Windows SBS 2003 hardware swap concerns

[Minerva]

I've done this with 2003 server and it was easy...

I'm told that SBS 2003 is different and this is not so easy. I have an aging 2003 SBS server that's fine but the hardware is starting to flake out. We want to transplant it to a new 1366 based Xeon system. One problem is the board has no floppy drive but slipstreaming the ICH RAID driver to the disc takes care of that.

Will it see the existing installation and ask if we want to repair it?

The current server has a SCSI RAID array with an LSI MegaRAID card. We plan to use Acronis to create an image to a pair of 7.2k disks on the new box configured with motherboard raid.

Another thing is do we need to have the original (no service pack) 2003 SBS media or can we use SBS 2003 R2?

 

[Emulex]

i am not sure microsoft supports rehoming active directory (even p2v).

maybe create a loopback network , bind AD/etc to that. load sysprep and P2V the machine to a VM. then you can test it and make sure its hardware agnostic. then assign a vnic and pray it works

still probably not supported. SBS is unique in the fact that it breaks the fundemental rule that you NEVER run apps (sql/exchange) on an AD server.

 

[Minerva]

Ok what about this...

I restored the image to the new box and (of course) it gets a BSOD (inaccessible boot device) because it cannot see the iastor (intel RAID) on the new board.

Can this be configured from the recovery console? i.e. loading INF file and instructing registry to point to new raid controller.

 

[RebateMonger]

Over all, the "cheapest" way to do this is probably to get a backup/restore program that knows how to inject the new disk controller drivers into Server 2003. Doesn't Acronis have that capability? I've seen StorageCraft's ShadowProtect software (SBS version is $500) do a pretty good job.

It's a good idea to replace the NIC(s) with Microsoft Loopback adapters, also, before making the final backup, and then switching the NICs for real ones in SBS after you've got SBS running.

 

[theevilsharpie]

Another vote for P2V. You're already going through the pain of a move, so you may as well move it to "hardware" that isn't going to change the next time you have to migrate to a new platform. Additionally, VM "hardware" is simple and more likely to work without having to jump through a bunch of hoops like injecting drivers into a backup.

SBS is unique in the fact that it breaks the fundemental rule that you NEVER run apps (sql/exchange) on an AD server.

Lulz.

 

[RebateMonger]

Yeah, if you are going to the bother of migrating, I, too, would take a hard look at P2V. One unfortunate detail is that SBS 2003 isn't supported by Microsoft under Hyper-V. "Not-supported" isn't necessarily the same thing as "Doesn't-work".

 

[stlcardinals]

Have you looked at this Technet article, covers migrating SBS 2003 to new hardware.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc747454(WS.10).aspx

Although, I would lean towards virtualizing it. Depending on what kind of resources you have, I would get a nice test lab setup. Since you have new hardware, have you considered just migrating to SBS 2008?

 

[DrGreen2007]

Depending on how large your install is (10 pc's or 70?) you might be able to use Swing Migration to move to 2008 or a fresh 2003 install on the new server...that is if you dont go the P2V route.
http://www.sbsmigration.com/

 

[Emulex]

no kidding just rebuild, in a vm, done for life. veeam backup and vsphere essentials (esxi 4.1) and you are set.

P2V a domain controller is never supported by microsoft. If anyone has any supported documentation on how to P2V AD role server; please share.

 

[stlcardinals]

If anyone has any supported documentation on how to P2V AD role server; please share.

You build up a fresh VM, DCPROMO, seize the roles you want. Decommission the original server. Rename the VM to the original Computer name if you want.

 

[Emulex]

yup pretty much screwed if sql/etc are on the same boxen. when you say decomission are you implying that bringing that server back online (MAC?) would be bad even if it was reloaded with esx or linux?

 

[stlcardinals]

yup pretty much screwed if sql/etc are on the same boxen. when you say decomission are you implying that bringing that server back online (MAC?) would be bad even if it was reloaded with esx or linux?

By decommision, I'm referring to running DCPROMO to remove the DC functions from the box and then wiping it. You can then do whatever you want with it.