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I have a box running Server 2008 R2 hosting a SBS 2008 VM on Hyper-V. This server is failing, and we would like to move the SBS 2008 VM to a new Hyper-V host.

I know cloning/moving DCs is generally unsupported, but has anyone done this? I can't really think of any reasons it wouldn't work - shutting it down and moving the physical VHD, then recreating the VM. There shouldn't be any time issues.

Any input? Anyone done this before with any success (or not?)

justin0
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I know cloning/moving DCs is generally unsupported,

Really? I Do not. CLONING - yes (as the SSID is identical and a DC is critical on that - they need separate identities). MOVING? Where you get that from? I never heard that and it would make any maintenance on the host simply impossible.

Use export - do not JUST copy the VHD. Btw., if you upgraded to Hyper-V 2012 in time you could move that online without even shutting down ;)

the-wabbit
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TomTom
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  • MS says: "Do not use the Export feature on a virtual machine that is running a domain controller." http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/d2cae85b-41ac-497f-8cd1-5fbaa6740ffe(v=ws.10)#deployment_considerations_for_virtualized_domain_controllers – justin0 Jul 10 '13 at 05:36
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    @justin0 you should read in context - this statement is a "***deployment*** *practice to avoid*" - there is nothing wrong with exporting it if you do not intend to run the copy in parallel with the original. BTW: an "export" will preserve the virtual hardware configuration, including interface MAC addresses - which will save you some time when bringing the machine back up again. – the-wabbit Jul 10 '13 at 05:58
  • Exactly. Unless you can run live migration with shared nothing (2012) export/import is the only way to do it. Do it to CLONE a vm though and you are in deep deep trouble as you possibly just destroyed your forest replication. But to move them around - nothing wrong. – TomTom Jul 10 '13 at 06:00
  • Agreed. Export the VM. Do not clone it and do not copy and paste it. Export/Import it. – joeqwerty Jul 10 '13 at 11:53