Server 2016 essentials updaten tp 2019 essentials

[pksparks]

Hi all.

 

i have a hp gen8 microserver with p222 card running on server 2016 essentials, fully to my liking, and all updated.

i use it for file storage, at site backups media player and remote acces for my wife and myself.

as server 2019 essentials is out for some time i have the following questions, and maybe some people here can give some answers/advise

 

1) is it worth updating to 2019e?

2) is the a valid download  link to an iso for this ( i allready have bought a valid, not illigal key), or can i use the evaluation downlod from microsoft and just enter my key?

3) can i run this from my existing configuration, which has 1 domaincontroler configured?

4) or do i have to start from scratch and use a new ssd for system, so i can keep my 2016e disk as emergency

5) will all my arrays be recognized with all their data ( when installing i will take them out offcourse), system is running from odd port on 128gn ssd.

 

any thoughts will be appreciated

 

rgds

patrick

[ShadowPeo]

1) There is honestly not much difference from what I have seen in the Standard/Datacentre versions few bits and pieces but nothing that would help a small setup that I can think of. not sure on the essentials side though. I only have one client using that and we have not upgraded them at this point.

2) You SHOULD be able to use the eval and input the key not tried though

3/4) I would probably do a backup with VEEAM or something then do an in-place upgrade this has worked well for us deploying 2019. had no failures yet on in-place upgrades I am very happy to say. normally I wipe but this time I tried in-place and well, its good

5) should be if the drivers are installed, if they are REFS then I can confirm all our REFS arrays came back happily

[pksparks]

Thanks for the reply. Guess i will have to wait till the heatwave is gone in Holland and it start raining as it should in september and just give it a go. Just bought a simular server, no disks, but i am now able to install server 2016e, and do the upgrade. And also usefull for other testing.🤓.

thanks again

patrick

[Jason]

I’m still running WSE12R2. Have tried at one point to upgrade it to WSE16 without success. Really don’t want to do a clean install and lose settings. Wish there was a way to do it.

[pksparks]

Hi Jason,

i did a clean install from 2012 r2 e to 2016e. So that was straight forward. Now i would like to do the upgrade from 2016e to 2019e. I will first set up the test server with maybe 2012 r2 e, and do the upgrade to 2016e and from there 2019e.

i am also worried about how the clients will react. Do i have to remove all traces of 2016e on all clients etc. Same with every windows 10 update.

one thing you can say about windows, it is never easy, never predictable and rarely solutions work each time the same way. But that is life

i will try in september i hope, and hopefully be able to post here some experiences

 

rgds

patrick