I am migrating SCCM 2007 from an on-site hosted solution to an in-house solution. This requires me to replace all of the servers, as we do not own the current servers. I believe I have all of the steps worked out to migrate all of our existing clients from one hierarchy to the other, except one. I have read conflicting documentation as to whether the new SCCM Primary server I build, which will become the new Central Primary, should be placed as a child to the existing Central Primary or as a Parent to the existing Central Primary. The goal is to replicate the current database information to the new Central Primary then decommission the old Central Primary. Following this, I would repeat the process with the old Child Primary and a new Child Primary. The add new Secondary servers and migrate boundaries and clients. Can some one confirm which way is the proper way to add in my new Central Primary? Also, please confirm that the new Child Primary should be added in the same manner. Thanks, Rob

Take a look at that website : http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/configurationmanager/en/us/sms.aspx Should bring all the answers you could have. If you want to replicate the collections and packages then the new site should be placed as a child. But if you plan to replicate the inventory datas then the new site should be placed as a parent.

You have to add the new server as a child to the current one (collections, advertisements, packages etc will be replicated down that way). Adding it as a parent results in getting clients (hinv, discovery etc) replicated up.

Hi, Here are the basic steps for your reference: 1. Build new SCCM Server (new site name and site code). 2. Attach new SCCM site as a child site to the existing SCCM site 3. Let all objects replicate down. 4. Break the relationship between the two site servers. 5. Remove that boundary from the old SCCM site. 6. Add that boundary to the new SCCM site. 7. Reassign clients to the new site server.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

I am more concerned with not having to reinstall the clients. The managed solution is not heavy on collections, packages or advertisements so I think that I could lose that and not be too concerned. But, I would like to keep the 4,000+ clients attached and not have to re-install. So, I take from this comment that I should put it above the existing central server to keep the clients and related data. Correct? When I put in the new primary server and secondaries below this and begin to remove boundaries from the secondary servers and move them to the new secondaries, will the clients update themselves with the new site code or do I have to do something like this: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc146558.aspx? Thanks, Rob

Can you elaborate on step 7? Do you mean something like this: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc146558.aspx? Or will they update to the new SCCM site by following the boundary when it is removed from the old server and added to the new? Thanks, Rob

Clients will never re-assign themselves to a new site in ConfigMgr. And they cannot be assigned to secondaries, only primaries. You have to reassign them since you will install a new server (step #1 from Eric's reply) with a new sitecode.

I am aware that they cannot be assigned to secondaries, I was referring to moving the boundary from the old to the new secondary. So, I will need to use a script such as the one listed above (the link I provided) to reassign them? Or is there another way?

You can reassign clients using GPO, script or client push.