14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft released Windows Small Business Server (SBS) 2011 to manufacturing in December 2010, and is making it easy for customers to test drive the product by providing free trial downloads. Targeting companies that want to migrate from SBS 2008 to the latest version of Windows Small Business Server, the Redmond company has built a tool into the operating system designed to streamline the transition.
The Migration Preparation Tool is included into Windows Small Business Server 2011, and is a novelty, considering that it wasn’t provided with SBS 2008.
As the official label implies, the tool can be leveraged to prepare the source server and domain for the migration to SBS 2011.
“The tool performs two major functions: scans the health of the existing domain to identify any issues that may prevent a successful migration and prepares the domain for SBS 2011,” a member of the SBS team stated.
Microsoft has conditioned the customers’ ability of performing a migration mode install on the executing of the SBS 2011 Migration Preparation Tool on the source domain in advance.
“Once you run the tool you have 14 days to start the migration. If you wait longer than 14 days you must re-run the tool before migration.
“We recommend re-running the tool immediately before performing a migration to make sure no new issues have arisen between the time you last ran the tool and the start of the migration,” the software giant stated.
The Redmond company explained that the SBS 2011 Migration Preparation Tool is designed to analyze and identify issues that can impact a successful migration, including errors and misconfigurations related to Journal Wrap, Domain\Forest Functional Level, Services not started, Updates missing, Broken replication, Missing Sysvol Share, IPv6 Disabled etc.
“To prepare the domain for SBS 2011 the tool will complete the following tasks as needed:
•Raise the domain and forest functional level to Windows Server 2003
•Use ADPREP to extend Active Directory schema to Server 2008 R2
•Install hotfix KB943494 to extend SBS co-existence to 21 days (SBS 2003 only)
•Convert Exchange to Native Mode (SBS 2003 only),” Microsoft said.