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Server 2016: Role Tide (Or; Exporting Server Roles to A New Server)


You don’t want to “upgrade” a server. Everything’s got history, you, me, and technology, despite companies’ best attempts to even physically scrub encoded data off of machines.

And maybe it’s not compatible with the older hardware.

So, here’s role migration — Role onto a new server, with all the configuration of the old one.




The video is transferring a DHCP server (With configurations!), and unfortunately we don’t have a second server to manipulate, so we’ll put in the commands after we read what happens here and go as far as we can.

 I could take screenshots from the video but that’s not real learning.

Of course, both servers should be on the same network.

First, let’s install the Windows Server Migration Tool from Add Roles and, specifically, Features.

You tell the old server to export the configuration in a way humans can understand.

On the target server, open an Elevated Command Prompt.

cd %windir%\System32\ServerMigrationTools

Takes us to the appropriate directory.

Then run

smigdeploy.exe /package /architecture amd64 /os WS12R2 /path c:\smigtool12r2

RIGHT SO what does all that mean?

the architecture bit has to match that of the processor the source server used.

the os is the operating system. Windows Server 2012 R2

the path and subsequent c: is where the tool will run.

Hit enter, open the file browser, navigate to the appropriate drive, and there it is!



(there’s so much stuff!)

Now to get it onto the source server. Stick it on a flash drive.

After a quick rename, the elevated command prompt comes back and we move to cd \smug

Running the executable (dir *.exe, because * = wildcard), there are only two executables, so let’s run smig deploy.

And welcome to a Powershell enviroment, specially built so we can run waht we need.

Verify the roles to migrate -

Get-SmigServerFeature

(You can’t export a running service)

Export-SmigServerSetting -FeatureID DHCP -path c:\WhereAmIGoing

Despite exporting it to the new server, you do have to add the Role.

In the post install window, it’s trying to import, and it may not have finished authorizing the DHCP server. Ok. It’s fine.

Under tools, go to Window Server Migration Tools, pull up the terminal:

Import-SmigServerSetting -FeatureID DHCP -Path c:\WhereItWent -force





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