How to migrate WDS and MDT to a new Windows Server

Various reasons include but are not limited to the following: end-of-life, increased load, and security compliance. This article is going to go over the steps necessary to migrate WDS and MDT onto a fresh Windows server.

What are the steps in moving WDS and MDT to a fresh Windows server?

Migration of WDS or MDT to a new server may be necessary due to changed security and compliance standards. Because of hardware refresh, this might involve security updates, changes in the architecture of the deployment infrastructure or distribution of WDS roles to another server. WDS migration should be included in every disaster recovery plan. To improve administration, efficiency, and security, some organizations may want to centralize their IT infrastructure.

Installation of Windows Deployment Services

Setup the source.

Please download and install ADK and MDT.

Import the Deployment Share Folder and configure it.

Rollout

Publishing Updates

Creation of the WDS File System

In the case of Windows Server 2016 or later, the upgrade of WDS and MDT to Windows Server 2022 can be done quite easily by performing the steps below.

Now let's go deep into them in detail

1.Windows Deployment Services shall be installed.

Because you're trying to migrate from an older machine, which will probably have the service running, it goes without saying that WDS is on both the machines. Having said that, let me walk you through installing Windows Deployment Service on the destination machine. Just follow the steps listed below to achieve it.

Open Server Manager.

Click on Manage > Add Roles and Features.

After having chosen between installing role-based or feature-based, click the Next button.

In order to install WDS Roles on a specific server, locate that server in the server pole, click it, then click the Next button.

Locate the Windows Deployment Services on the Server Roles tab and put a check mark in it; then click the Next button.

Lastly, follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.

Finish all the installations.

2. Prepare the source.

Very well, to start the deployment, the first thing that needs to be done is to stop the Windows Deployment Service Server locally. Open your source and go to the Services program. Look for Windows Deployment Service Server and then right-click and select Stop.

First of all it is necessary to make sure source and destination settings are the same. To do that, open Deployment Share(s). To prepare the Deployment Share folder, its name can be found under Computer Management > System Tools > Shared Folder > Shares.

Locate the folder, then right-click on it to select the Properties option. Take a note of the permissions under Sharing, Advanced Sharing and Permissions. Note down all the permissions since it needs to be set up in the same way for the new folder.

3.The Windows Developer Kit with Microsoft Deployment Tool- MDT

Next, it is necessary to install the Windows ADK and MDT on the target machine. The setup for the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is downloaded from microsoft.com, while the Advanced Development Kit can be downloaded from learn.microsoft.com. One has an option to download the setup for both the ADK and the preinstallation environment.

4. Import the Deployment Share Folder and set up.

Open the target server's File Explorer. Navigate into the shared folder where the Deployment folder is located. Right-click and copy onto the local disks of the target. Depending on the size, this may take some time.

Once we are complete, proceed with the following.

Highlight the name of the source, right-click the Deployment Share folder and rename to that, right-click, and select Properties.

On the Sharing menu, select the Advanced Sharing options, then click "Share this folder" and provide a Share name which is the source's name.

Once the previously entered user has been removed, under the Permissions, click Add. Under the "Enter the object name to select" enter in "administrator". Click Check Names. Click Location then specify server.

To disable the inheritance, and thereby, convert the inherited permissions to explicit permissions on the object, click on Advanced, in the Security tab.

Remove all the users that were not included in the original folder.

Also check if the person doing the deployment has full access.

The Deployment folder is created, and now we can go ahead with the deployment process.

5] Open the Rollout

The Windows Application Development Kits and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit are to be installed on demand. After you have done that, initiate the deployment on the target machine through the use of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit. Follow the same using the following procedures.

Launch the MDT.

Right-click from the menu to open a deployment share.

Click Next while keeping all the settings to default for the completion of the process.

Then you have to ensure that all the internal settings are correctly set.

As we have imported the Deployment Share from the previous server, right-clicking it prompts Properties; from there, you can update the Network UNC Path. Secondly, update the DeployRoot field of the Bootstrap.ini file from Rules > Edit Bootstrap.ini. Finally, click on Apply and Ok.

6-Deployment ShareRefresh

updating a deployment share once we have created one is our next task. Proceed with the same by following the steps below.

Right-click your Deployment Share and select Update Deployment Share from the context menu.

In the wizard that comes up select Next multiple times by default.

Next select Finish.

Well this should do it but still something's not perfect.

7- Create a WDS folder

Next to the configuration of the deployment share, the creation of the WDS Directory would be the next step in WDS setup; if you want to do the same, then just follow the steps.

Open the MS Deployment Service tool.

Find your server under the expanded Servers section. Right-click on it and click Configure server.

Click Next until you get to "PXE Server initial settings." Then select Respond to all client computers.

Check the check box beside "Add images to the server now" on the final screen and click "Finish." Click Browse, and after reaching the Add image wizard, choose the image from the Boot folder. If you do not know the location of the image, ask your company.

Give that image a name as it runs through the process.

After that, testing and installation of the image can be continued.

By following these steps, one should successfully be able to migrate their WDS and MDT environment to a new server with minimal downtime and a smooth transition.