A Journey is always easier with a MAP: Windows Server 2012 Migration Tools

I'm sure you heard the news regarding our new version of our server OS. Windows Server 2012 R2 (the preview is available for download now).  Windows Server helps customers transform the datacenter, taking advantage of new hybrid cloud capabilities to increase resilience, simplify management, reduce cost, and speed delivery of services to the business. That's why we're all here for right?  We're here to support our business units, and make our enterprises more efficient, more agile and more profitable.

Thankfully, Microsoft has provided a wealth of resources to help you on your transformation journey. We have resources in the form of information documents and tools that help guide you through the process of migrating roles and features to Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Many roles and features can be migrated by using Windows Server Migration Tools. The Windows Server Migration Tools contain a set of five Windows PowerShell cmdlets:

Cmdlet	Description
Export-SmigServerSetting	Exports selected Windows features and operating system settings from the local computer, and stores them in a migration store.
Get-SmigServerFeature	Gets the set of all Windows features that can be migrated from the local server or from a migration store.
Import-SmigServerSetting	Imports selected Windows features and operating system settings from a migration store, and applies them to the local computer.
Receive-SmigServerData	Allows a destination server to receive shares, folders, files, and associated permissions and share properties that are migrated from a source server. The cmdlet Send-SmigServerData must be run on the source server at the same time Receive-SmigServerData is running on the destination server.
Send-SmigServerData	Migrates folders, files, and associated permissions and share properties from a source server to a destination server through port 7000. The cmdlet Receive-SmigServerData must be run on the destination server at the same time Send-SmigServerData is running on the source server.

 

The Migration Tools were introduced in Windows Server 2008 R2 for easily migrating role and feature elements and data.

On top of Migration Tools a series of migration guides support migrations of specified roles and features from one server to another (not in-place upgrades). Unless otherwise noted in the guides, migrations are supported between physical and virtual computers, and between full installation options of Windows Server and servers that are running the Server Core installation option. Follow the steps in these guides to migrate roles and features from servers that are running the following OS:

• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2012

The guides include the following:

• Install, Use, and Remove Windows Server Migration Tools
• Migrate Active Directory Federation Services Role Services to Windows Server 2012
• Migrate Health Registration Authority to Windows Server 2012
• Migrate Hyper-V to Windows Server 2012
• Migrate IP Configuration to Windows Server 2012
• Migrating Network Policy Server to Windows Server 2012
• Migrate Print and Document Services to Windows Server 2012
• Migrate Remote Access to Windows Server 2012
• Migrate Windows Server Update Services to Windows Server 2012

For additional migration resources, visit Migrate Roles and Features to Windows Server 2012.

The Microsoft Virtual Academy also has a wealth of resources. Particularly a full virtual course on Migrating to Windows Server 2012. It will help IT Professionals that are faced with a number of unique challenges upon the release of a new version of the Operating System. This course will expose you to all these tools, and show you how Windows Server 2012 can ease your transition, not merely in upgrading earlier versions of Windows Server, but also ensuring that your key services can be migrated in an efficient, cost-effective and safe manner. The course will cover the following module:

• Upgrading to Windows Server 2012
• Intro to Tools
• Upgrading AD
• Migrating WSUS
• Printing in Windows Server 2012
• Migrating IPConfig
• Cluster Migration
• Migrating Server 2003

You can find the Migrating to Windows Server 2012 Training here.

I saved the best for last. The Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit for Windows Server 2012 literally a MAP for your datacenter transformation. It is an agentless inventory, assessment, and reporting tool that can securely assess IT environments for various platform migrations—including Windows 8, Windows 7, Office 2010 and Office 365, Windows Server 2012 and Windows 2008 R2, SQL Server 2012, Hyper-V, Microsoft Private Cloud Fast Track, and Windows Azure. Quickly and efficiently collect the detailed infrastructure information you need for planning your migration to Windows Server 2012. Create a server inventory report, let MAP analyze the data to assess your IT environment's readiness, and access the following Windows Server 2012 reports and proposals:

• Server Inventory Proposal: Assess your current IT environment for Windows Server 2012 readiness with MAP.
• Server Inventory Report:MAP will identify currently installed Windows Server operating systems and provide a detailed analysis of hardware.
• Server Roles Report: MAP generates reports of the Windows Server 2012 roles installed on each server in your IT environment.

Follow this link to learn more about MAP.

Cheers!

Pierre Roman, MCITP, ITIL | Technology Evangelist
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Comments

• Anonymous
  December 17, 2013
  Pingback from Tools to Prepare For Your Windows Cloud Server Migration | Aging Tech
• Anonymous
  December 17, 2013
  Pingback from Tools to Prepare For Your Windows Cloud Server Migration | Aging Tech
• Anonymous
  December 17, 2013
  Pingback from Tools to Prepare For Your Windows Cloud Server Migration | Aging Tech