Upgrading a Windows Server

For virtual machines (VMs)

Your upgrade steps are:

  • Request a new VM with the current version of Windows Server. NOTE that we strongly recommend against doing an upgrade-in-place. You can request backup services using a link within this form.
  • If you have a web-facing application, and are not already behind the load-balancer, consider moving your VM (at no additional charge) so that it obtains the additional security.
    • You can do this by including “Please put the VM behind the load balancer” in the “Comments” section of the form above.
    • If your server is behind the load balancer, and if you have certificates in *.utk.edu, *.tennessee.edu, or *.utk.tennessee.edu, OIT will provide maintenance of certificates (at no additional charge).
    • If your server is behind the load balancer, and if you require a custom certificate, you will need to request the certificate and OIT will install it. You will be responsible for renewals. More information is available in a KB article: How to request a certificate for a web server.
    • If your server is NOT behind the load balancer, you are responsible for obtaining, installing, and renewing your custom certificate. More information is available in a KB article: How to request a certificate for a web server.
  • You may need to request new firewall rules and/or VPN access, either for you to access the server or for this server to reach other servers. 
  • Move or re-install your applications and move your data.
  • Turn off your old server, then test your new server and applications.
  • Decommission the old Windows Server machine

For physical machines

If you are considering moving to a VM, here’s some cost information:

  • VMs hosting web-facing applications can be moved (at no additional charge) behind the load balancer for additional security. Also, if you have certificates in *.utk.edu, *.tennessee.edu, or *.utk.tennessee.edu, OIT will provide maintenance of certificates (at no additional charge).
  • No charge to set up the VM.
  • Monthly billing is variable, depending on configuration (number of cores/CPUs, amount of memory/RAM, amount of storage), but a Windows VM with 1 core, 2GB of memory, and 100GB of storage runs about $7 per month.
  •  Backup services may be purchased separately:
    • One-time setup charge of $280.
    • Annual billing is variable, depending on the amount of data being backed up, but the Windows machine described above runs about $60 per year.
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Details

Article ID: 134116
Created
Tue 7/6/21 4:25 PM
Modified
Wed 11/1/23 3:39 PM
Environment
Windows 10

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