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Migrate from SBS Server 2003 to Server 2008 Standard Edition / Exchange 2010

I need to migrate from a Windows Small Business Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition with Exchange 2010. What are the best practices? Should I use ADMT? Should I join the server to the SBS domain, then migrate roles? What should I do?
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Manpreet SIngh Khatra
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You can simply join the server to the current SBS domain, then migrate roles? (AD and Exchange) .... move all FSMO DNS Exchange whatever ... migrate Users and PF and then decommission the Old box with graceful removal.

- Rancy
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Won't the SBS Server shutdown if there is another DC?
Migrating to Windows Small Business Server 2008 from Windows Small Business Server 2003
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=4023
This is Small Business to Small Business server. I need to migrate from Small Business server to Windows Standard Edition.
Migrate to Windows Small Business Server 2008 from Windows Small Business Server 2003
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/sbs-2008-2003-migration%28WS.10%29.aspx

Install Windows Small Business Server 2008 in Migration Mode for Windows SBS 2008 migration This section explains how to use the migration answer file to install Windows SBS 2008 on the destination server in migration mode.

Check this as well if you want
Please provide best migration practice/process info on SBS 2003 to SBS 2008
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/26639508/Migration-SBS-2008.html


- Rancy
Unless you have a compelling reason not to, you can join the new machine to the existing domain and migrate each role as you need to. However there are a few notes to keep in mind:

1) why 2008? Why not 2008 R2. Mainstream support for 2008 ends in July 2013, only a year away. Migrations are time intensive. Do you really want to migrate to a system that is out of support in a year?!?

2) the exchange team strongly discourages exchange on a DC. There are plenty of gotchas and patching issues. If you can, go with two servers.

3) Have you considered SBS 2011? It has 2008 r2 and exchange 2010 under the hood and the SBS team manages and fixes the gotchas mentioned in #2

4) finally, regardless of which platform you go with, keep in mind that SBS 2003 will start a 7-day shutdown timer the moment you migrate the FSMO roles from it to a new DC. You shoild save that migration step as your very last if at all possible.

-Cliff
Sorry, maybe I don't understand. I am not migrating to Small Business Server 2008. I am migrating to Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition. Will these same techniques work?
cgaliher,

1) It is R2. I simply did not disclose.

2) We will look into it.

3) We need multiple DCs and a backup Exchange server, hence the move to Standard Edition

4) SBS 2003 will shutdown in 7 days? Not every 1, 2, 3 hours? I plan to migrate in a single weekend.

Thanks!
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Manpreet SIngh Khatra
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SBS gives a 7 day grace period before it starts shutting down. This was by design specifically for migrations. Once that gave period ends it will shut down hourly. So, as I said, keep the FSMO roles with SBS until you are certain you can decommission it within 7 days.

As far as needing two DCs and an exchange server, unless you can run THREE servers ( dc1, dc2, and exchange) then I'd still recommend SBS 2011. SBS 2011 on one server and a second server as another DC would meet your goals,keep your server count down, be significantly less expensive, and easier to support long term considering SBS makes managing exchange on a DC much easier.

-Cliff