Windows Server 2003 Migration: Tasks Part 1 – Inventory
Know your environment. The very first task you need to do in a Windows Server 2003 migration is to update your inventory on your infrastructure. This does not mean only your Windows server 2003, this means your entire infrastructure. Why? Because you need to know exactly what you have, if there are any pitfalls, and if there are any synergies you can take advantage of. Just because a resource is not a Windows Server 2003, it does not mean it is exempt from the effects of the migration. In fact, you may need to update other resources in order to function with the results of the migration. You need to account for the following:
- The quantity of Windows Server 2003 you have and their functions. How many are domain controllers? How many are just member servers?
- The resources that are not Windows Server 2003.
- Of the documented resources, the quantity of them still in use. You would be surprised how many organizations have orphaned servers and resources still in their environment because no one knew it was safe to remove them.
- The hardware those resources reside on. Is the hardware still viable for today’s workloads? Is the hardware worth supporting?
- The software/applications residing on resources. We need to know who owns it, is it still used, the resources required to install and operate the software, and if the software can be migrated.
- The business units who use the resources. Talk to the people to find out if they actually still need the resources. Find out if they have any projects or plans to upgrade their applications that will facilitate the migration from Windows Server 2003.
- The other resources or clients that need to communicate with the Windows Server 2003. For example, do you have a database or share on Windows Server 2003 that other servers are accessing?
- The servers housing applications that can’t be migrated. Legacy software is one of the primary reasons we still have older servers with older operating systems. The software is still in use or is legally needed for archival purposes. There may be no upgrade path for the legacy system.
- The people resources available. You will need to know if you have the staff with the needed experience and knowledge, the subject matter experts on the software applications, and the manpower-time needed for the project.
I won’t go into detail here on how to perform your inventory of your infrastructure. Various third-party vendors have products (inventory management systems) to help you. There are also tools on the Internet available to help with the task. Microsoft provides the Assessment and Planning Toolkit.
Once you have your inventory, you can start working on your plan. With the inventory and knowledge of the resources, you have the basis needed to determine priorities, tasks, resource assignment, scheduling and more. Now, we can move onto the planning: See our blog “Windows Server 2003 Migration: Tasks Part 2 – Planning” (available soon).
As always, I welcome your comments or questions. Please feel free to leave them below or email me directly.
Craig R. Kalty (CCIA, CCEE, CCA, MCITP:EA, MCITP:SA, VCP)|
Sr. Network Consultant
craig.kalty@customsystems.com
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