SBS 2003 migration to 2008 R2 Standard

L

LoStMaTt

2[H]4U
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Feb 26, 2003
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Has anyone done this before?

I have a client who does not use exchange, and doesn't need any of the SBS features.

Their server is aging and are running out of disk space.

I'm in the process of building them a new file server and am considering using Server Standard 2008.

I am even going to take them off the domain and make their server strictly a file server for Peacthree. It is the only reason they even need a "server".

Suggestions?
 
How big of a client? If it's under even 50 I'd say it would be almost easier to just start from scratch.
 
Should be dead simple if they're not using Exchange or Sharepoint at all. Basically a swing migration without all the extra SBS hoops you have to jump through. Install the new 2008 server, make it a DC, migrate over the few things you want like data/DHCP/printers. Once it's all working how you like, transfer all the FSMO roles. You get what, 21 days grace period before SBS gets really pissed about not having the FSMO roles?

Assuming all is good after this, uninstall Exchange on the 2003 server and demote the SBS server.

Note that you don't need to uninstall Exchange or properly demote SBS if you really don't want to (you can just seize the FSMO roles and ignore Exchange). It just cleans thing up a little bit better in AD, and will make things a bit smoother in the future it Exchange is ever added back into the mix.
 
Yup..pretty much like JBarq said.....I'm mid-process...actually going on about 6 months on it. Client with around 80 users......was on SBS03, introduced 08r2 as a DC, introduced an Exchange 2011 box along side of it..joined the Exchange org. Moved mailboxes over...SMTP connectors. At some point I'll finish moving the roles over and kill the SBS03 box...not really in any rush, but so far it's been seamless. But as mentioned above....once SBS doesn't have all the roles..it'll start flipping out after 1 week and start rebooting on some cycle like once every hour...there's a service called SBS Core or SB Core..which executes a process called sbscrexe.exe.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Yup..pretty much like JBarq said.....I'm mid-process...actually going on about 6 months on it. Client with around 80 users......was on SBS03, introduced 08r2 as a DC, introduced an Exchange 2011 box along side of it..joined the Exchange org. Moved mailboxes over...SMTP connectors. At some point I'll finish moving the roles over and kill the SBS03 box...not really in any rush, but so far it's been seamless. But as mentioned above....once SBS doesn't have all the roles..it'll start flipping out after 1 week and start rebooting on some cycle like once every hour...there's a service called SBS Core or SB Core..which executes a process called sbscrexe.exe.
Click to expand...

That is ridiculous that Microsoft would even have that built into an OS. I dislike SBS.
 
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