Using Veeam for Migration of baremetal AD on VM?

[Christophe V]

Hi all,

I just have a little question. I have a standalone server by a customer with Windows 2008 (not a virtual machine). This server has AD + 1 database Sage. I must change the hardware and on the new hardware I plan to install ESXi 6.x.

It is possible with the Active Directory on this server to use the Veeam Endpoint Backup and the "Export disk contents a vitual data"?

Or it's better to made a new VM that I can promote as new DC and after moving the FSMO role on this new DC, I depromote the Windows 2008 and after I use the "Export disk contents as virtual data"?

Did anyone already this job and what's was the result?

Thanks a lot

[Vitaliy S.]

Christophe,

Assuming that this is a Windows Server 2008 R2 and doesn't have any complex applications (requiring advanced application-aware processing logic), then it should be possible to do. If you can create a new VM, promote it to a DC level, then migrate just data from data disks, then I would go this route.

Thanks!

[Mike Resseler]

Christophe. Vitaliy is correct but I would like to propose a different approach because the way you would do it now, your AD will remain 2008 R2 and if you are going to virtualize your AD you want a higher version because starting from 2012 (or R2, not sure anymore) there is better virtualization support for AD / DCs

Since you are buying new hardware, leave the older server running for now. Install ESXi and deploy an empty VM on it. Promote that VM to a DC (choose 2012 R2 or 2016 for the VM, your choice ) and let replication do its job. After that is done, make sure all the roles are moved to the VM. Then demote the older server as a DC (so the database remains clean). If you have the possibility to do this, I certainly would advise it

[Christophe V]

Hello Vitaliy,

Thanks for your answer. Sadly Sage is installed on the server and I can't move only the data. I need to migrate the system partition too.

An other solution will be to depromote this server and to use vmware converter to migrate the vm, but if I can use Veeam, I don't need to install one more application
Thanks

[Christophe V]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your answer. Yes you are right, it's better to make a AD 2012 R2 or 2016 if all DC are virtuel. I miss this important information

I will go in this direction, thanks.

[Vitaliy S.]

In this case, you can still stick to your original plan, but use On-demand Sandbox (SureBackup jobs) to spin up the test environment, verify that everything is working and then complete the migration.