Moving WHS2011 from one computer to another

[jerek 0]

I have whs 2011 running on a HP proliant ml110 g6. I use it for client backups. The server has become unreliable so I want to move it to a Microserver N40l. How should I do this?

Thanks

[jmwills 284]

The OS or the data?  If the OS, you would be better off with a clean install with a prior backup and verification of all data.

[ikon 439]

Another case for VHD and VM

[jerek 0]

I just want to transfer my client backups without loss of any information that would hinder using the client restore function. I have already done a clean os on the microserver.

Thanks

[jmwills 284]

Not the answer you probably want to hear, but if you get a successful backup on the new server, isn't that just as good?

[jerek 0]

Certainly I can backup my computers as they are now. But I use the client backup as a means of rolling back a computer to a previous state or configuration. So these do not exist except on the present clint backups on the old server. VM was mentioned. How would this help?

[ikon 439]

VM helps because it dissociates the OS from the physical hardware. In a VM, the OS talks to 'fake' hardware. That fake hardware remains the same, no matter what physical hardware the VM is running on. At least that's the theory; as with everything, there can be complications. However, in general, it does work.

 

The OS that hosts the VM does all the talking to the physical hardware. The advantage is that the VM can be packaged up into a single file (in the case of Windows Server, a VHD file), moved to another computer (even one running a different version of Windows Server), and imported into a new VM on that server.

[schoondoggy 902]

Are you using the Smart Array RAID on the ML110?

[CablDeViL 5]

And the VM of choice this quarter is????

(as I am going to redo my VM server this weekend I would love to see if I should change Hosts)

[ikon 439]

I would use HyperV, but that's because I find it easier to manage.