Server 2012-R2 Essentials to 2022 Essentials

Question

I found this thread from a few years ago that answered a few questions I had (https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/693e3ce9-f41b-4b4d-ae52-112142a92d84/trying-to-migrate-a-domain-from-server-2012-r2-essentials-to-a-new-server-2019-standard-server?forum=winserveressentials).

I know that the referenced thread is for 2012-R2 Essentials to 2019 Standard. But, are the answers in this thread the same when migrating from Server 2012-R2 Essentials to Server 2022 Essentials? Does 2022 Essentials add/subtract any steps or complications?

There seems to be a lot of info out there about going from Server 20XX Essentials to Server 20XX Standard, but not a lot on going from Essentials to Essentials.

Thanks you for your responses.

Answer 1

Yes, it should basically be the same steps.

The two prerequisites to introducing the first 2019 or 2022 domain controller are that domain functional level needs to be 2008 or higher and older sysvol FRS replication needs to have been migrated to DFSR
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Storage-at-Microsoft/Streamlined-Migration-of-FRS-to-DFSR-SYSVOL/ba-p/425405

I'd use dcdiag / repadmin tools to verify health correcting all errors found before starting any operations. Then stand up the new 2019 or 2022, patch it fully, license it, join existing domain, add active directory domain services, promote it also making it a GC (recommended), transfer FSMO roles over (optional), transfer pdc emulator role (optional), use dcdiag / repadmin tools to again verify health, when all is good you can decommission / demote old one.

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 2

Thanks for the response, @Anonymous .

One additional item ... Can I just use Add or Remove Programs on each workstation to remove the 2012-R2 Essentials Connector, or is the PowerShell command that @MaRi ëtte Knap references in the originally referenced thread a more complete removal from the workstations?