Registered users    
MembershipMembership:
Latest New UserLatest:Tim Whiteside
New TodayNew Today:18
New YesterdayNew Yesterday:7
User CountOverall:23106

Private messaging    
You must be logged in to use this module.
Top 10 posters    
NamePosts
Mariette Knap12634
Marina Roos12290
Eriq Neale2105
Michael Patrick1906
Stan Guinn1847
Robert Pearman1728
Nick Pieters1425
Stewart Brown609
Kevin D.563
william warren548
Welcome unauthorized visitor    
If you want to join us in the discussions on this forum you need to register first. Registration is free! If you are already a registered user please login to join the forum.
Small Business Server Support Forum    
Subject: Hardware planning for upgrade to 2008
Prev Next
You are not authorized to post a reply.

Author Messages
Kevin Brandt User is Offline
United States
Member since
3/28/2008

Registered Users
Posts: 1

3/28/2008 06:28 PM  
I have a client that is in need of a new server and they are perfect candidate for SBS.  Currently (as far as I have read anyway) SBS 2003 R2 runs on 32bit architecture only.  I would really like to upgrade them to 2008 when it becomes available to take advantage especially of Exchange 2007.  Problem is that Server 08 and Exchange 08 both reccommend 64bit platform...
 
Problem is... how can I plan for future upgrade to 2008 now if what I need to purchase harware wise needs to be 32bit to accomodate SBS 2003 R2?  Is it a lost cause?  Do I tell them to wait (probably not an option)?
 
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Mariette Knap User is Offline
The Netherlands
Member since
3/24/2005

Forum Admins
Posts: 12634

3/29/2008 08:47 AM  
If you buy 64bit enabled hardware now that will run SBS 2003 just fine and will also run SBS 2008. As long as you can add lots of Ram you are fine.

Mariëtte Knap Smallbizserver.Net AdministratorMission accomplished. We have joined the branch office to our SBS 2003 Headquarters and have the same user experience on the branch office as we have on our local  network at the Headquarters. Want to know how? Signup up for a subscription and get instant access to the article series 'How to add an additional Domain Controller from a remote office to the SBS domain'
Kevin Da Silva User is Offline
Mississauga, Canada
Member since
1/12/2008

Registered Users
Posts: 563

4/08/2008 07:58 PM  
SBS 2003 can run on 64-bit hardware it just cannot utilize the 64-bit capabilities it will sit install and run in 32-bit, so lik Mariette said you can still install SBS on some better hardware now and wait and then move to Server 2008 64-bit later.

MCSE:Messaging, MCTIP, SBS Specialist
Marshall Lai User is Offline
Hong Kong
Member since
3/27/2005

Platinum Membership
Posts: 111

4/25/2008 05:43 AM  
One caution on hardware planning intending to upgrade later to sbs2008:
 
IT IS A 32-BIT to 64-BIT OS CHANGE!!!!
 
In all likelihood, this CANNOT be an inplace upgrade like from SBS2000->SBS2003.  Current WS2003 is more similar to XP in terms of codes.  Although Vista took a lot of codes from WS2003, there are significant differences.  And when you factor into a 32-BIT to 64-BIT change for any MS OS, you are looking at a complete reinstall........  (I guess Linux wins in this regard.....)
 
What does that mean practically?  For migration from SBS2003 to SBS2008, you are looking at a complete reinstall.  And unless some miracle happens, it probably follows the route of adding a secondary domain server, synchronizing with the PDC, assuming all the roles, demoting the old PDC and promoting the new server to PDC, ..... etc
 
In other words, to do this properly, you will most likely need a new separate machine......
 
I am not on any of the SBS2008 beta (yet anyway) so the above is just an educated guess.  I currently run SBS2003 SP2 at home and am holding off upgrading the server and I think I will need a second (new) machine for the migration.
 
Look at the migration plan for WS2008 from WS2003.  There is NO INPLACE UPGRADE PATH from WS2003 32-bit to WS2008 64-bit.
 
Yes this is a complete headache for hardware platform planning if you are looking for upgrading to SBS2008 in the future while you need SBS2003 now.....  Since you need 2 machines for te migration anyway, you may just as well ignore SBS2008 at the moment and get the bare minimun of what you need now for SBS2003 and save for the later cutting edge hardware upgrade (or rather purchase) for SBS2008 when the time comes......
 
My worthless 2cents......
You are not authorized to post a reply.
Forums > Microsoft Smallbusiness Server > Small Business Server 2008 > Hardware planning for upgrade to 2008



ActiveForums 3.7
Forum policy    
These Discussion Forums are dedicated to the discussion of the Small Business Server and related server and client software. For the benefit of the community please observe the following posting guidelines:
  1. No Advertising. This includes promotion of commercial products and non-commercial products which are not directly related to Small Business Server and related server and client software.
  2. No Flaming or Trolling.
  3. No Profanity, Racism, or Prejudice.
  4. Site Moderators have the final word on approving/removing a thread or post or comment.