Planning Your Migration Using the Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit

To help you prepare for migration, here are the major pieces of the end-to-end migration process, along with a team member who might be responsible for the tasks within each part of the process.

1. Task: Create media using Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit.

   Person Responsible: Central site administrator or person designated to create media.

   Note

   After creating the media, the central site administrator provides the media to the branch office administrator. The branch office administrator runs the media on the branch office site server to prepare it for migration.

2. Task: Ensure that server hardware meets the minimum requirements for the media option you choose. Run media on the branch office site server. For more information about software prerequisites and hardware requirements, see Prerequisites for Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit.

   Note

   For more information about the stand-alone task sequence media option and the boot media option, see Prerequisites for Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit.

   Person Responsible: Branch office site server administrator

   Note

   The media automates the conversion of the Configuration Manager 2007 installation to a virtual hard disk (VHD).

3. Task: If you choose to capture the site server image only and create a VHD, ensure that the VHD is saved to a safe location. Provision a server that meets the requirements for running Windows Server 2008 R2 and the Hyper-V server role, manually install Windows Server 2008 R2, activate the Hyper-V role, create a VM for your installation of Configuration Manager 2007, and then attach the VHD that you saved.

   Person Responsible: Branch office site server administrator

   Note

   For more information about the hardware and firmware requirements for Windows Server 2008 R2 and the Hyper-V server role, see Prerequisites for Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit.

4. Task: At this point, the remaining process and tasks for both options are the same, and the server configuration is the same. Verify that the server has the following configuration:

   • The physical computer is running Windows Server 2008 R2

   • The Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V role is turned on

   • Hyper-V is managing a new virtual machine (VM)

   • The VM is hosting your Configuration Manager 2007 installation

   Person Responsible: Branch office site server administrator

5. Task: Log in to the physical server, start the VM, and then verify that your Configuration Manager 2007 installation is working as expected.

   Person Responsible: Branch office site server administrator

6. Task: Install System Center 2012 Configuration Manager on the physical computer or in a new VM that you create.

   Person Responsible: Branch office site server administrator

7. Task: At this point in the process, your server is configured and ready for a side-by-side migration. For detailed information about migration, including instructions for a side-by-side migration, see Migrating from Configuration Manager 2007 to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

   Person Responsible: Branch office site server administrator

The previous section provides a high-level outline of the end-to-end P2V migration process. The next step in planning for migration is to identify the P2V migration path that best fits the requirements of your computing environment. The Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit provides two options, or paths, for using virtualization technologies in preparing your site server for a side-by-side migration.

• The Rehost path provides an automated solution when your single branch office server already meets the hardware and other requirements for Windows Server 2008 R2, the Hyper-V role, and Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

• The Image Capture-only path is a good solution when you plan to decommission and replace your single branch office server. An important part of this process is to preserve your current Configuration Manager 2007 settings and data so that you have these available to do a side-by-side migration on the replacement server.

In a typical rehost scenario, a branch office is running Configuration Manager 2007 in a single 64-bit server environment where the hardware meets the requirements for running Windows Server 2008 R2 and the Hyper-V server role. If your branch office site server hardware matches this scenario, choose the Rehost path by creating standalone media for the branch office administrator.

For instructions about the process for creating task sequence stand-alone media for the Rehost path, see How to Create a Task Sequence for the Rehost Path of the Configuration Manager P2V Toolkit and How to Create Task Sequence Stand-alone Media for the Rehost Path of the Configuration Manager P2V Toolkit.

For instructions about using this migration media, see How to Use Stand-alone Media with the Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit.

In an image capture-only scenario, a branch office plans to decommission the site server, or otherwise take the server offline, to replace the hardware with a 64-bit server running Windows Server 2008 R2 and the Hyper-V server role. You need a way to preserve your Configuration Manager 2007 settings and data while the hardware is replaced. If your branch office site server matches this scenario, choose the Image Capture-only path by creating boot media for the branch office administrator.

For instructions about creating boot media for the Image Capture-only path, see How to Create Boot Media for the Capture-only Path of the Configuration Manager P2V Toolkit.

For instructions about using this migration media, see How to Use Boot Media with the Configuration Manager P2V Migration Toolkit.

Before actually migrating any data, you must install and configure the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager sites and hierarchy. For more information about this topic, see Site Administration for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.