Windows Server Summit | Upgrades
Krähe mit HutI'm not even done with my previous servers. And now I'm supposed to migrate again??
Initial situation
Yes, that thought may well occur to you. After all, every server installation is quite a hassle and sometimes almost impossible due to hard dependencies. At the same time, older server versions are inexorably approaching the end of their support. So-called extended security updates are available, but they usually involve considerable additional costs.
New features with Windows Server 2025
Having been successfully tested by clients for some time now, the in-place upgrade—i.e., updating an existing server instead of reinstalling it—is being promoted even more strongly for Windows Server. Microsoft encourages users to consider this option.
This can be done in several ways and now supports up to 4 OS generations back, depending on the method, where previously only 2 generations were possible (yes, you can upgrade directly from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2025!):
- Upgrade via installation media (n-4)
- Upgrade via Windows Update (n-4)
Upgrade features have also been added for the following variants/services:
- Server Core (n-1)
- Cluster Aware Updating (n-1)
Microsoft points out that the hardware requirements between the server versions have changed only slightly, so a direct upgrade from an older server version should not be a problem from a performance perspective.
Important to note when upgrading
- Ensure that you have a working (!) backup of any servers that need to be updated.
- If you are using VMware, be sure to update the guest drivers before upgrading (with Hyper-V, these are continuously updated via Windows Update).
- Have a working product activation ready (e.g., KMS, MAK), as this will be reset after the upgrade.
I have also created an article listing possible problems and errors that may occur during an upgrade: Windows Server Upgrade - an overview
Weitere Informationen
Official video: Upgrades made easy with Windows Server 2025 - Windows Server Summit
Overview of all articles: Windows Server Summit in a nutshell
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