Windows Server 2008 has been out for a while and has proven to be a stable operating system. Now that Microsoft has released the first "real" service pack (SP2), more companies are looking at the possibility of upgrading to Windows Server 2008. Although the coexistence of Windows Server 2008 and Windows 2003 shouldn't pose a problem, the actual server migration process can be a bit tricky. In this article, I want to talk about some of the issues that you may encounter when migrating file servers.
The file server migration process can be deceptively simple. In fact, Microsoft offers a free utility to assist you with the migration process. Even so, there is usually a lot more to performing a migration than just running a migration utility.
Hardware considerations
One of the first things to consider is whether or not you will be reusing your existing file server hardware. Keep in mind that if you deploy new server hardware, then the migration process will likely be easier -- especially if you are using the Windows Distributed File System (DFS) on your current file servers. One of the primary advantages to using new hardware is that you can leave your existing server in its current state. That way, if something goes wrong during the migration process, you can still fall back on your old server.
If you choose to reuse your existing hardware, it's important to carefully plan the operating system upgrade. This is especially true if you are using DFS or a clustering solution.
How long will the migration take?
Another major consideration is the amount of time it takes to complete the file server migration process. For instance, suppose you are not using DFS, and you want to use new hardware to host the new file server. In that situation, you can install and configure Windows Server 2008 on the new server without disrupting the users.
The File Server Migration Toolkit Microsoft has created a free download called the File Server Migration Toolkit that you can use to get around the UNC path issue for migrations to Windows Server 2003 or 2008. Full detail available here: http://searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid68_gci1353653,00.html
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