Windows® 2000 Server-to-Windows Server 2003 Migration Checklist

You can now migrate from Windows 2000 Server to Windows Server 2003! To migrate an account, just follow the instructions in the Step-by-Step Migration Instructions section located at the end of this page.

However, before you migrate an account from Windows 2000 Server to Windows Server 2003, there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. Taking care of these issues prior to migration will ensure that your upgrade will take place as seamlessly as possible. Below is a list of the key items that you should address prior to your migration:

• New IP Address: As your Windows Server 2003 account will reside on a new server, you will be allocated a new numerical IP address. If you have any hard-coded references to numerical IP addresses in your HTML or database files, you will need to change them to your domain name. Propagation of your new DNS information may take up to 48 hours.
  
  Important: If you manage your own DNS, you will need to update your DNS settings after your account's migration has been completed.
  
  
• Propagation: Moving your account to a new server requires that your domain name point to a new IP address. As a result, your DNS records must be updated to reflect the new IP number. This will result in a propagation delay as this new information propagates across the Internet. Note that propagation normally takes 24 to 48 hours to complete. At the start of propagation, we will establish a redirect from your old IP address to your new IP address so that visitors to your web site will be sent automatically to the new location of your site.
  
  
• SSL Certificate: If you have an SSL certificate, we suggest that you read the section in this checklist called Update for RapidSite SSL Clients.
  
  
• POP E-mail: Your e-mail messages will be migrated. However, before the start of the migration, you should "POP" (download) your e-mail from all of your POP e-mail accounts. Specifically, your e-mail messages should be downloaded to your local computer(s). You will not have access to your old e-mail messages once you click the "Upgrade Me" button below. Thus, before upgrading, we encourage you use your e-mail program to remove all e-mail messages from your account's mail server. Note that during the upgrade, there will be a small chance that some e-mail messages will be held in the e-mail queue until your account is fully functional.
  
  
• ASPmail: If your site is using the ASPmail components, you will not be able to use ASPmail on your Windows Server 2003 server(s). Installed are more flexible and reliable mail components such as CDO for Windows and the ASP.net mailer object. For more information, we suggest that you read our Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) document located in Technical Support section of the RapidSite Dealer Kit.
  
  
• Statistical Data: We will copy your Urchin statistical data -- including your raw statistics logs -- to your new web site. You can use these raw data logs in alternate web site statistics applications. Your new account's statistics will start recording on the day that your Windows Server 2003 account is available. However, due to the migration process, there may be up to a 24 hour period where your Urchin statistics may not be recorded accurately. Once your account's migration is completed, Urchin will again start recording your site's statistics accurately. As a cautionary practice, we suggest that any data that you are storing in your "stats" directory should be downloaded prior to the migration and backed up either to your local machine or to another location.
  
  
• Data Backup: We strongly recommend that you back up your web site to your local machine. Although our Windows Server 2003 platform offering has been thoroughly tested and is backed by our 99.9% Service Level Agreement (SLA), we still encourage you to make backup copies of your data.
  
  
• Migrating and Upgrading: You can migrate to a same level plan – as in moving from a Windows 2000 Server Bronze plan to a Windows Server 2003 Bronze plan. Or, if you prefer, you can upgrade to a higher level hosting plan. For instance, you can upgrade from a Windows 2000 Server Bronze plan to a Windows Server 2003 Silver plan. In short, you can move to the Windows Server 2003 plan of your choice.
  
  
• Microsoft FrontPage: Prior to migrating, be aware of the following FrontPage-related issues:
  
  • FrontPage users should note that the WAIS-based search feature does not function on Windows Server 2003 plans. If you do not use that feature then, after your account has been migrated, you will need to recalculate the hyperlinks on all web pages that were created through Microsoft FrontPage. For further information, see FrontPage: Recalculating Hyperlinks
  • If you use FrontPage 2002 or higher, you should not experience any technical problems when migrating from a Windows 2000 Server plan to a Windows Server 2003 plan. However, if you are using a version of FrontPage that is earlier than FrontPage 2002, your copy of FrontPage may be using Internet Database Connector (IDC) files.
    
