Windows Server 2012 R2 Update

T

The Cobra

2[H]4U
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Jun 19, 2003
Messages
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Hi Folks,

So we have a couple of 2012 servers here at work. I want to bring them up to date with the R2 build. Our backup software is finally compatible. I know with the 8 to 8.1 update, you just got it thru the windows store. How do I upgrade to R2 without downloading the ISO?

Thanks.
 
The Cobra said:
Hi Folks,

So we have a couple of 2012 servers here at work. I want to bring them up to date with the R2 build. Our backup software is finally compatible. I know with the 8 to 8.1 update, you just got it thru the windows store. How do I upgrade to R2 without downloading the ISO?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It is an entire new OS.

Pop in disc, format, and go.

You need to purchase licenses for 2012R2 unlike 8 to 8.1.
 
You will definitely want to find out how to do a proper server migration. Servers are never pop in disk, format and go. That is unless you are starting from scratch with nothing to migrate at all.
 
Nothing to migrate, it is a simple file/print server. AD is still housed in 2008R2 (Which I am not upgrading currently)

And of course we don't have software assurance. UGH...

I have a full backup of all the stuff, it is just a dumping ground for Teachers and Students to house and share their files.
 
The Cobra said:
Nothing to migrate, it is a simple file/print server. AD is still housed in 2008R2 (Which I am not upgrading currently)

And of course we don't have software assurance. UGH...

I have a full backup of all the stuff, it is just a dumping ground for Teachers and Students to house and share their files.
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With no SA, you are not licensed for R2.

Microsoft is shoving SA down our throats, period. Releasing a new server OS every year is going to cause me to murder someone.
 
Vashypooh said:
With no SA, you are not licensed for R2.

Microsoft is shoving SA down our throats, period. Releasing a new server OS every year is going to cause me to murder someone.
Click to expand...

The "FORMER" IT Manager I took over for a few months back did not purchase Software Assurance, what an Idiot. Now this means I can't rollout Office 2013 (SP1) to everyone like I wanted to.

There is a reason he is a "Former"
 
Now this means I can't rollout Office 2013 (SP1) to everyone like I wanted to.
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Assuming you're at Office 2013, you don't need an SA to roll out SP1. Should be able to snag that openly from microsoft.com.

As said above, for a file and print server, you should be able to do an in-place upgrade. Just take a reliable backup in case your migration fails. Even simple roles can be upgraded with the in-place upgrade. It's much better than previous operating systems.
 
Demon10000 said:
Assuming you're at Office 2013, you don't need an SA to roll out SP1. Should be able to snag that openly from microsoft.com.

As said above, for a file and print server, you should be able to do an in-place upgrade. Just take a reliable backup in case your migration fails. Even simple roles can be upgraded with the in-place upgrade. It's much better than previous operating systems.
Click to expand...

We are on Office 2007 currently. We do have Office 2010 avilable, but we also use Sharepoint 2013 here at our school for lots of document sharing, and Office 2013 plays better than 2007. 2010 does work with the new sharepoint, but all the features are not avilable.
 
The Cobra said:
The "FORMER" IT Manager I took over for a few months back did not purchase Software Assurance, what an Idiot. Now this means I can't rollout Office 2013 (SP1) to everyone like I wanted to.

There is a reason he is a "Former"
Click to expand...

Probably cause SA is ungodly expensive and server OS and Office normally stay in place and span several versions.
 
Vashypooh said:
Microsoft is shoving SA down our throats, period. Releasing a new server OS every year is going to cause me to murder someone.
Click to expand...

No kidding

The Cobra said:
The "FORMER" IT Manager I took over for a few months back did not purchase Software Assurance, what an Idiot. Now this means I can't rollout Office 2013 (SP1) to everyone like I wanted to.

There is a reason he is a "Former"
Click to expand...

I can relate to him. Having the latest is not always productive, and/or compatible with business software. There is also the learning curve for the users. I hung onto office 2003 for as long as I could. Moved to 2007 and 50% of my users did nothing but scream for 3 months until they learned the new office.

Likewise, the latest from MS does not play with our ERP system. The newer OS have had odd quirks with our ERP system as well. I have a win2k3 server hanging out there we use as a TS that just works.
 
