Has anyone swapped out a server used as the SMS central site and SMS database and successfully restored everything from the old server to the new? If so, can you please contact me so I can ask you some questions on how you did it.

My SMS central site server is about to come off lease and I need to swap out my old server for a new one. Everything about the new server will remain the same as the old server (i.e. the computer name, the static IP address, the version SMS and SQL, etc.), except for the physical server itself. I am running SMS 2.0 SP2 and SQL 7.0 SP2.

First of all you'll want to check out the 'SMS Maintenance & Recovery' page at:

http://www.microsoft.com/smserver/techinfo/administration/20/recovery/default.asp

The steps I'm sending, I have run myself several times. However, I can't stress enough that you should check this out in your own test environment before taking my word for it! --and Good Luck.

1. Check SMS the site with standard health checks to ensure it is running without major problems.

2. Record the Site server NetBIOS name and IP Address. (Neither of these may change during a re-host).

3. Ensure that a recent backup of the SMS database has been made. This can be done in either SQL or SMS.

4. Move the recent backup files to another location on the network, not on the site server that is going to be removed from the domain.

5. For site boundaries with multiple subnets, export the subnet list using 'Sitebndy.exe' (in the BORK) just in case you have problems with the database restore.

6. Double check for a secondary client connection account. If one is not available, create and wait more than 23 hours for clients to gain updated information. For more information refer to 237759 'SMS: Avoiding Client Lockouts When Using Client Connection Accounts.'

7. Disable discovery and installation methods. This uninstalls the logon server segment of the SMS Site. You may wish to watch for errors in the 'nt_logon.log' which may be turned on by enabling logging for SMS NT Logon Server Manager using SMS Service Manager.

8. WAIT. Allow Domain Controllers to uninstall the SMS Logon files and the service. In addition to checking the 'nt_logon.log', you may also want to watch the services on the DCs to ensure that the SMS Logon service is removed. (Recommend overnight, just to be sure.)

9. Move the SMS Server to "Workgroup" to remove the machine from the domain. (Alternatively, remove machine name from Server Manager.)

10. Turn the SMS Server off as the IP Address and NetBIOS name will be required for the new server.

11. Build the new server to host SMS using the IP Address and NetBIOS names of the original site server.

12. Install SMS with the same SP as previously. You must use the same SMS Service account and the same site code.

13. Copy the SMS Database backup to a local drive on the newly rebuilt SMS Site server.

14. From within SQL, restore the SMS Database from the backup file.

15. Enable logging for SMS NT Logon Server Manager and SMS Site Component Manager.

16. Check the Site Settings in SMS Administrator console, paying particular attention to the Client Agent settings, Client Installation method settings, and the Discovery method settings. Re-enable, if not already enabled, NT Logon discovery and NT Logon installation method.

17. WAIT. Component servers and Logon servers should now be updating with new information. Overnight wait is recommended.

18. Watch 'nt_logon.log' and 'sitecomp.log' logs for problems updating CAP, Distribution and Logon servers.