Enterprise question re: Migrating servers + upgrading versions

[AmyRoust]

I am getting new servers for our Enterprise deployment, so I need to migrate all of our existing content. At the same time, we are due for a version upgrade and want to install Enterprise 10.8.1.

My question: is it possible to install 10.8.1 on our new servers and migrate content from a previous version of Enterprise (specifically 10.5.1)? The prevailing wisdom on server migrations seems to be to either use the WebGIS DR Utility to backup and restore (which requires the versions to match) or to use a Join Site operation to move content (not clear on whether the versions have to match).

For what it's worth, the Enterprise deployment is spread out over multiple servers, so software installation is not as simple as running the Enterprise Builder tool on one server.

[George_Thompson]

Here is a blog that talks about a method for doing this; Migrate to a new machine in ArcGIS Enterprise using the WebGIS DR tool 

[AmyRoust]

I read that blog - it says that the ArcGIS versions have to match if you use the WebGIS DR tool. I'm looking for a way to migrate existing 10.5.1 Enterprise content directly into a new 10.8.1 environment.

[George_Thompson]

I am not sure if there is a "direct" way into a new set of servers at the newer version.

• The deployment to which you restore must be at the same version it was when you created the backup. Additionally, you must restore to the same type of operating system. For example, you cannot create a backup of an ArcGIS Enterprise deployment on Linux and restore it to Windows machines.

Restore ArcGIS Enterprise—Portal for ArcGIS | Documentation for ArcGIS Enterprise 

I have had a few clients do similar workflows for updating of O/S versions on new machines. This also allows a minimal amount of potential downtime.

[AmyRoust · Accepted solution]

Based on my subsequent research as well as Jonathan Quinn's comment on this post, I feel confident that it is not possible to migrate to a new server AND upgrade versions at the same time. Disappointing, but it makes sense that there isn't a tool that can do both. Esri would have to come up with custom configurations to accommodate every possible jump between versions. That's a pretty heavy lift.