When doing a side by side upgrade (new server is actually not going to have anything replicated over from old server so in essence, it's a new install), what is the recommended practice for switching over boundaries from the old SMS server to SCCM? Do I switch the boundaries over prior to installing the new client on PC's or after the PC's get the new client? Wouldn't I do the switch after if I am pushing out a script to the existing SMS clients (so they receive the advertisement correctly). Thanks. -R

I wouldn't push anything out from the old server. If you are starting over fresh I would uninstall the clients from the old server then push out an install from the new server which means the boudnaries need to be in-place first. If you do plan to try to reassign them from the old site to the new one there's a blog on the SCCM team site that talks about doing that. There's some caveats when doing so. http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2009/04/09/reassigning-a-configuration-manager-client-across-hierarchies.aspx John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |

The link you posted refers to Config mgr sites though and talks about keys which we don't use (unless I am reading it wrong). I have a nice script that I push out to my existing SMS clients, it changes their site code to the new SCCM server, and then I see them on my SCCM server after a few policy refreshes built into the script. I then created a collection on SCCM that contains any client version prior 4.0 and it refreshes every 15 mins to see these older clients. The advertisement goes to them and installs the new client. I have tested it on 10 PC's and it works great and has been very smooth. We are in mixed mode on both the old and new site. So back to my original question, I was just wondering though if I should be adding my boundaries prior to the new client install or after. I'm thinking after since I need to send advertisements from my SMS server to the SMS clients. If I remove the boundaries, the advertisements won't get accepted by the clients?

All SMS and/or SCCM advanced clients use those keys. You can't just reassign your sms clients to your new SCCM site without dealing with those as described in the link I posted. Since you are upgrading afterwards make sure you do so using the method described in that artcile and you will be good to go. You are correct about the boundaries, move them after you reassign the clients. John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |

Thanks. Weird that no one has mentioned this to me before (consultants and myITforum guys). The 10 PC's that I have already upgraded seem to work just fine, but I'll use this switch if you say so.

I don't say-so but Carol did in her article. I am just pointing out the article, not saying I have tested both ways and one works and the other doesn't but I would do it the way MS says. Maybe you just hired the wrong consultants (unless they were friends of mine) I am of course just kidding. ;-) John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |

Confused on when I am supposed to run this though. When the client is still in the SMS hierarchy, and I throw a advertisement to them like below? I think I might just take my chances and not do it. CCMSetup.exe RESETKEYINFORMATION = TRUE

It would be part of your upgrade from the new site. Again, I have not tested this, I always just uninstall from the old site and install from the new site so please don't just take my word for it so please test it. I just wanted to point out the article hoping to save you some headaches. John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |

Ok thanks. Will test it first if I decide to go that route. So when you say you just uninstall first and then reinstall, do you run an advertisement from your SMS site to your clients using ccmclean, and then discover them on the new site via one of the discovery methods? And then push out the software via one of the many methods? Thanks again for all the help!

do you run an advertisement from your SMS site to your clients using ccmclean, and then discover them on the new site via one of the discovery methods? And then push out the software via one of the many methods? Yes, that's what I have done in the past when moving to a new site. John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |

Ok, and what discovery method do you prefer?

AD System Discovery.John Marcum | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jmarcum |