I've been reading about migration to 2012 R2 Essentials (from SBS 2003 R2) and wondering if it would be easier for me to just start from scratch.

I've already moved our exchange to office 365, so that takes care of that complication.

We have a total of 4 users, so I'm thinking it might be simpler, or at least as easy, to just start from scratch with a fresh install.

Opinions welcome.

Thanks.

No brainer, 4 users, start from scratch.

Is the migration a hassle for 4 users?

I can also keep the same domain name, if I start from scratch, correct?

You start from scratch when you are not bothered about user profile and data.

Migration to 2012 R2 essentials is similar to the migration you do for a standard server.

Install the OS.

Join it to the existing domain.

Transfer the FSMO roles. Simple.

This is the simplest migration.

but if you think starting from scratch is more easier for you, go ahead and do that.  

Hey Jason,

You can do either,  both are pretty simple.  For the migration, there is a few more steps.  Here is the step by step TechNet article to migrate to 2012 Essentials R2. Migrate to Essentials 2012 R2.  Since you have already migrated to Office 365, you can consider those steps complete. 

If you have additional questions when doing these steps, please let us know.

I have sucessfully used these steps for a migration from SBS 2003 to Essentials 2012, for 4 users, and it took about 5 hours,  due to the moving data and such.

If you do decide to do a fresh install,  you can preserve the data, just not the user profiles. If you want to use the same domain name,  I would suggest the following:

1. Take all the workstations out of the domain.

2. Backup all the data on the server to a USB HDD.  I would recommend Richcopy found here.

3. Shut down the SBS server and remove it from the network.

4. Do the initial install of Essentials 2012,  creating the new domain with the same domain name.

5. Add the users and computers back to the domain.

6. Copy all the data from the USB HDD to the server in the folder structure you want to use moving forward.

There are benefits for doing a fresh install or a migration, you really have to weigh those benefits against each other, and decide which direction you want to go.

What are the main benefits of a fresh install, in your opinion?

Thanks.

The biggest benefit I see starting from scratch is you know exactly what has been done to the domain. This is less of a concern when you have been managing the domain since the SBS 2003 got installed, but if you inherited the network,  there may be rouge GPO's or strange OU's/User accounts that you don't know what they are for. With a fresh install, all of these go away.

Also, with a fresh domain, if you want to make changes, such as the user name scheme (going from first.last to initiallastname) is much easier to do.  Again, the biggest benefit is you are starting clean, and setting up the domain per your standards. 

I have yet to see anyone migrate from 2003.  All I have seen is problems and none are marked answered.

I would save time and trouble and just do a fresh install.  You will have to rejoin the clients

Adding that profiles can be copied into the new profiles by the local or domain admin.  Adding that if there is a lot of data you can copy it to an external drive then to the new server with robocopy ahead of time.  Robocopy ONLY copies the new changed data so on the cutover day there is very little to add/move to the new server.  You could already have done users/shares/permssions on the new server so all that would be left is to disjoin old - join new and copy profiles from old_profile to new_profile once the stations are joined to the domain.

.

That sounds like what I have in mind, Larry.  I should be able to do most of the setup beforehand and have minimal stuff left on the day of.

Robocopy vs Richcopy.... opinions on the difference?  I don't believe I've used either.

Reading this now:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx

• Edited by JasonPiercey 13 hours 12 minutes ago

Richcopy is a GUI, Robocopy is a CLI.  The commands are interesting and there are dozens.  But in its simple format the command is:

robocopy a: b:  /s

That would copy everything from a to b including subdirectories.  Add switches as you desire.

Reading this now:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx

• Edited by JasonPiercey Thursday, June 25, 2015 5:49 PM

I see that RichCopy has a verify option built in.  I'm wondering how I've lived this long without RichCopy, what a great addition to the tool box!  Copied 93gb in about 2 hours.

I've decided to start from scratch for 2012 install, should have new box in house today, so I can get started.

Quick question:  Can I hook up this new box to the existing SBS network just to install updates etc..?  Or does installing 2012 require domain setup, which would prevent me from using the same domain name as the existing server?

Thanks.

Just cancel the essentials wizard to prevent domain setup and do your windo

• Edited by JasonPiercey Thursday, July 02, 2015 8:05 PM

Anyone have thoughts on this issue?

