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

• Request a new VM with the current version of Windows Server (preferred) or purchase and build a new physical server with the current version of Windows Server. NOTE that we strongly recommend against doing an upgrade-in-place.
• If you have a web-facing application, 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.
• Decommission the old Windows Server machine. 

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.