Is your Microsoft Configuration Manager environment still running on an older Windows Server, SQL Server, or aging infrastructure?
Our SCCM Hardware Migration service helps organizations move their existing Microsoft Configuration Manager environment to a new, supported server while keeping their applications, packages, collections, task sequences, configurations, and client management in place.
Whether you are replacing aging hardware, moving to a new virtual server, upgrading Windows Server and SQL Server, or simply modernizing your SCCM infrastructure, System Center Dudes can plan and perform the migration from beginning to end.
The objective is simple: move your SCCM environment to a modern platform with minimal impact on users and administrators.
An SCCM hardware migration moves your existing Configuration Manager infrastructure from an older server to new infrastructure.
This is commonly required when:
The migration is also a good opportunity to review the overall health of the environment instead of simply reproducing an old SCCM configuration on a new server.
Every SCCM environment is different, so the exact scope depends on your existing infrastructure. Our consultants start by reviewing the current environment and determining the safest migration strategy.
A typical project can include the following.
Before starting the migration, we review the existing Configuration Manager infrastructure to understand what needs to be moved and identify potential issues before they affect the project.
This can include:
If we identify issues in the existing environment, we review them with your team before beginning the migration.
We prepare and configure the new infrastructure based on the requirements of your environment.
This can include:
The new environment is configured based on the size and requirements of your organization rather than simply copying the configuration of the old server.
The goal of the project is to preserve the Configuration Manager work that your team has already built.
Depending on the selected migration approach, we can migrate or reconfigure items such as:
We also validate the migrated objects before the old environment is retired.
Migrating the server is only part of the project. Managed devices also need to communicate correctly with the new Configuration Manager infrastructure.
Our migration process can include:
Client migration can be performed gradually to reduce risk and limit the impact on production devices.
Organizations with multiple locations may have several Distribution Points supporting remote offices.
During the migration, we review the existing content infrastructure and determine the best approach for each Distribution Point.
This can include:
In larger environments, keeping existing Distribution Points available during part of the migration can help reduce network traffic and avoid unnecessary content redistribution.
Software Update infrastructure is another important part of an SCCM hardware migration.
We review and configure:
After the migration, software update synchronization and deployment are validated before the project is considered complete.
If your organization uses SCCM for Windows deployment, we make sure the new environment can continue supporting Operating System Deployment.
This can include validation of:
We recommend testing at least one complete deployment before retiring the previous infrastructure.
Applications are often one of the most valuable parts of an established SCCM environment.
We validate that existing applications and packages remain available after the migration, including:
The migration of your existing SCCM applications is included as part of the environment migration.
Creation or repackaging of new applications can also be performed if required, but is normally handled separately from the hardware migration scope.
Many SCCM environments today are also connected to Microsoft Intune.
If your organization uses co-management or other cloud capabilities, we include those components in the migration planning.
This can include reviewing:
A hardware migration should not disrupt the cloud management capabilities already being used by the organization.
For many environments, we prefer a side-by-side migration approach when it makes sense.
With this approach, the existing SCCM environment remains operational while the new server is installed and configured. Objects and clients can then be migrated progressively instead of requiring everything to move at the same time.
This provides several advantages:
The exact migration method is selected after reviewing the existing environment, business requirements, SCCM version, infrastructure, and available maintenance windows.
An SCCM hardware migration is mainly an infrastructure change.
From an end-user perspective, the objective is for very little to change.
Applications should continue to deploy, software updates should continue to install, inventory should continue to report and Operating System Deployment should continue to work.
Our migration process focuses on testing these functions before retiring the existing environment.
Before completing the project, we validate the main SCCM functions in the new environment.
Testing can include:
Any migration issues identified during testing are addressed before the previous infrastructure is decommissioned.
Our SCCM Hardware Migration service typically includes:
The exact deliverables are adjusted based on the complexity of your Configuration Manager environment.
You should consider migrating your SCCM infrastructure if:
You do not need to wait for the existing SCCM server to become a problem.
Planning the migration while the current environment is still healthy usually provides more flexibility for testing and validation.
Not every organization that needs to replace an SCCM server needs to abandon Configuration Manager.
For organizations that still depend heavily on SCCM for application deployment, Operating System Deployment, servers, complex task sequences, or other on-premises management requirements, moving SCCM to new infrastructure can still make sense.
For other organizations, the hardware migration can be a good time to evaluate which workloads could eventually move to Microsoft Intune.
System Center Dudes works with both Microsoft Configuration Manager and Microsoft Intune, so we can help determine whether the right approach is to:
The answer does not have to be all SCCM or all Intune.
SCCM and Microsoft Intune are what we work with every day.
Our consultants have experience designing, troubleshooting, upgrading, migrating and supporting Configuration Manager environments ranging from smaller implementations to large enterprise infrastructures.
We approach the migration from an SCCM administrator’s point of view. We look at what is currently working, what needs to move, what can be cleaned up and how to perform the migration without creating unnecessary changes for your IT team or users.
The objective is not simply to install SCCM on another server.
It is to leave you with a clean, supported and fully operational Configuration Manager environment that your team can continue managing after the migration.
If your Configuration Manager infrastructure is running on aging hardware, an older Windows Server or SQL Server version, we can help you plan and perform the migration to a new environment.
Our SCCM consultants can handle the complete process, from the initial environment review to installation, migration, testing and knowledge transfer.
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