    By default, the IDC file type is not supported in Windows 2003. As a result, you could encounter difficulties when migrating to Windows Server 2003. To avoid problems that may result from IDC files, we strongly encourage you to upgrade your web site(s) to FrontPage 2002 or higher prior to the start of your migration.
    
    You can check for the existence of IDC files by looking into your web site's cgi-bin directory and data directories. In those directories, look for files that use an ".idc" extension. Likewise, you can find IDC files by selecting the "Find" option from your FrontPage "Edit" menu. Use "Find" to search for any files that are using the ".idc" file extension.
    
    
• .NET Framework Versions: Windows Server 2003 has the .NET Framework Version 1.1. The majority of applications built against .NET Framework version 1.0 should execute flawlessly on version 1.1 and future releases. Still, there are some rare (but inevitable) situations that sometimes arise. These issues can be resolved easily with a recompilation of the code with software (i.e. Visual Studio) using the .Net Framework 1.1.
  
  
• Relative Paths: If your web site is using relative paths in Include statements with ASP, you will need to use virtual paths instead (for example, <!-- #include virtual="/includes/file.asp" --> instead of <!--#include file="../includes/file.asp"--> ).
  
  
• Scripts: If you have installed any custom scripts that reference (a) the server number on which your account currently resides, (b) your IP address, (c) your UserID or (d) your password, change the server number when referencing the secure server in your site's code. You can also refer to Making Your CGI Scripts Server Independent which is located in the Technical Support section of the RapidSite Dealer Kit.
  
  
• Control Panel Functionality: Your account's upgrade will take place automatically when you click the "UPGRADE ME NOW" button. Your account's Control Panel may then be unavailable for a few hours while the system creates your new account, copies your files, correlates your account information, and makes sure your domain name is correctly pointing to your web site. You will receive an e-mail activation notice with confirmation and the specifics of your new Windows® Server 2003 account. Availability of your web site via the Internet should not be affected by the upgrade. Additionally, your billing will not be changed.
  

Additional Information

SQL 2000 Databases: If you have an SQL 2000 database, you do not need to take any action. The migration does not move or otherwise change your database: it will remain exactly where it is.

Language Tag Modifications: If you are a RapidSite dealer, The language tags ACT10 and ACT11 are e-mail messages associated with migrateNT and will be sent directly to your Dealer email address. If you want your customers to receive these notices, it is very important that you modify these language tags so that they use the branding of your hosting service.

Update for RapidSite SSL Clients

Unlike other items that are associated with the migration, technical and legal reasons prohibit the automation of SSL migration from Windows 2000 Server to Windows Server 2003. Customers with installed and working SSL certificates on their Windows 2000 Server accounts must send an e-mail message to RapidSite Support (support@rapidsite.net) requesting that the certificates be migrated and installed on their Windows Server 2003 account. Note that this e-mail request must be performed at the time that the request is made to migrate (upgrade) your account to Windows Server 2003.

All Windows 2000 Server customers who are acquiring certificates will need to complete the above-mentioned e-mail process before their certificate(s) can be migrated to Windows Server 2003. Note that the process can be cancelled and then restarted once the account is migrated. Realize that there may be additional costs associated with the latter: So please check with your certificate issuing authority for information related to any costs that may be associated with canceling your request.

Step-by-Step Migration Instructions

To migrate an account from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003, follow these instructions:

1. Log in to the Control Panel of the Windows 2000 account that you want to migrate to Windows Server 2003.
   
   Important: You must be logged into the account's Control Panel. Trying to use the migration script by accessing it via the http://${SERVER_IP}/cgi-bin/secure/migrateNT URL will not work.
   
2. In Control Panel, click Edit Account Information.
3. If prompted, enter your userID and password and then click OK. You will be taken to the Edit Account Information page.
4. Notice the Internet address (the "URL") that is in your web browser's Address text field. In that URL, change the word "customer" to "migrateNT". Do not change any other text in that URL.
5. Click Enter. You will be taken to the Windows Server 2003 Upgrade screen.
   
   Note: Be sure to read the checklist of items that may affect your migration. Be sure the items in the checklist are addressed prior to clicking Upgrade Me Now!.

Click Upgrade Me Now! A message will appear that confirms your upgrade submission.