I recently received a query concerning the SharePoint content migration upgrade approach. The customer was attempting to attach the databases to a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 installation. They then tried to run prescan.exe, which complained, stating that they must have Windows SharePoint Services v2 (WSSv2) installed.
Prescan must be executed whist the content databases are in a WSSv2 (SPS03) environment, then the prescan'd databases can be upgraded using any of the three upgrade options (or is it 7 options – see Joel’s blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/joelo/archive/2007/05/22/3-methods-to-upgrade-let-me-give-you-4-more.aspx). What prescan does is amend the content databases so that they now contain references to the site definitions that sites were based on.
Once you do an upgrade and you remove your WSSv2 (SPS03) environment, and if there is a possibility you need data from your WSSv2 (SPS03) content databases, you must have a means of restoring your WSSv2 (SPS03) content databases, attaching them to a WSSv2 (SPS03) environment, service packed to the necessary level that matches your WSSv2 (SPS03) content. Note, you cannot attach them to a WSSv3 (MOSS 2007) database without them being prescanned, which is another reason why you need a WSSv2 (SPS03) environment. Also you can not attach a content database twice to the same WSSv3 (MOSS 2007) farm.
As a side note, Prescan does not build the xml file that maps the old site definitions to the new site definitions. That is a manual job that developers do. Chapter 25 "Upgrading Site Cutomizations and Custom Site Defintions", written by Brett Lonsdale, in the Administrator's Companion, has more details of the xml mapping files. Also refer to the Upgrade Toolkit for Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates Guide.
So after you run the prescan on the old boxes you only have to move the content databases, presuming you have taken care of all other upgrade/customization issues you may have.
Remember:
- Prescan can only be run in a WSSv2 (SPS03) environment.
- You MUST run prescan prior to upgrading your WSSv2 (SPS03) environment.
- You can run prescan as many times as you like.
Prescan be down loaded from: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=e8a00b1f-6f45-42cd-8e56-e62c20feb2f1&displaylang=en
Other useful blogs include:
If you are going to TechEd 2007, Orlando, Florida – next week, and you are interested in upgrading your WSSv2 (SPS03) sites to WSSv3 (MOSS 2007), then I highly recommend that you attend the following sessions:
- OFC304 - Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Upgrade and Migration, Wednesday, June 6 5:30 PM - 6:45 PM, S210 E, Shane Young
- MST16-TLC - SharePoint Upgrade: Do's and Don'ts, Thursday, June 7 4:30 PM - 5:45 PM, Green Theater 4.
I’ll also be at TechEd next week, in the Office – POD (Hands-on labs North), so do come over and introduce yourself, and at the same time complete:
- OFC06-TLC - Upgrade Toolkit for Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Sites and Templates.
- OFC07-HOL - Upgrading to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 from SharePoint Portal Server 2003.