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Upgrade and migrate roles and features in Windows Server

You can update roles and features to later versions of Windows Server by migrating to a new server, or many also support in-place upgrade where you install the new version of Windows Server over the top of the current one. This article contains links to migration guides as well a table with migration and in-place upgrade information to help you decide which method to use.

You can migrate many roles and features by using Windows Server Migration Tools, a feature built in to Windows Server for migrating roles and features, whereas file servers and storage can be migrated using Storage Migration Service.

The migration guides support migrations of specified roles and features from one server to another (not in-place upgrades). Unless otherwise noted in the guides, migrations are supported between physical and virtual computers, and between installation options of Windows Server with either Server with Desktop Experience or Server Core.

Important

Before you begin migrating roles and features, verify that both source and destination servers are running the most current updates that are available for their operating systems.

Whenever you migrate or upgrade to any version of Windows Server, you should review and understand the support lifecycle policy and time frame for that version and plan accordingly. You can search for the lifecycle information for the particular Windows Server release that you are interested in.

Windows Server Migration Tools

Windows Server Migration Tools enables you to migrate server roles, features, operating system settings, and other data and shares to servers, including later versions of Windows Server. It is a feature of Windows Server and so it is easily installed using the Add Roles and Features wizard, or PowerShell. Learn more about how to install, use, and remove Windows Server Migration Tools.

Note

Cross-subnet migrations using Windows Server Migration Tools is available with Windows Server 2012 and later releases. Previous versions of Windows Server Migration Tools only support migrations in the same subnet.

Migration guides

Below you can find links to migration guides for specific Windows Roles and Features.

Active Directory

BranchCache

DHCP

Failover Clustering

File and Storage Services

Hyper-V

Network Policy Server

Remote Access

Remote Desktop Services

Routing and Remote Access

Web Server (IIS)

Windows Server Update Services

Other Windows migration guides

Upgrade and migration matrix

Server Role Upgradeable in-place? Migration Supported? Can migration be completed without downtime?
Active Directory Certificate Services Yes Yes No
Active Directory Domain Services Yes Yes Yes
Active Directory Federation Services No Yes No (new nodes need to be added to the farm)
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services Yes Yes Yes
Active Directory Rights Management Services Yes Yes No
DHCP Server Yes Yes Yes
DNS Server Yes Yes No
Failover Clustering Yes with Cluster OS Rolling Upgrade process (Windows Server 2012 R2 and later) or when the server is removed by the cluster for upgrade and then added to a different cluster. Yes Yes for Failover Clusters with Hyper-V VMs or Failover Clusters running the Scale-out File Server role. See Cluster OS Rolling Upgrade (Windows Server 2012 R2 and later).
File and Storage Services Yes Varies by subfeature No
Hyper-V Yes with Cluster OS Rolling Upgrade process (Windows Server 2012 R2 and later) Yes Yes for Failover Clusters with Hyper-V VMs or Failover Clusters running the Scale-out File Server role. See Cluster OS Rolling Upgrade (Windows Server 2012 R2 and later).
Print and Fax Services No Yes (using Printbrm.exe) No
Remote Desktop Services Yes, for all subroles, but mixed mode farm is not supported Yes No
Web Server (IIS) Yes Yes No
Windows Server Essentials Experience Yes Yes No
Windows Server Update Services Yes Yes No
Work Folders Yes Yes Yes with Cluster OS Rolling Upgrade process (Windows Server 2012 R2 and later).