protected]

Anonymous wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Fri, Oct 16 2009 6:50 PM

Rebuilding isn't that bad.  When we went from SBS 2000 to SBS 2003 we brought up a new, separate SBS 2003 machine, I built the 2003 machine from scratch, recreating all user accounts (with the same passwords).  Basically I created a clone of the original machine is all it's settings and accounts and such.  I backed up the Exchange email on the 2000 machine to PSTs and imported them into the SBS 2003.  It all went fairly smoothly actually.  I didn't have to worry about SQL, we weren't making use of it.  Once "go time" arrived, I just unplugged the SBS 2000 and plugged in the SBS 2003 machine.  Clients were able to log in and everything, although a colleague of mine and I had to go around and work some registry magic on each and every client machine so the correct user profile came up upon login (and I don't remember what we did).

Our shop was only about 20 people at the time, no big deal really.  I was surprised how well it went.  I'm not sure if it would be as easy from 2003 to 2008 though.  ???

Chrissssah! wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Tue, Nov 10 2009 5:03 PM

Thanks for the guide.  Helped me visualise it in my mind as Microsoft's official guide:-

www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx

Is rather long and hard to digest!.

Planning on doing this on a customers site in the next two weeks so wish me luck! :D.

ian wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Fri, Jan 22 2010 1:12 PM

will this process work if your going from sbs2000 to sbs2008 and moving it to new hardware?

David Overton wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Sun, Jan 24 2010 3:37 PM

Ian,

SBS 2000 is not supported on Hyper-V, but it may well work.  However if you are moving to new hardware, look at davidoverton.com/.../migrating-sbs-2000-to-windows-sbs-2008-download-document-now-available.aspx as you do not need to go with virtualised (unless you want to) in this migration.

Thanks

David

Jules wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Wed, Feb 3 2010 10:46 AM

Could anyone comment on the succsess rate they have had using the migration method and if it failed what was the reason?

Thank you

christian wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Thu, Feb 4 2010 12:20 PM

i am about to embark on this task!

is it a mine field or does it really run smooth as the pics above?

th MS doc looks like a weeks course in its self!

David Overton wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Sat, Feb 6 2010 10:30 AM

@Christian,

There is detail at every step and you need to NOT skip any of the detail, however, it can be very simple.  Because there is a lot of FUD around, I spent a day with a group of SBSCers in Leicestershire and it took 6-7 hours to migrate a small system.

A complete customer system will take longer.  Of course, the full walkthrough is in my book!

Thanks

David

Sam De La Cruz wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Sun, Feb 21 2010 6:09 PM

How can you do this in this scenario?

PHysical SBS 2003 to Virtual SBS 2008?

How can I attach a USB drive to the new SBS installation if I am running it on VM?

Would it be easier if we convert from Physical SBS 2003 to Virtual SBS2003 then migrate to Virtual SBS 2008?

I have always used VMWare Converter and it has worked great for me. Do you recommend this too>

Roland wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Fri, Feb 26 2010 8:41 PM

I have bought David's book, and read the blogs in preperation for the migration tommorow..!

Bob C. wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Thu, Mar 18 2010 8:55 PM

I notice that nothing is mentioned of the Exchange part of the migration.  Does this take place?  Or is that an entirely different process?

Chimera wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Wed, Apr 7 2010 6:43 AM

Includes Exchange migration.

I would HIGHLY recommend you download and install this demo from Microsoft site - basically runs you through everything you need. I P2V'd SBS2003 to a VM first, then snapshotted and did the migration from that. Worked well.

www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx

mugen wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Mon, Apr 19 2010 7:54 PM

using the p2v solution is exmerge the best option for exchange, considering that the exchange db on the production machine and the virtual will be different

David Overton wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Sat, Apr 24 2010 6:08 PM

Mugen,

if you are using p2v to enable a migration then use the migration tools built into Exchange 2007 to suck the data from 2003.

Thanks

David

demazter wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Sun, May 23 2010 8:39 AM

I have written a step by step guide here on the migration process for SBS2003 to Windows 2008 R2 and Exchange 2010: demazter.wordpress.com/.../migrate-small-business-server-2003-to-exchange-2010-and-windows-2008-r2

it's based on moving from a single server to a single server but if you want ti split Exchange from the DC just perform the Exchange Steps on a different server.

Thanks

Glen

Mahomed wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Fri, Jul 16 2010 8:22 AM

Hi. Just to say thanks for this article. After a bit of research, I downloaded the SBS 2003 to SBS 2008 migration help file and followed it to the letter and my migration went well. In fact it went so well I was still waiting for the calls from users to tell me something wasn't working.

Chrissssah! wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Thu, Aug 26 2010 4:21 PM

Well the initial migration went pretty smooth all working ok after many hours of frustration ironing out bugs.

The only thing I've discovered now is when trying to upgrade exchange to sp3:-

Error:

Cannot find at least one domain controller running Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later in domain 'DC=DOMAIN,DC=local'. This could be the result of moving domain controller objects in Active Directory. Check that at least one domain controller running Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later is located in the 'Domain Controllers' organizational unit (OU) and rerun setup.

It seems there's elements of exchange 2003 knocking around in Active Directory still.  If I look in ADSIEDIT at the configuration context I can see 2 Administrative Groups:

1:) Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)

2:) first administrative group

I'm just wondering if I can get rid of the second one.

Sam wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Mon, Sep 6 2010 5:43 PM

I have a non small business server as the target and I only want to migrate the shares and file permissions. How can I accomplish this?

Sam

David Overton wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Mon, Sep 6 2010 8:56 PM

Sam,

You can add another server to the domain, create new shares, robocopy the files across, then grab the FSMOs before removing Exchange and then SBS 2003/8.  This will give you a new server with the AD and the file shares.

If you have lots of permissions etc on the shares, then you could use the migrating user files section of my book.

Thanks

David

Nathan Napier wrote re: How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Small Business Server 2008 (SBS 2008)
on Sun, Sep 12 2010 3:25 AM

i found the microsoft guide a lot of help the pics are awesome here thou... ive been awake for almost 24hrs due to mistake made by the person maintaining the network before me, i would have like it to have worked, with out all the problem the last one i have is a journal warp!

fixed via support.microsoft.com/.../en-us

it was all right to go when i started apart from  missing sp1 and see no other way but to uninstall sp2! then the peoblems started!

if there is an easyer way then what ive done id love to know as i have 4 more to do

cheers

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