The Cobra said:
So we have a couple of 2012 servers here at work. I want to bring them up to date with the R2 build..
Click to expand...
You've gotten some good advice in this thread already but I haven't seen anyone really come out and say this, so I will... I really wouldn't waste your time upgrading a file\print server. You'll spend some time and money and there's going to be near zero advantage to you or your users. If you have time and want to learn, setup a lab and dig in there. You'll learn way more and you won't cause any downtime for your users in the lab.
 
sc0tty8 said:
No kidding



I can relate to him. Having the latest is not always productive, and/or compatible with business software. There is also the learning curve for the users. I hung onto office 2003 for as long as I could. Moved to 2007 and 50% of my users did nothing but scream for 3 months until they learned the new office.

Likewise, the latest from MS does not play with our ERP system. The newer OS have had odd quirks with our ERP system as well. I have a win2k3 server hanging out there we use as a TS that just works.
Click to expand...

The only "BIG APPS" we have on our network is our Blackbaud Financial software for accounting and fundraising. All of our other stuff is in the cloud: Google Apps, Email and the other systems that I have moved from legacy production systems to the cloud.

I went ahead and purchased SA for our site. it was $450 bucks to add on, plus I extended our current MS agreement for another 2 years at the cost of $565. Our budget at the school I work it is really generous. I don't have to have it approved 20 times like I would at a public school system.

I should have my SA downloads by this afternoon. :)
 
k1pp3r said:
Probably cause SA is ungodly expensive and server OS and Office normally stay in place and span several versions.
Click to expand...

Being we are Education/Non-Profit, it is actually pretty cheap for us to have SA. It is expensive for the private sector no doubt.
 
And we still have two 2003 R2 servers still in production. They are used to house media for streaming stuff. The students control those boxes because they place their school work on them, and I want nothing to do with them from a management standpoint. They are sandboxed into their own VLAN. Those will be replaced with VM's at some point later this year running Server 2012 R2.
 
Free Support is my favoirte SA benefit. Don't forget to use it if you have an SA an get hung up on something. Support is half way decent, too... (well, I'd say it was ~80% of the times I've used it!)
 
Demon10000 said:
Free Support is my favoirte SA benefit. Don't forget to use it if you have an SA an get hung up on something. Support is half way decent, too... (well, I'd say it was ~80% of the times I've used it!)
Click to expand...

While having support is good, my resolve rate from MS is about 1 resolution to every 10 cases
 
The Cobra said:
The only "BIG APPS" we have on our network is our Blackbaud Financial software for accounting and fundraising. All of our other stuff is in the cloud: Google Apps, Email and the other systems that I have moved from legacy production systems to the cloud.

I went ahead and purchased SA for our site. it was $450 bucks to add on, plus I extended our current MS agreement for another 2 years at the cost of $565. Our budget at the school I work it is really generous. I don't have to have it approved 20 times like I would at a public school system.

I should have my SA downloads by this afternoon. :)
Click to expand...

Blackbaud?

You don't happen to work in a school in SF mission district do you?
 
dekard said:
You've gotten some good advice in this thread already but I haven't seen anyone really come out and say this, so I will... I really wouldn't waste your time upgrading a file\print server. You'll spend some time and money and there's going to be near zero advantage to you or your users. If you have time and want to learn, setup a lab and dig in there. You'll learn way more and you won't cause any downtime for your users in the lab.
Click to expand...

This very much. If there is no must have feature and you're not already in the position to have to upgrade hardware or reinstall the server, there really isn't a benefit. There is a much larger chance that you could be worse off should something break in the upgrade.
 
schizrade said:
Blackbaud?

You don't happen to work in a school in SF mission district do you?
Click to expand...

I used to work at a school off of Ocean Ave up until last year in the IT dept.. I took a six months off work and did some travelling. I then moved to Seattle because I had new job ready for me in Seattle at a private school. I also moved because SF was getting crazy expensive.
 
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I just got my confirmation for Microsoft SA a little while ago. I downloaded W2k12R2 and got it installed. it took around 40 mins to upgrade the first system. Going to launch the other upgrade on the other 2012 box when school lets out in 30 mins.
 
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