I'm in the same boat as JasonPiercey, trying to decide the best approach, but with 15 users.  Like Jason, I've already offloaded Exchange to Office 365.

The major difference for us is that we also have a a W2K8R2 box on the domain running SQL Server 2008R2 Standard.  If I decide to start from scratch and just recreate users in WSE2012R2 and then join the W2K8 box to the WSE domain, am I asking for trouble with SQL database ownership and permissions?

Thanks for any input.

You would be better served by starting a new thread and add if the 8r2 box is the only other server, is it t

Larry - you saw my other post from yesterday and commented.  Thanks for that.  I am now mid-migration and having a difficult time with the replica domain controller.  Problems with SYSVOL replication.  I'm not an advanced DC and GP expert so this is challenging for me.  I am thinking perhaps the clean install of Server 2012 R2 would be better.  I only have 8 clients systems.  I am migrating to new hardware.  I see how I could transition to a clean install and not go down the rabbit hole any further...  I really only have a few concerns that I was hoping you would comment on:

1) Domain name - should I configure a new domain name on the new server, or use the same as the old?

2) User profiles - on the client machines, the user profiles for the old domain would need to be preserved, including all the software and settings.  How exactly would I transition these profiles to the new server/domain?

3) File permissions on server - I can copy all of the shared files from the old server to a USB hard drive. How can I preserve permissions?  Would I want to preserve them, or would this cause issues on the new server?

So what would your recommendation be?  Forge ahead and correct the DC / GP issues (I can post dcdiag and other information) or go clean?

Thanks - really lost sleep on this one last night heading into my scheduled day 2 of this migration!

Larry - you saw my other post from yesterday and commented.  Thanks for that.  I am now mid-migration and having a difficult time with the replica domain controller.  Problems with SYSVOL replication.  I'm not an advanced DC and GP expert so this is challenging for me.  I am thinking perhaps the clean install of Server 2012 R2 would be better.  I only have 8 clients systems.  I am migrating to new hardware.  I see how I could transition to a clean install and not go down the rabbit hole any further...  I really only have a few concerns that I was hoping you would comment on:

1) Domain name - should I configure a new domain name on the new server, or use the same as the old?

It does  not matter.  A fresh install is a new entity regardless of name.  Pick one you like.

2) User profiles - on the client machines, the user profiles for the old domain would need to be preserved, including all the software and settings.  How exactly would I transition these profiles to the new server/domain?

Two ways. 1. Manually copy them out before you disjoin, or as domain or local admin copy them out after you join the new.  The latter is a one copy step as you can copy directly from the old profile to the new.  IME all that one really needs are the desktop, favorites, and document folders plus any .pst or other app data that is critical.  But those are not lost in that you could find and copy after the fact as the local or domain admin. 

2.  A profile moving app such as the free one from forensit.com

http://www.forensit.com/

In any case do not forget to test logon to stations with the local admin.  That is:  logon to machine-name\local admin name and password, before disjoining.

3) File permissions on server - I can copy all of the shared files from the old server to a USB hard drive. How can I preserve permissions?  Would I want to preserve them, or would this cause issues on the new server?

Can't.  One of the reasons to migrate is to keep them because they are tied to the AD.  If you have simple file structure it is easy to create them on the new server before cut over day.  Just have all your users and security groups and all but the last few days data already on the new server.

So what would your recommendation be?  Forge ahead and correct the DC / GP issues (I can post dcdiag and other information) or go clean?

For 8 users and a simple file and folder structure I would start fresh.  The more complicated your permissions and folders get the more lean towards migration.  If you hate the existing server name and domain name leans towards fresh. If the existing won't pass the pre-migration checks but you really want to migrate check with www.sbsmigration.com, where last I knew the only requirement was no journal wrap.

Thanks - really lost sleep on this one last night heading into my scheduled day 2 of this migration!

Thanks Larry.  When you run the Server 2012 Essentials Connector, it asks you to run it in the profile that you would like to migrate.  Can I run it while still joined to the old domain, and the connector will unjoin and join to the new, migrating all settings, data, etc?  Or do I need to unjoin and then run the connector to join?  Thanks again.