Microsoft is already providing customers running its Windows Server operating system with the necessary resources to streamline the process of migrating not only server roles, but also operating system settings, and even data to Windows 7 Server (Windows Server 2008 R2). The Server Migration solution for Windows Server 2008 R2 is, according to the Redmond company, the one-stop-shop for all the resources necessary to migrate from Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows Server 2008 R2.

“Server role migration guides - we currently have migration guides for the top 5 server roles (AD DS, DNS Server, DHCP Server, File Services, and Print Services), and for BranchCache, a new feature in Windows Server 2008 R2. Our guides provide you with step-by-step instructions to migrate server roles or features end to end,” revealed a member of the Windows Server Division. “Windows Server Migration Tools - we also provide you a set of Windows PowerShell cmdlets to help you automate migration steps. Migration cmdlets currently support two server roles and one feature (DHCP, FSRM and BranchCache), operating system settings (IP configuration, local users and groups), and data (with NTFS and share permissions).”

Windows Server 2008 R2 is indeed still far from finalization, but the software giant has already made the jump to the successor of Windows Server 2008. According to the Redmond company a single box out of the servers powering Microsoft.com is still running Windows Server 2008, with the rest having been upgraded to Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta.

“The Windows Server Migration Tools, and most migration guides, support cross-architecture migrations (x86-based to x64-based computing platforms), migrations between physical and virtual environments, and migrations between both the full and Server Core installation options of the Windows Server operating system, where available,” the Windows Server Division representative added.

Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta (Windows 7 Server Beta) is available for download here.