Forum Discussion
Updating File Server OS Best Practice
Give us a bit more info.
Is this a VM or physical? Is the file share on a dedicated drive or the same as the OS?
Let's say if a VM and on a dedicated drive such as "S".
I would build a new 2022 server. Export share info from registry from the old server. (Link provided below.) Then move that S drive from the old VM to the new VM and inport the registry info. You can rename the server to the old server's name or create an CNAME (alias) in DNS, either way original links will work. Down time should be about between 5 - 10 mins.
Did this a few months ago, none of the clients were able to tell anything was changed.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/networking/saving-restoring-existing-windows-shares
Give us a bit more info.
Is this a VM or physical? Is the file share on a dedicated drive or the same as the OS?
Let's say if a VM and on a dedicated drive such as "S".
I would build a new 2022 server. Export share info from registry from the old server. (Link provided below.) Then move that S drive from the old VM to the new VM and inport the registry info. You can rename the server to the old server's name or create an CNAME (alias) in DNS, either way original links will work. Down time should be about between 5 - 10 mins.
Did this a few months ago, none of the clients were able to tell anything was changed.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/networking/saving-restoring-existing-windows-shares
Francisco_M In practice this went really well. I do have concerns about just moving the disk as is, but it worked great and it is probably paranoia of not having done this before and it is all our data. Copying the disk would take quite some time and I don't want to have to mess with differences in data in the hours it would take to copy TBs of data. So, I am going to simply move it as suggested as it worked effortlessly.
Thank you for the suggestion!
Francisco_M it is a VM and the shares are on a separate vmdk.
That sounds like a great idea! I will create a copy of the disk, move it to the new server, make sure everything works and then rename the server. I like it! Going to do this today see how it goes, appreciate the suggestion!
Leavii No, you don't have to create a copy of the disk. It's even easier than that. Use that disk. Since it's a VM. Detach the data disk and use it on new VM. That is if it's shared storage..??
Up to you, yet if it's huge waste of time creating a copy.
Go into VM1 and detach and then go into the new VM2 and attached using same drive letter. Then import the registry ACL info from VM1 and it's all done. That's how I had downtime of 5 - 10 mins.
As always, before any work confirm you have a good backup of the data.
- Francisco_M provided the easiest solution, nothing dirty about it. Separate data volume, separate permissions, nothing gets destroyed in the process, so really no danger of any kind
