Microsoft File Server Migration Toolkit
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Many organizations today are migrating and consolidating older file servers to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and increase the efficiency of storage management and backup tasks. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 technologies deliver low TCO, reliable file services essential to enterprise computing infrastructures, and an exciting set of customer-focused services to increase return on investment (ROI) and enhance end-user productivity.
To make the file server migration and consolidation process easier, Microsoft has released the Microsoft File Server Migration Toolkit. In addition, Microsoft has released guidance for file server migration and consolidation as part of the Solution Accelerator for Consolidating and Migrating File and Print Servers.
The File Server Migration Toolkit
The File Server Migration Toolkit (FSMT) provides several tools that simplify the consolidation process and minimize the impact of consolidation on users.
| • | Easy migration: FSMT helps the system administrator easily migrate and consolidate shared folders from servers running Windows NT® Server 4.0 or the Windows 2000 family of servers, to a server running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Storage Server 2003. |
| • | Less impact on end users and line-of-business applications: FSMT helps the system administrator configure new functionality in Distributed File System (DFS) to maintain the original Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of files after they are moved to a new server. This reduces the impact of file server consolidation and migration, saves end users time spent searching for files, and ensures that line-of-business applications keep running. This functionality is described in Knowledge Base article 829885. Although this article contains manual installation steps for creating DFS consolidation roots, you do not need to follow these manual installation steps if you use the File Server Migration Toolkit. The tools in the toolkit will create DFS consolidation roots for you. The DFS Consolidation Root hotfix is available at no charge in Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2003. |
Need to know more? Find the answers to common questions asked about upgrading to Windows Server 2003.
Read the File Server Migration Toolkit Overview
Find out more about the Toolkit in this downloadable white paper.
The Solution Accelerator for Consolidating and Migrating File and Print Servers
The Solution Accelerator for Consolidating and Migrating File and Print Servers is a set of documentation that provides guidance on consolidating and migrating file and print servers from Windows NT Server 4.0 to Windows Server 2003 and Windows Storage Server 2003. It details the benefits of consolidation and migration and provides technical information, recommendations, processes, build notes, job aids, test scripts, and a well-documented and tested process for consolidation and migration. The documentation includes the following components:
| • | Planning guidance: Outlines the processes, tool selection criteria, and technical considerations. |
| • | Implementation guidance: Walks through the recommended process for consolidating file and print servers within the context of an enterprise scenario. Implementation guidance includes use of the FSMT. |
| • | Lab validation: Presents test strategy and methodology, test cases, and results of the tests for file and print server consolidation and migration. |
The Solution Accelerator for Consolidating and Migrating File and Print Servers is currently available.