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Windows Server 2003 - Migrate or Upgrade?Migrate or Upgrade?Being good at computing often relies on being good at English rather than maths. By that I mean paying attention to words, especially in error messages, is more important than being able to solve quadratic equations. The relevance here is that UPGRADE is often used to describe the simple operation of putting the new CD in the caddy, waiting for AutoRun, then following the defaults. Windows 2003 migration on the other hand, is longer process involving co-existing between the old and new operating systems . Unless you are a small organization or can have a complete shutdown for at least a weekend, migration with co-existence is your only option. I have to declare a bias in favour of migration. The speed and ease of the upgrade are seductive, but I always end up paying in the form lots of old baggage which seems to make the new system run disappointing slow. Not having to reinstall applications is a bonus of the upgrade, but once again a fresh installation leads to more reliable system in the long term. Migration will require project management. You need a plan, timescale and a big budget. The first rule of project management is that each job overruns by 30% on time and budget, you have been warned! The first questions to ask is where am I now? This should be easy, but do you know which service pack you are up to, the amount of RAM each server has, and the size of the system partitions? This is leading up to asking the key question, will the old machines run the new operating system? Microsoft provide a Hardware Compatibility List on their website. If you are still in doubt, I would download compatibility testing software free from Microsoft and test whether your system will upgrade successfully. Now it is time to clarify, 'Where do you want to get to'? This is a deceptive question. The answer may not be as simple as migrating to Windows Server 2003. Perhaps you could use the migration to restructure your domains, consolidate on fewer, bigger servers? (Revise that budget and add extra for new kit). What I am driving at is develop a vision for IT in your organization. Imagine the best desktop for your user, think what services they need. Use migration as an opportunity to reduce costs, increase productivity. Windows server 2003 is a good choice to turn your vision into reality. But wait a minute, which 'flavour' do you want? Enterprise, Web or Standard Windows 2003 server? *
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