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sbs 2003 to 2008 std

Hi, my client has sbs 2003 and deciding if I should upgrade them to sbs 2011 or install server std 2008.

If I was to upgrade them to windows 2008 std, upgrading AD how do I update the windows sbs 2003 schema? Will this break anything? I would also need to move their mailboxes off the sbs box to the windows 2008 server with Exchange server std on?

Help please?

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mcdaddy513

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Lee W, MVP

In general I agree, but there is a problem in that SBS 2011 is only available via OEM right now and will not be available at all come January. Further, while the cut-off is 75 users, if your client is anywhere near that, then SBS is NOT the solution - you need room for the client to grow.

I would not be recommending you move to 2008. Move AT LEAST to 2008 R2 and even then, 2012 R2 is out (or about to be) and moving to at least 2012 would be better. Buying 2012 licenses grants you TWO instances of server in a VM. So the costs aren't quite as bad as mcdaddy513 (implies (as I interpret)). The migration process to Exchange 2013 from SBS 2003 would be difficult - you'd have to migrate to 2010 first) so you can go to 2010 instead of 2013 and leave 2013 for a future upgrade and/or skip it in my opinion.

As for how to migrate, since you've never done this before, you should STRONGLY consider the swing migration kit from www.swingmigration.com - it's not free but it's cheap and they provide support. One of the best parts about this method is that you don't destroy the server - if you mess up, you can start over.

mcdaddy513

I simply meant that licensing Exchange Standard +CALS is much more expensive than SBS, IF the client doesn't have a lot of users.

monarchit

ASKER

Thanks.

What do you think to the upgrade link from sbs 2003 to sbs 2011?

Also, do you know if I need SBS premium add on to allow RDS on my second server? Or will SBS standard be enough?

The second server will just be a member server in the domain running terminal services?

Also I have read up that once you have SBS 2003 and SBS 2011 running together to transfer mailboxes etc, you have to install a patch so you get the full 21 days to remove the old SBS 2003 server?

I have purchased 5 TS CALS. Is this all I need?

Thanks both for your advice and will award you guys the points.

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mcdaddy513

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monarchit

ASKER

Sorry didn't include the link

http://demazter.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/migrate-small-business-server-2003-to-small-business-server-2011/

So, can you confirm I don't need SBS 2011 premium add to have another server acting as a member server with RDS on?

Thanks

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Lee W, MVP

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monarchit

ASKER

Can you just confirm one more thing. I don't need the premium add on to have RDS services on my second server?

The premium add on PDF for SBS 2011 says it allows RDS connections but I guess that's from the SBS 2011 server itself?

Lee W, MVP

If you read the documentation, NO WHERE does it state that RDS services are only available in the premium Add-on.

The SBS server CANNOT host RDS services, but there is NO DIFFERENCE in an SBS domain's capabilities over a non-SBS domain EXCEPT in that:
1. There can be only one server running an edition of Small Business Server (SBS 2003, 2008, 2011, Essentials) for the reasons mentioned above
2. You cannot have trusts in to or out of the domain.

Otherwise an SBS domain, when you add NON-SBS servers to it, can do just about anything - clusters, certificate services, digital rights management, e-mail, databases, pretty much anything so long as it doesn't violate the FSMO holding requirements of SBS or need a trust.