topic Re: Migrate Cifs to a Windows Server in ONTAP Discussions

Migrate Cifs to a Windows Server

jkoelker01 — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:48:34 GMT

Hello,

We are currently researching how to migrate our current Netapp Cifs environment to a Windows 2012 Distributed File Services environment. I was looking to see if anyone has done this in the past and can provide any experience as to best practice or gotcha's. We are trying to determine if there is any ability to setup replication of some sort from the Netapp Cifs environment to the Windows server or if everything simply has to be copied via a tool like RoboCopy in one fell swoop. If there is anyone who can provide any insight into this topic, I would greatly appreciate it. We are running on a Netapp FAS 2240-2 with 7-mode 8.2.3 P6.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

Re: Migrate Cifs to a Windows Server

GidonMarcus — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 23:18:12 GMT

* NetApp have a free CIFS copy tool called XCP that claim to be faster than robocopy - it can maybe help you out.

* the only piece of help i have in hand is a script to copy share permissions and volume sizes from 7-mode to Windows shares and file server quota management (used it when migrated a few dozens shares. not worth touching if only have a few)

* the Filer cannot participate in the DFS-r replication group.

* two days ago i wrote here what i think of DFS - you can have a quick look if you interested: http://community.netapp.com/t5/OnCommand-Storage-Management-Software-Discussions/Disaster-Recovery-Options/m-p/139542/highlight/true#M25464

Gidi

Re: Migrate Cifs to a Windows Server

tyrone_owen_1 — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 06:35:42 GMT

Just want to add that I was told by NetApp that the CIFS version of XCP isn't any quicker than Robocopy.

Thanks

Re: Migrate Cifs to a Windows Server

JGPSHNTAP — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 09:00:55 GMT

I stress tested XCP and it's not that good. Stay with robocopy, been around forever and is great.

Re: Migrate Cifs to a Windows Server

darraghos — Sun, 20 May 2018 19:48:54 GMT

Depends on if you are keeping the NetApp storage. if for some reason you want windows to share out the date over CIFS but keep the NetApp storage simply clone the volume and present as a LUN to windows and share it out. Use powershell to recreate the shares.

Re: Migrate Cifs to a Windows Server

SNAPMIRROR — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 06:58:40 GMT

Hi Darraghos,

I'm going to migrate my Netapp on a Windows File Server, as you mentionned in your comment can you tell me how to export all my shares with powershell ?

Thks