file server mirgration tool

Smallguy

Hi I'm' looking for a file server migration tool that will allow me to pick sub folders in a share

reason being is we are retiring a file server and moving data over to our new one

I was going to start with our dept first but the issue is when the original share was created it was call "shared data" and it has department sub folders in it

I know everyone in our dept has access to the new file server but since we have offices all over Canada I'm' sure that if I move all the data that there will be some users who do not have mapped to the new file server

I just did a test and tried to move a test share but it will not allow me to drill down past the root folder of the share. I want to be able to pick folder1 out of a share and migrate it to a new location on our file server but Microsoft's file server migration tool does not appear to have this functionality

I know I could share the folder out I want to move but this is not ideal

does anyone know of a tool I can use

cisco_trooper

Have you tried using DFS for your shares. If your users' mapped drives are pointing to DFS, all you have to do is update the link within DFS when you move the data, and their mapped drives will never know the difference. Since you're moving crap around, this might be a good time to go ahead and get this setup, both for now and for the future....

blargoe

I don't understand what you want the end result to be. Is the new server going to have one root folder shares with a bunch of department sbufolders (like the old server) or are you wanting the new server to have individual shares for each department?

paintb4707

Uh from what I understand you're trying to migrate a subfolder of a shared folder? In that case you need to share the subfolder when you move it to the new server.

In any case... why not use the good old ntbackup and restore a backup so you don't have to manually reset all the NTFS permissions? Or better yet give robocopy a try.

Also I have a gpo script that you might want to try out for remapping people to the new server. I haven't used it myself but I got it off experts-exchange. Seems to be the only logical way to really direct users to a new file server. I couldn't find a better solution.

net use X: \\oldserver\share /d /y
net use X: \\newserver\share

Make a batch file with it.

Smallguy

blargoe wrote:

I don't understand what you want the end result to be. Is the new server going to have one root folder shares with a bunch of department sbufolders (like the old server) or are you wanting the new server to have individual shares for each department?

we are going to keep the same file structure atleast temporarily since the directory no the odl server contains data our divisions sahre and is called shared groups

I'm going to give robocopy a try and have also played with secure copy4 by script logic

Ahriakin

Robocopy has nothing to do with sharing though.
My advice is setup DFS now with your existing structure, add hidden shares to each subfolder under your main data folder (sharename$) and map these under your DFS root so they look the same as the existing structure (if you haven't done this before it's not hard). Map the DFS root to a drive letter using a login script, leave the existing share in place for about a week but email your users and tell them to start using the new Network drive (we use "N" so they can remember N for network). When the week is up remove the visible share on the root of your shared data folder so they have to use your mapped drive. Wait another few days to deal with the usual folks who don't listen or read your emails to call and say they can't access their stuff anymore. Anyway once you are comfortable they are using your DFS drive/share migration becomes very easy. What I tend to do is do a straight copy during business hours to the new server, then after hours turn off the share on DFS and run something like DSynchronize to copy over only the files that have changed since the full copy, this way you don't interfere with daily use but you also don't get stuck for as long after hours watching files copy. Once the data has been moved you just recreate your DFS link but point it to the new share. The next day your users access their data on the Network drive as they always have, their shortcuts still work etc. This is about the only way you can do this transparently on a folder by folder basis.

Once DFS is handling your shares it's all virtual, you can move them anywhere you like but still have the users access only one static DFS root/share to get their files.
This also works really well if you have multiple sites. You can make similar DFS root shares at each site and then also add links from each site's DFS to the root shares of the other's. E.g. Site one DFS root could be:

Data
Public
Users
x Remote Site 1
x Remote Site 2
etc.

So you users know that all they need to do to access any file anywhere on your network is use their single mapped drive.

blargoe

SecureCopy should do exactly what you are looking for. I just did one with that tool about 6 months ago.

Smallguy

blargoe wrote:

SecureCopy should do exactly what you are looking for. I just did one with that tool about 6 months ago.

I was experimenting with the trial version and it a very slick tool for what I want to do

unfortunately at a little over 1k for a 1 year 2 server license it is quite pricey too

I'm going to see if I can achieve what I want with other options but if I cna't I'll be aqsknig for soem cash from my manager

royal

By the way, the file server migration tool from windows to windows will allow you to migrate your data from 1 server to another while implementing a mini-dfs link so users are re-directed to your new server. I have not tested or played with this feature, but read about it in Windows IT Pro.