Client migration upgrades Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 clients to the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012 client software. After you migrate a client to Configuration Manager 2012, you can no longer manage that device by using your Configuration Manager 2007 hierarchy.
To successfully migrate clients, you should first migrate objects that are associated with the client, including collections and advertisements. Use collection-based and object-based migration jobs. After objects associated with the client are migrated, you complete client migration by upgrading the client to the Configuration Manager 2012 client software.
Use the following information to help you plan the client migration:
- Ensure that the clients that you want to
migrate use the supported client operating system versions and
minimum requirements.
- Upgraded clients retain their advertisement
run history to prevent deployments from rerunning
unnecessarily.
- Use any supported client deployment method to
upgrade the clients. Typical client deployment methods include
client push installation, software distribution, Group Policy, and
software update-based client installation.
You can monitor the client migration process in the Migration node of the Administration workspace in the Configuration Manager console.
Use the following information to help you plan the client migration process:
- Planning to Migrate Clients
to Configuration Manager 2012
- Planning for Data Maintained
on Clients During Migration to Configuration Manager 2012
- Planning for Inventory and
Compliance Data Migration to Configuration Manager 2012
Planning to Migrate Clients to Configuration Manager 2012
Client migration upgrades the Configuration Manager 2007 client to the Configuration Manager 2012 client software. When you migrate Configuration Manager 2007 client computers, the existing client software is uninstalled, and the new client software is installed. You can use any supported client deployment methods to migrate the client. For more information, see Determine the Client Installation Method to Use in Configuration Manager 2012.
Use the following information to help you plan the client migration to Configuration Manager 2012:
- Before you migrate the client software on a
device, ensure that you migrate the information the client will
use, such as packages and collections.
- You can migrate clients from sites in a
Configuration Manager 2007 hierarchy in any order you choose.
However, consider migrating limited numbers of clients in phases,
as opposed to large numbers of clients at a single time. A phased
migration reduces the network and server processing load created
when each newly upgraded client submits its initial full inventory
and compliance data to its assigned site.
- Consider assigning a specific
Configuration Manager 2012 site during the upgrade
process to ensure that upgraded clients do not automatically assign
to a Configuration Manager 2007 site.
Configuration Manager 2012 clients might join the wrong
hierarchy if you use automatic site assignment and your
Configuration Manager 2007 and Configuration Manager 2012
hierarchies have overlapping boundaries in Active Directory Domain
Services (AD DS).
Planning for Data Maintained on Clients During Migration to Configuration Manager 2012
When you upgrade a Configuration Manager 2007 client to the Configuration Manager 2012 client software, the following information is retained on the client:
- The unique identifier (GUID), which
associates a client with its information in the Configuration
Manager database.
- The advertisement history, which prevents
clients from unnecessarily rerunning advertisements.
Clients do not retain the following information after they are upgraded:
- The files in the client cache. If the client
requires these files to install software, the client downloads them
again.
- Information about any advertisements that
have not yet run. If you want the client to run the advertisements
after it is upgraded, you must recreate them in
Configuration Manager 2012 by using a software
deployment.
- Information about inventory. The client
resends this information to its assigned site after the client has
upgraded, and the new client data has been generated.
- Compliance data. The client resends this
information to its assigned site after the client has upgraded, and
the new client data has been generated.
Planning for Inventory and Compliance Data Migration to Configuration Manager 2012
Configuration Manager 2012 does not migrate client inventory or compliance data. Instead, this information is recreated in the Configuration Manager 2012 hierarchy when clients first send information to their assigned site. To help reduce the resulting network and server processing load, consider migrating a small number of clients in phases rather than migrating a large number of clients at a single time.
You also cannot migrate customizations for hardware inventory from your Configuration Manager 2007 hierarchy, and you must import these to Configuration Manager 2012 independently from migration. For information about how to extend hardware inventory in Configuration Manager 2012, see How to Extend Hardware Inventory in Configuration Manager 2012.