Replacing an old office server: your options and a migration plan

Check the server's age and support

An unsupported server no longer gets security updates. It still works, but every new flaw found in it stays open. Microsoft publishes the end date for each Windows Server version on its lifecycle pages.

If you're not sure which version you have, your IT provider can tell you, or it's shown in the server's system information. Hardware age matters too. Check whether the server is still under the manufacturer's warranty. Once it isn't, a failed disk or power supply can take a while to replace.

List what the server actually does

Before you choose anything, write down every job the server does. Ask staff what would stop working if it were switched off. Most small office servers do some mix of these:

• Shared drives, often mapped as letters like S: or P:
• A line-of-business app, such as accounting, practice management or job costing software, often with a database
• Printing, through shared printer queues
• User logins, if it's a domain controller running Active Directory
• Other bits: scanning to a folder, remote access, backups of other machines, a licence server

Also note how much data there is, who uses which folders, and which software vendor supports the app. The vendor's answer about hosting often decides the plan.

Choose a new home for each job

You don't need one answer for everything. Each job can go somewhere different.

The migration plan

1. Clean up first. Archive or delete old folders nobody uses. Remove duplicates. Shorten very deep folder structures. Moving less data is faster and cheaper. 2. Fix permissions on paper. Write a simple list of who should see which folders. Old servers collect years of one-off permissions. Don't copy the mess across. 3. Take a full backup of the old server and check you can restore from it. 4. Set up the new home. Create the sites or shared drives, groups and permissions. Turn on two-step verification for every account before files arrive. 5. Do a first copy while people keep working on the old server. Check the reports for files that failed or were skipped. 6. Pilot with two or three staff for a week. Have them open real files, print, scan and use the app. Fix what they find. 7. Cutover weekend. Tell staff the date in advance. On Friday evening, set the old shares to read-only, run a final copy of changes, then switch mapped drives, shortcuts, scanners and the app to the new locations. 8. Monday support. Have someone on hand Monday morning. Expect small problems like a missing shortcut or a scanner pointing to the old folder. 9. Keep the old server switched off but intact for a few weeks, then wipe the disks properly before you dispose of it.

Cloud files still need backup

Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace keep your files available, but that isn't the same as a backup you control. Deleted items in SharePoint are kept for 93 days, then they're gone for good. Ransomware can also encrypt synced files, and a mistake by an admin can delete a lot quickly. Use a separate backup service for your cloud files, and keep backing up anything left on site. Then test that you can restore it. Our guide to backups that actually work covers what a good setup looks like.

If you're also moving email at the same time, see moving email to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. Doing both in one project is common, but plan them as separate steps.

Common questions

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