Windows Server Role Upgrade and

Migration Matrix
The grid on this page explains your server role upgrade and migration options. For migration guides, visit Migrating Roles and Features in Windows Server.
For more information about installation and upgrades, see Windows Server Installation, Upgrade, and Migration.
Upgradeable from Upgradeable from Can migration be
Migration
Server role Windows Server Windows Server 2008 completed without
supported?
2012? R2? downtime?
Active Directory
Yes Yes Yes No
Certificate Services
Active Directory
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Domain Services
Active Directory
No No Yes No
Federation Services
Active Directory
Lightweight Yes Yes Yes Yes
Directory Services
Active Directory
Rights Management Yes Yes Yes No
Services
N/A except
Application Server Yes Yes ASR: Web No
Server
DHCP Server Yes Yes Yes Yes
DNS Server Yes Yes Yes No
 Not while the server is Not while the server is
part of a cluster. part of a cluster.
Failover Cluster Yes No
Yes, when the server is Yes, when the server is
removed by the cluster removed by the cluster
for upgrade. for upgrade.
Fax Server No No No No
File and Storage Varies by
Yes Yes No
Services subfeature
Hyper-V Yes Yes Yes Yes
Network Policy and
Yes Yes Yes  
Access Services
Print and Document No, but could be No, but could be
Yes No
Services restored restored
Yes, for Direct Access
Yes, for Direct Access
Remote Access and RRAS for Windows Yes No
and RRAS
Server 2008 R2
Yes, for all subroles,
Remote Desktop
but mixed mode farm is RDG and RDL only Yes No
Services
not supported
Volume Activation N/A—no local
Yes N/A No
Services settings
Web Server (IIS) Yes Yes Yes No
Windows
Deployment Yes Yes Yes No
Services
 N/A—new
Windows Fabric N/A—new feature N/A—new feature N/A
feature
Windows Server
Yes, with tasks No Yes Yes
Update Services
WS Essentials
N/A—new feature N/A—new feature Yes No
Experience