How can I migrate File Server 2008 to Azure files?

Question

Hello everyone, I would like your support with the following:

I have a file server 2008 R2 onpremise, but I would to start using Azure Files because the physical server is causing problems. My question is how can I migrate my local files to Azure Files? I read that File Sync isn't compatible with version 2008, so I know I can't use this method, is there another way to do this?

Ps: AzCopy can be a option, tho I'm not sure if I need a VPN S2S for this.

Thank you

Answer 1

Hello @Vannesa Alvarado,

Thank you for reaching out on Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand your question about migrating your on-premises Windows Server 2008 R2 file server to Azure Files.

Since Windows Server 2008 R2 is not supported by Azure File Sync(https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/636204/azure-file-sync-question-around-compatibility), you won't be able to use this method directly for migration. However, there are several alternative options to help you move your data to Azure Files:

1.Manual Migration Using AzCopy or Robocopy

• AzCopy: This is a powerful, command-line tool designed for efficiently copying large amounts of data to and from Azure Storage. You can use it to directly upload your files from your Windows Server 2008 R2 to an Azure File share-AzCopy Migration Example command:

    azcopy copy "C:\YourData" "https://<your-storage-account>.file.core.windows.net/<share-name>" --recursive
    
  

• Robocopy: If you prefer a more traditional Windows-based tool, Robocopy can be used. Simply map your Azure File share as a network drive and then use Robocopy to copy the data.

Both of these methods do not require a Site-to-Site (S2S) VPN, but having a VPN or ExpressRoute could improve security and transfer reliability, especially for large datasets. Without a VPN, data will transfer securely over the public internet.

2.Upgrade or Migrate to a Newer Windows Server Version for Azure File Sync

If you need ongoing synchronization capabilities and caching, upgrading to a newer Windows Server version (such as 2012 or later) will allow you to use Azure File Sync. This option is ideal if you're looking for continuous sync between on-premises and Azure files.

Keep in mind that this involves upgrading your server first, which may take additional time and planning.

3.Azure Migrate or Storage Migration Services

As mentioned by @Marcin Policht, for a more comprehensive migration solution, you could use Azure Migrate or Windows Storage Migration Service (SMS). These tools are designed for migrating entire server workloads, including file shares, to Azure VMs or Azure Files, depending on your setup.

You can explore these services in detail to assess whether they fit your migration needs.

Kindly let us know if the above helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

Please "Accept the answer" if the information helped you. This will help us and others in the community as well.

Answer 2

Either upgrade in place first (assuming it's x64) or use Storage Migration Service https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/storage-migration-service/overview to migrate to a supported OS version

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hth

Marcin