Moving your existing network servers to Microsoft Windows Server 2003 is a significant step and requires due consideration of a somewhat complicated question—to upgrade or to migrate? A first step in this process is perhaps determining whether each server can be upgraded (i.e., does it meet the minimum requirements?). Once you determine that it does meet the minimum requirements, you must consider whether you want to upgrade or migrate it.
To distinguish between the use of the terms upgrading and migrating as used in this chapter:
Upgrading involves installing Windows Server 2003 over the top of an existing Microsoft Windows server installation, maintaining all configuration settings. When you upgrade a server to Windows Server 2003, you maintain all of the existing information in place. Most applications and services operate just as they did before the upgrade, although a few, Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) among them, are somewhat different.
Migrating involves creating a new installation of Windows Server 2003 and transferring the domain and user settings from another Windows server operating system (Microsoft Windows NT 4, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003). During a migration, a new installation of Windows Server 2003 is done, most often on a new machine. Once the operating system is installed, information is moved from the existing server to the new one using migration tools. You can use tools from Microsoft or a number of third-party vendors such as Aelita and NetPro.
The amount of effort involved in the move to Windows Server 2003 largely depends on whether you are currently using Windows NT or Windows 2000. For example, consider one of the most significant features in Windows Server 2003, the Active Directory directory service.
Windows NT 4 The change in network management that the move from Windows NT domains to Active Directory entails presents a set of architectural and operational questions for both Information Technology (IT) and business management. Implementing Active Directory requires defining and creating a Domain Name System (DNS) namespace and an Active Directory forest and domain structure. Security, user rights, network administration, Group Policy, and so on are handled by Active Directory, so a large number of disparate aspects of the network and business must be taken into account in the design process—not a trivial task.
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Moving from Windows 2000 Server to Windows Server 2003, on the other hand, requires far less planning and administrative effort, because the DNS design and Active Directory namespace are already done. Although there are some new features and management changes, the changes to Active Directory between Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 are nominal, especially when compared to the switch from Windows NT domains to Active Directory.
The same is true to a great extent throughout the operating system—the change between Windows NT 4 and Windows Server 2003 is substantial, while the difference when moving from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003 is much less so.
Whether you can upgrade an existing server to Windows Server 2003 depends on hardware compatibility, available disk space, and adequate hardware resources (central processing unit [CPU], random access memory [RAM]). Upgrading to Windows Server 2003 is also dependent upon the existing version of the Windows operating system—Setup upgrades only Windows NT 4 Server (with Service Pack 5 or later) and Windows 2000 Server to Windows Server 2003.
Tip
Get tools for migrating to Windows Server 2003
In those cases in which you want to start with a clean installation of Windows Server 2003 and migrate your users, computers, groups, and security settings to a new Active Directory forest and domain, you must determine which domains and security principals will be migrated and then select the migration tools to use. Although there are several migration tools available from independent vendors, Microsoft does supply migration capability in its Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT). For more information on migration, see Chapter 9.
When deciding whether to upgrade or perform a migration, you must examine several aspects of your current environment, starting with the most fundamental: Is the existing hardware adequate? It's not just a case of meeting minimum system requirements; rather, you must consider whether system performance meets your real-world needs. If it's slow now, it's not going to get any better. When considering existing systems, make sure that you factor in all the services and applications that will be running on the server.
Another thing to consider is the history of each existing server. Has it been in place for a number of years, with the inevitable wear and tear that that entails? Is a lot of additional software installed? Have a number of patches and service packs been applied? If so, you might want to start with a clean installation, even if you are using existing hardware to do so. On the other hand, if you have a server with a complex configuration and it is stable, you might want to take advantage of all the work that has gone into it and perform an upgrade.
You should consider whether sufficient hard disk drive space is available. At least 2 gigabytes (GB) of disk space—and preferably more—is required for an upgrade of Windows Server 2003. This can be an issue on systems that have small partitions, such as those using file allocation table (FAT) partitions, which might not be large enough to support an upgrade at all, rather than the NTFS file system.
Tip
Don't upgrade servers you should replace
Hardware has dropped in price considerably over the past few years, making new servers and components more affordable than ever. This makes it easier to ensure that servers have the capabilities they need to provide the services you require. You might also find used servers that meet your needs at online auction sites, such as eBay. Bid wisely and with reputable sellers and you could get some great deals.
The current operating system is another factor to keep in mind. Is the system running some version of Windows Server? Is an upgrade to the version of Windows Server 2003 you want installed on that system supported? Table 7-1 shows the supported upgrade paths from earlier versions of the Windows operating system.
Table 7-1. Supported Upgrade Paths
Current Windows Version | Upgrades to These Editions |
|---|---|
Windows 2000 Server | Standard, Enterprise |
Windows 2000 Advanced Server | Enterprise |
Windows 2000 Datacenter Server | Datacenter |
Windows NT Server 4 | Standard, Enterprise |
Windows NT Server 4, Terminal Server Edition | Standard, Enterprise |
Windows NT Server 4, Enterprise Edition | Enterprise |
Note
Windows Server 2003 can upgrade only Windows Server products. This means that you can't upgrade directly from Windows NT Workstation or Windows 2000 Professional, although you can upgrade the system to the server version of the current operating system and then upgrade that version if desired.
Inside Out: Sometimes a clean start is best
When you are counting on being able to gain peak performance and reliability from a server, there is a lot to be said for installing a brand new, clean copy of Windows Server 2003. Although upgrading a server is easier in the short run, that server still carries the baggage of the previous installation, which all too often means mysterious configuration settings, outdated device drivers, and fragmented drives, as well as unknown (often unused) software taking up disk space.
This is more of a problem in some situations than others. For example, there is a higher tolerance for failure with a print server that handles a couple of departmental printers than with a domain controller. In situations in which you must comprehensively control and manage the configuration of a server, you should balance the short-term convenience of an upgrade with the long-term implications of doing so. You might find that a clean installation is wiser in the long run.
It is a good idea to check compatibility issues thoroughly for each server running the Windows operating system that you plan to upgrade. Running the provided system compatibility check and doing some research before installing Windows Server 2003 can save you many headaches later on.
Windows Server 2003 Setup can perform a hardware and software compatibility analysis on a server and provide a report with detected issues and suggested resolutions. The report includes information about hardware and software compatibility, services that will be disabled during the upgrading process, and whether the forest and domain have been prepared for upgrading Active Directory.
The analysis can be started in two ways:
Select the Check System Compatibility option on the Setup menu that loads when the product CD is inserted.
Run WINNT32 /checkupgradeonly from the command line. (Winnt32 is in the I386 folder on your product CD.)
In addition to the compatibility testing, you might want to do some additional research on compatibility. Some places you might check include the following:
The Hardware Compatibility List (HCL), which provides a list of systems and components that have been tested with Windows Server 2003, is available at http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/search.mspx.
The Windows Server Catalog provides software compatibility information and is located at http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/catalog/server.
Software and hardware vendors generally have information about how their products operate with the various Windows operating systems—and, if they don't, you might reconsider purchasing their products. A bit of research on critical applications and common hardware can pay off if you can avoid a serious problem or even a flurry of small ones.
Online discussion groups often yield valuable information about real-life experiences with Windows Server 2003 and various types of hardware and software. One good source for Usenet groups is Google Groups at http://groups-beta.google.com. Check vendor sites for private newsgroups, which are often frequented by system administrators and, if you're lucky, tech support staff from the vendor.