Windows Fileserver Migration

Bat · 29 Mar 2010 at 18:55

Hi all,

I have a cluster of 2 Windows 2003 Enterprise Servers connected to a SAN. They are both DCs but essentially all the setup is doing is mass file storage currently. The warranty on the kit has just run out and the renewal cost is ridiculous.

So I am replacing the lot with a single decent spec 2008 Enterprise machine with a RAID 10 array.

Currently the main file share which all clients talk to has a one name let's call it \\OLDFILEAREA and the 2 servers are say \\CLUSTER1 and \\CLUSTER2. The new server has a brand new name say \\NEWSERVER

In terms of moving all the data I intend to use Robocopy to retain all the permissions.

The bit I'm worried about is the fact that I want to create a share on \\NEWSERVER which has the same name and appears identically to \\OLDFILEAREA ie you go Start/Run \\OLDFILEAREA and see just what you see now on the old setup. I don't want the new server name to appear in the share name.

I assume I can do this using the local DNS, but have never done it this way before. I'd greatly appreciate any comments or advice on how I can go about doing this without big headaches!

Cheers,

iaind · 29 Mar 2010 at 19:24

Create a DNS alias to point the old names to the new name, remembering to disable strict name checking

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281308

Simple

Bat · 29 Mar 2010 at 19:31

iaind said:
Create a DNS alias to point the old names to the new name, remembering to disable strict name checking

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/281308

Simple

Thanks for that mate, very helpful. So I can create a DNS alias for \\OLDFILEAREA which points to \\NEWSERVER\NEWSHARE and not just to \\NEWSERVER?

oldbag · 29 Mar 2010 at 19:37

Use a dfs name space?

Bat · 29 Mar 2010 at 20:32

oldbag said:
Use a dfs name space?

Have you done similar this way? I'm not familiar with dfs shares.

oddjob62 · 29 Mar 2010 at 22:55

iaind said:
Simple

You'd also have to remove the existing Network name resource for the share cluster group on the cluster or it will keep registering itself. I would also remove the file share resource so there's no chance of someone connecting to it by mistake. It will still be available locally on the server.

oldbag said:
Use a dfs name space?

AFAIK that won't allow him to use the old UNC path without modification, although it's a good idea going forward.

iaind · 29 Mar 2010 at 22:58

Bat said:
Thanks for that mate, very helpful. So I can create a DNS alias for \\OLDFILEAREA which points to \\NEWSERVER\NEWSHARE and not just to \\NEWSERVER?

just an alias for "oldfilearea" to "newserver" - omitting any slashes or share names. Any existing shortcuts or mappings will continue to work

oddjob62 said:
You'd also have to remove the existing Network name resource for the share cluster group on the cluster or it will keep registering itself. I would also remove the file share resource so there's no chance of someone connecting to it by mistake. It will still be available locally on the server.

I was going on the basis that the old servers would be shut down first

Bat · 30 Mar 2010 at 07:40

Very helpful, many thanks. Yes the old server will be shutdown first.

In terms of the strict name checking. Should this be set on the new server itself, or on the DNS servers?

iaind · 30 Mar 2010 at 07:49

On the new server - basically, by default it will only respond to requests for it's own name (hence strict name checking). So you would find \\newserver would function perfectly but \\oldserver wouldnt, despite a ping to oldserver returning packets from newserver

Bat · 30 Mar 2010 at 08:03

iaind said:
On the new server - basically, by default it will only respond to requests for it's own name (hence strict name checking). So you would find \\newserver would function perfectly but \\oldserver wouldnt, despite a ping to oldserver returning packets from newserver

Legend. Thanks very much!

oddjob62 · 30 Mar 2010 at 11:23

Bat said:
Very helpful, many thanks. Yes the old server will be shutdown first.

That's fair enough, i only said it because you mentioned they were DCs and doing a data migration then demoting and decomissioning a couple of DCs isn't always that quick a process. So chances are you will want the new share working before the old servers are fully down. If you don't remove the name it will keep trying to register in DNS.

Bat · 30 Mar 2010 at 13:11

oddjob62 said:
That's fair enough, i only said it because you mentioned they were DCs and doing a data migration then demoting and decomissioning a couple of DCs isn't always that quick a process. So chances are you will want the new share working before the old servers are fully down. If you don't remove the name it will keep trying to register in DNS.

Yeah very valid point. Thanks mate!