Tutorials

Migrate from SBS 2003 R2 Premium to Windows Server 2016 Essentials

Migrate from SBS 2003 R2 Premium to Windows Server 2016 Essentials

How to migrate from SBS 2003 to Windows Server 2016 Essentials is the last migration tutorial I wrote for an operating system that is no longer supported. With a screenshot of every step involved it is easy to understand. For me, it was great fun doing this because I had not touched an SBS 2003 in years Smile

Every step in this tutorial has a screenshot and if any Powershell is involved we have made it easy for you to copy it to your own situation. This tutorial will guide you from the start until everything has been migrated to the new server. Users, security groups, files, folders, shares, and permissions are migrated so there is no loss of data or do you need to recreate profiles or users. And at the end of the procedure, we will show you how you can safely remove the old SBS from your Active Directory. 

We can migrate Exchange Server data to Office 365 and that is explained in How to do a cutover migration from Exchange Server 2003 on a SBS 2003 Standard to Office 365 but if you want to migrate to a new on-premise Exchange Server it has to be done in two steps. First you migrate to Exchange Server 2010 (How to migrate Exchange Server 2003 from SBS 2003 R2 to a new Exchange Server 2010 on Windows Server 2012R2) and if that is done we can migrate to Exchange Server 2016, see How to migrate Exchange Server 2010 from SBS 2011 to a new Exchange Server 2016 on Windows Server 2016.

In this migration tutorial, we migrate everything, and that includes the Domain Controller, AD, Exchange Server 2003 mailboxes and public folders, DNS, DHCP, files, folders, users, security groups, shares, and permissions, so there is no loss of data or do you need to recreate profiles or users.

Role or data Is migrated in this tutorial
Active Directory Domain Services
DNS
DHCP
Folders, folders, and shares
Users
Security and/or permissions
Profiles
Exchange email to either Office 365 or a new on-premise Exchange Server

And at the end of the procedure, we will show you how you can safely remove the old server from your Active Directory. Our migration method does not disrupt daily operations at all, so you do not lose any productivity time in your company. And if you need to migrate Exchange email, like on an SBS 2003 we offer you several choices to migrate either to Office 365 or an on-premise Exchange Server in your network. With this migration tutorial, you don't need anything else! For an overview of all migration, tutorials visit Migration guides for Windows Server 2012 or 2016 Essentials.

Easy to use migration kit

Migration kit for migrating from one source (for example SBS 2003) to a new Windows Server environment built on the latest technology. This kit is ideal if you want to perform the migration of your old server yourself. The kit contains everything to ultimately run your infrastructure on more modern operating systems like Windows Server 2016/2019, Exchange Server 2016/2019 or Office 365. Success guaranteed!

Technician migration kits

Technician kits are designed for professionals who need to carry out migration projects to Windows Server 2022 or 2025. This migration tutorial is part of the Windows Server 2022 and 2025 Technician migration kits. These utilize a Windows Server 2022 or 2025 Hyper-V host that supports multiple machines for the process. Additionally, the technician migration kits include all the 'Easy migration kits,' which allow us to maintain the same host name for the destination server.

All our Easy Migration Kits and Technician Migration Kits come with exceptional support. In our store, you have the option to include support with your initial purchase or access it as needed by submitting a support ticket here. Prefer a hands-off approach? Our consulting services offer comprehensive migration support—just reach out to us to get started..

About server-essentials.com 

Server-essentials.com was established by Mariette Knap, an alumni Microsoft MVP. It serves as a community for IT Consultants and Business Owners who manage their own IT infrastructure, as well as for Employees who go the extra mile to ensure smooth operations. The forum is dedicated to discussions on all aspects of 'IT' and beyond. The documentation provided is of the highest quality and is crafted by and for the community.


Microsoft Partner

server-essentials.com
C. de Rijcklaan 1
3723 PM Bilthoven
The Netherlands 
Chamber of Commerce 90147480
VAT Id Number NL004793120B27