We are installing a new server in our small office. Currently we have 10 computers and user accounts in our SBS 2003 domain. We just received a new server with 2012 Essentials on it, along with 2 new computers. The other 8 computers will continue to be used.
My question is - what is the best method to install this new server? Should we do a migration or just set up the domain from scratch? It's my understanding the old server must be brought up to date with patches and service packs before a migration, and since that can be a bit time-consuming and subject to other things going wrong, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be faster and cleaner to start from scratch. The existing server has not been kept up to date with patches and service packs.
We have a very basic domain, with just QuickBooks and a couple of other financial programs being run on the server, namely Lacerte & HD Vest. And there's some basic file shares.
Any advice is appreciated.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj200112.aspx