Setup, Upgrades, and Migration

Most customers will be able to, and should install Windows Server 2003 SP2 from http://Download.microsoft.com. Windows Server 2003 SP2 is now included in retail editions of Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2. Many OEMs also distribute Windows Server 2003 SP2 with their products. See Knowledge Base article 932600, Knowledge Base article 936594 and Release Notes for Windows SBS 2003 R2 for more information.

Yes. The minimum requirements increased to match those of the included server technologies. If you are planning an upgrade, check the SBS 2003 R2 FAQ page at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/faq/r2.mspx to see if your system meets the new minimum requirements.

SBS 2000 customers can upgrade directly to SBS 2003 or SBS 2003 R2. Earlier versions should be migrated to a new server running SBS 2003 R2. See the whitepapers at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/techinfo/productdoc/feature.mspx for more information on how to move your existing installation to the new version.

Yes. See the whitepapers specific to your migration on the SBS Web site .

Yes, it is always a good idea to make a backup of your production system before making any substantial changes. It is recommended you make a full backup, including the system state, before you upgrade your software. You should also test the backup by restoring one or two files to check that your backup completed properly. See “Backing Up and Restoring Windows Small Business Server 2003” on the Microsoft Web site.

If the service pack was available when SBS 2003 R2 was released, you can install it on SBS. After SBS 2003 R2 is released, you should check this Web site to determine if there are issues created by installing a component’s service pack.

No. SBS 2003 R2 is built, sold, and licensed as an integrated server platform. Customers who purchase SBS 2003 R2 Standard Edition are only licensed for the server applications that come as part of that edition. If you install that over the top of a Small Business Server 2000 installation, you will not be licensed to use either SQL Server 2000 or ISA Server 2000.

If you are running the evaluation version of SBS 2003 R2, you can upgrade to the retail version by running Setup again using the retail media.

Yes. SBS 2003 R2 supports up to two physical processor dies and up to four virtual processors on each multi-core processor die, or on processors that support hyperthreading, for a total of eight virtual processors. SBS 2003 R2 will display an alert during the setup process, but you can continue to install SBS 2003 R2 on a multi-core system. See Knowledge Base article 909382 for more information.

Yes. SBS 2003 R2 has the following design constraints: only one server in a domain can be running SBS 2003 R2; it must be the root of the Active Directory forest; you cannot create trust relationships with any other domains; and an SBS 2003 R2 domain cannot have any child domains. In addition, all the flexible single master operations (FSMO) are restricted to running on the SBS 2003 R2 server.

You may not separate the software for use on more than one operating system environment under a single license, unless expressly permitted. This applies even if the operating system environments are on the same physical hardware system, such as by using virtualization technology.

Yes. The most common configuration is to configure a server as a domain controller and then install it in a remote office. You can then manage all the users and computers in your SBS 2003 R2 domain using the server running SBS 2003 R2, while still providing local logon, printing, storage, and management capabilities at each office.

You can install them, but Microsoft has not tested and does not support installing the standalone or enterprise editions on your SBS 2003 R2 server. If you want to run enterprise editions on your network, we recommend you install a separate server running Windows Server 2003 and then install your software.

There are two parts to this question. First, the client setup program adds the user to the Local Administrators group, which allows SBS 2003 R2 to install the necessary components with the user’s credentials at log-on time. Second, for patches and updates to Microsoft software, Windows Server Update Services is now a part of SBS 2003 R2. The patch and update files, such as Office 2003 service packs, are downloaded once and stored on the server running SBS 2003 R2. By default, critical updates, security updates, and service packs are automatically distributed to clients; critical and security updates are automatically distributed to servers. A report is then generated showing you what computers have been patched, when they were patched, and the result.

Once the Transition Pack process is complete, the SBS wizards and tools are still available. However, the tools may not work with any subsequent upgrades to the standalone software components, and the SBS 2003 R2 tools are not supported by Microsoft after you apply the Transition Pack. Lastly, if you perform a clean installation using the standalone media, the SBS 2003 R2 tools are not installed.