Migrating Win 2011 SBS to Win 2022 Std

Question

Hello there,

I'm looking for answer to my question - Is it possible to migrate Active Directory services (ADDS, DNS) from SBS2011 Essentials to Windows Server 2022 Standard? Will I able to add new DC to existing Forest hosted on SBS Essentials?

I found some articles (e.g.: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/421040/migrating-win-2011-sbs-to-win-2019-std-when-exchan.html ) about migration Active Directory service from SBS to newer Windows Server, but there is no evident answer about version (Standard/Essentials) of operating system (or there is but or I don't understand something..).

Best Regards,
AErot

Answer 1

Yes, it's possible.

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.

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