dismwindows-server-2012
When upgrading from windows server 2012 standard to data-center using dism, will a data loss occur? Will I have to re-install programs already installed in the server?
I'm going to follow the instructions mentioned in :
http://blogs.technet.com/b/chitpro-de/archive/2012/09/18/upgrade-von-windows-server-2012-standard-edition-auf-datacenter-edition.aspx
"Upgrade of Windows Server 2012 Foundation is not supported."
HP recommends that you use the native DSM module for Windows Server 2012 and above, so two things you may want to check are, first, on each computer have you installed the Multipath-IO, you can do that with (using an Administrator PowerShell window):
Add-WindowsFeature Multipath-IO
And once that has been done, run mpiocpl.exe (the MPIO GUI) and check that "Add support for iSCSI devices" is checked and then click "Add". See here (taken on a machine that doesn't use MPIO):
A final step you can run, which is recommended in an HP support document on StorageWorks but may not be necessary in 2012, is to run the following command on each server:
mpclaim -n -i -a
The -n option suppresses reboot, -i is to install MPIO support on device(s), and -a specifies all applicable devices.
Best Answer
You won't lose any data, but a backup prior to making the change is smart regardless.
Assuming the server isn't a domain controller, you can proceed with the normal DISM commands to "upgrade" (license conversion is what MS calls it) the edition from standard to datacenter.
If it is a domain controller, you will have to first demote the DC to a member server. Then you can run the DISM command, and then dcpromo it back to being a domain controller again.