How to Migrate Local Users and Groups with Secure Copy (4259181)

This article describes the processes required to migrate local groups and users when using Secure Copy to copy data to another location.

When using Secure Copy to copy data to another location there is an option to migrate local users and groups.  In order for these users and groups to be migrated to the target server, they must have NTFS rights to the data that is being migrated.

If the local users/groups don’t already have permissions on the data being migrated, follow the steps below to do this.

Creating the File: 

• Create a text file in a location that is easy to access on the server where the local groups and users reside.

• Right click on the new text file and click properties.

• Click on the Security Tab.

• Click Add to add the desired local groups and users to permissions of this file.

• Once the permissions for all the local users and groups have been added to this file, click Ok.

Creating the Job: 

• Launch Secure Copy.

• Choose the source location of the copy job (which will be the location of the file created above).

• Choose the target location of the copy job (any location on the new server that the local users and groups will be migrated to).

• Click on the “Local Group & User” tab and then select the Migrate Local Groups option.

• Select the Check box entitled "Migrate Local Groups/Users to Destination Server".

• Ensure that the correct options are selected since these options will determine where the local groups and users will be migrated to. 

• Launch the job by saving the job and selecting the "Run" button located on the toolbar.

• Once the job has completed, check the target server for the presence of the newly created local users and groups. 

Note:  When migrating local users and groups into Active Directory, the groups will be added to the domain as domain local groups since Domain Controllers cannot accommodate local groups.

Also, if running the job repeatedly, make sure that the option “Migrate Local Groups/Users to Destination Server” remains checked. If it’s unchecked and the option “Always Copy Permissions, Even on Skipped Files” is checked your new local groups/users will not resolve and display as a SID. For more information on this see Solution #SL3747: Secure Copy - Access Control Entries show up as SIDs after migrating local groups and users to destination server.