topic Re: Migrate Data and Shares from Windows Server to CIFS Volume in Network and Storage Protocols

Migrate Data and Shares from Windows Server to CIFS Volume

sboone2642 — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:03:22 GMT

We currently have a Windows 2003 server that acts as our file server. Currently there are over a hundred shares on this server. We would like to migrate all of this data over to a CIFS volume on our NetApp filer. What is the best way to go about doing this while maintaining the file system permissions and replicating all of the shares. I have used the Microsoft File Server Migration Toolkit before, but I am assuming that this will not serve it's purpose in this case as I am not transferring files between 2 servers. If anyone has run into a similar situation and has any recommendations, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Steven Boone

Re: Migrate Data and Shares from Windows Server to CIFS Volume

clucks — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:23:17 GMT

Hi Steven,

Not without its caveats, but we used Robocopy (Microsoft utility) to do all the migrations. Check your permissions at both share and ntfs level for your cifs volumes also. I think from memory we had to give some local computer account on the source (Windows) filer, permissions on the shares/ntfs folders.

Its pretty quick, especially when only set to copy newer/changed files.

Regards,

Paul Cluskey

Re: Migrate Data and Shares from Windows Server to CIFS Volume

kuduindustries2 — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:27:26 GMT

I am in the process of doing the same and am using a utility called BeyondCompare. This util allows the copying of NTFS permissions. You can pre-copy your data to the CIFS volume and just prior to the cutover do a sync.

James

Re: Migrate Data and Shares from Windows Server to CIFS Volume

sboone2642 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:46:33 GMT

I have tested with RoboCopy and it appears to be working to an extent. For some reason it is granting NTFS permissions to Everyone and ignoring the original perms. That, I am sure, is some configuration flag I missed somewhere in the copy.

The big issue I am running into is actually creating the shares on the new filer. I found a vbscript that someone wrote that parses out all of the existing shares and permissions and places them into a text file. I will then parse that text file and create a script that creates the shares on the filer. That is, unless anyone has an easier solution.

I have not had a chance to test this whole process out yet, but if I get it to work, I will post the script and my methods for getting the shares setup on here. As I said though, if anyone has any quicker/easier/better ways to handle this, please let me know.

Thanks,

Steve

Re: Migrate Data and Shares from Windows Server to CIFS Volume

daniel_kaiser — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:20:25 GMT

Hey Steven,

I've had good luck using a free tool from Microsoft called RichCopy. I believe the latest ideration of this tool is v 4.0.217.0

http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/d/0/fd05def7-68a1-4f71-8546-25c359cc0842/HoffmanUtilitySpotlight2009_04.exe

http://blogs.technet.com/b/ken/archive/2009/05/20/richcopy-command-options.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/b/ken/archive/2009/06/10/build-4-0-216-has-been-posted-to-the-microsoft-download-center.aspx