Help Center/ Server Migration Service/ Best Practices/ Upgrading Windows
Updated on 2026-08-05 GMT+08:00
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Upgrading Windows

Background

In enterprise IT O&M, Windows Server is a widely deployed as a core OS. However, once the system reaches the extended support or end of support (EOS) phase, security vulnerabilities, compatibility issues, and compliance risks increase significantly. In this case, a direct upgrade may cause service interruptions, while maintaining legacy versions poses security threats. To address this, we recommend a three-stage strategy: "Migrate, Upgrade, and Cutover." This approach effectively minimizes the impact on production environment services through service migration verification, version upgrade testing, and a final cutover. Typical upgrade scenarios include:

  • The current system version is reaching or has reached the end of life (EOL).
  • The existing system cannot meet the requirements of newer service components.
  • Upgrades are recommended by platform or software vendors.

Upgrade Process

The complete upgrade process is as follows: initial migration > local upgrade on the target > service verification > cutover verification.

First, use SMS to migrate the source server to a target ECS, and then perform the upgrade on the target ECS. This method concentrates high-risk operations on the target server. Even if the upgrade fails, the source server can continue to host services, ensuring easy rollbacks and convenient re-validation.

Upgrade Procedure

  1. Perform the initial migration.

    Use SMS to migrate the source server to a target ECS. For details about the migration process, see Migrating a Windows Server.

  2. Perform a local upgrade on the target ECS.

    1. Check the compatibility of key drivers (NIC, storage, and virtualization) on the target ECS. You are advised to upgrade the VirtIO drivers to a later version. For details, see Installing VirtIO Drivers.
    2. Run the upgrade program according to the official Microsoft upgrade process. For details, see Plan your Windows Server upgrade.
    3. After the upgrade is complete, restart the system and confirm that you can log in successfully.

  3. Verify services.

    1. Verify the system version and activation status.
    2. Verify the network connectivity, disk mounting status, and remote management capabilities.
    3. Verify the running status of core services, monitoring tasks, and backup tasks.

  4. Perform the cutover and verification.

    1. Before the planned maintenance window, perform an incremental synchronization on the SMS console and upgrade the target ECS again.
    2. After the upgrade is complete, verify the service data consistency and service status on the target ECS.

Helpful Links

Microsoft official upgrade guides

FAQs about upgrade failures