Migration of File server from windows server 2012 r2 to windows server 2019

Question

Good morning,

I have a DFS namespace server in windows server 2012 r2 which is replicated in windows server 2019, and now i want to add new server windows server 2019 and migrate the dfs namespace server 2012 r2 to windows server 2019, then disable the first server (windows server 2012 r2). How can i do this ?
can someone help me plz!!

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Hi,

Please follow the steps below to migrate DFS:

1. Install DFS on the new server and make it a DFS Namespace server. Copy your current installation. Now it can immediately start giving referrals to your existing shares.
2. Using an application like robocopy, copy all the shares and permissions to the new server.
3. Add into DFS the links to the new server under each DFS name. Mark it as inactive, but have it in place.
4. Over the following few days, run the copy program again, grabbing only the changed files and moving them to the new server. The idea is to gradually capture all files. Meanwhile, turn the lifetime on the DFS reference down to 15 minutes.
5. You will have to interrupt user access. Turn the DFS lifetime down to 5 minutes. Wait 15 minutes for the oldest references to expire. Disable the DFS pointers to the old shares. Do a last robocopy. Enable the references to the new shares. Everyone should re-register within 5 minutes. Have users reboot if they need it quicker.
6. Turn the lifetime back up to something higher - 1 to 8 to 24 hours, depending on whether you have multiple duplicate shares.
7. After a few days, delete the DFS references to the old server and retire it.

I hope this answers your question.

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Answer 2

You can follow along here.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/dfs-namespaces/add-namespace-servers-to-a-domain-based-dfs-namespace

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