MS Project Server 2007 To 2010 Upgrade Guide: Legacy Migration Protocols For 2026 Enterprise Systems

This technical guide details the migration of Microsoft Project Standard, Professional, and Project Server from the 2007 architecture to the 2010 edition. It focuses on maintaining database schema integrity and preserving legacy portfolio data within highly secure, air-gapped enterprise systems.

Maintaining legacy digital infrastructure remains a critical operational reality. Government defense systems, aerospace manufacturing lines, and specialized utilities continue to operate isolated, air-gapped networks where legacy software stacks like Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 must be systematically modernized.

Upgrading from Microsoft Project 2007 to the 2010 platform is a complex, high-risk endeavor. The transition represents a fundamental shift in database architecture, moving from a multi-database SharePoint integrated model to the unified SharePoint Server 2010 Service Application framework. This technical blueprint outlines the exact procedures, validation steps, and disaster recovery protocols required to execute this migration successfully without risking data degradation.

Architectural Evolution: 2007 vs. 2010 Platforms

Before attempting any data migration, system administrators must understand the architectural differences between the 2007 and 2010 environments. Office Project Server 2007 relied on a tightly coupled relationship with Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) 3.0 or Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007. The database structure was split across four distinct SQL Server databases, plus the associated SharePoint content databases.

Project Server 2010 completely refactored this integration. It runs as a Shared Service Application under SharePoint Server 2010 Enterprise Edition. While it retains the four-database design, the security, administration, and user access controls are fully delegated to the SharePoint Central Administration framework.

Pre-Migration Verification Protocols

Neglecting pre-migration checks is the leading cause of database corruption during 2010 upgrades. The upgrade process is a one-way operation; database schemas are modified permanently. The following validation steps must be completed before taking the 2007 production environment offline.

1. Execute the STSADM Pre-Upgrade Checker

On the legacy Project Server 2007 front-end web servers, run the SharePoint pre-upgrade evaluation utility. This command-line operation identifies customized site templates, missing features, and unsupported language packs.

To run the check, open an elevated Command Prompt on the SharePoint 2007 Web Front End (WFE) and execute:

stsadm.exe -o preupgradecheck

Review the generated HTML report carefully. Address any red "Failed" status flags, specifically focusing on missing custom web parts or database schema mismatches, before backing up the databases.

2. Verify Database Health and Integrity

Run physical database consistency checks (DBCC) on the database host hosting the four core Project Server databases (Draft, Published, Archive, Reporting) and the SharePoint content database housing the Project Web Access (PWA) site collection.

Execute the following database command for each database:

DBCC CHECKDB ('YourDatabaseName') WITH NO_INFOMSGS, ALL_ERRORMSGS;

Ensure that the output reports zero allocation or consistency errors. If errors are present, perform standard SQL transaction log truncation and database repair routines before starting the migration.

3. Inventory Custom Solutions and Global Templates

• Global Templates: Export the enterprise global template (global.mpt) from Project Server 2007. Store it in a secure, offline repository.
• Custom Fields: Document all enterprise custom fields, lookup tables, and custom security templates.
• Web Parts: Identify any third-party or custom-developed Web Parts deployed on the PWA project workspaces. These assemblies must be recompiled for the .NET Framework 3.5/4.0 runtime used by SharePoint 2010.

Step-by-Step Database-Attach Migration Guide

An "In-Place" upgrade of Project Server is highly discouraged by enterprise database administrators due to its high failure rate and lack of an easy rollback option. The standard industry practice is the "Database-Attach" method, performed on a clean, newly provisioned Project Server 2010 target environment.

[Production Project Server 2007] ---> [SQL Backup/Restore (Compatibility Stage)] ---> [Target Project Server 2010 Farm]

Stage 1: Backup and Stage the Source Databases

1. Set all Project Server 2007 databases and the associated SharePoint Content database to Read-Only mode to prevent data writes during the transition.
2. Perform a full SQL Server backup of the five primary databases:
   
   
   • Draft Database (ProjectServer_Draft)
   • Published Database (ProjectServer_Published)
   • Archive Database (ProjectServer_Archive)
   • Reporting Database (ProjectServer_Reporting)
   • PWA Content Database (SharePoint_PWA_Content)
3. Copy these backup files (.bak) to the staging database server of the new 2010 environment.

Stage 2: Restore and Prepare Databases on the Target SQL Server

1. Restore the five databases to the SQL Server instance hosting the Project Server 2010 environment (typically SQL Server 2008 R2 or SQL Server 2012 configured in SQL Server 2008 compatibility mode).
2. Ensure the SharePoint 2010 farm service account has db_owner permissions on all five restored databases.
3. Change the database compatibility level of the restored 2007 databases to level 100 (SQL Server 2008) by executing:

ALTER DATABASE ProjectServer_Published SET COMPATIBILITY_LEVEL = 100;

Repeat this command for all four Project Server databases and the SharePoint content database.

Stage 3: Mount and Upgrade the Content Database

Before provisioning the Project Service Application, you must upgrade the SharePoint content database containing the PWA site collection metadata.

On the Project Server 2010 SharePoint Management Shell (PowerShell), test the content database for potential compatibility blocks:

Test-SPContentDatabase -Name SharePoint_PWA_Content -WebApplication http://your2010pwa

Resolve any critical errors returned by this cmdlet. Once cleared, attach and upgrade the content database to the target Web Application:

Mount-SPContentDatabase -Name SharePoint_PWA_Content -WebApplication http://your2010pwa

Monitor the upgrading process in the PowerShell window. This command upgrades the site collections within the database from the SharePoint 2007 schema to the SharePoint 2010 schema.

Stage 4: Upgrade the Project Server Databases

With the content database upgraded, you must now attach and upgrade the four Project Server databases. This action is executed via the SharePoint Management Shell. Run the following command to link the databases and initialize the upgrade sequence:

Mount-SPProjectDatabase -Name ProjectServer_Published -DraftDatabaseName ProjectServer_Draft -ArchiveDatabaseName ProjectServer_Archive -ReportingDatabaseName ProjectServer_Reporting -ProjectApplicationService "Project Server Service Application"

Verify that the Project Server Service Application name matches your specific farm setup exactly.

Stage 5: Provision the PWA Instance

The final command configures the Project Web Access site instance to point to the upgraded databases and the migrated content site:

Upgrade-SPProjectWebInstance -Identity http://your2010pwa/pwa -Confirm:$false

This command triggers a sequence of internal SQL upgrade scripts that convert the 2007 Project Server schema to the 2010 architecture. It also rebuilds the Enterprise Global template to align with version 2010 specifications.

Post-Upgrade Validation and Troubleshooting Protocols

Once the upgrade commands complete, a thorough verification process is required to ensure system stability and data validity.

1. Review Log Files and Upgrade Status

• SharePoint ULS Logs: Navigate to the SharePoint Hive 14 logs directory (C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\LOGS) and filter for "Upgrade" categories.
• Upgrade Error Log: Check the Central Administration "Check Upgrade Status" page to confirm that the operation finished with a status of "Succeeded" rather than "Succeeded with Warnings" or "Failed".

2. Troubleshoot Common Migration Failures

Orphaned Custom Fields and Missing Lookup Tables

Symptoms: Project schedules fail to open in Project Professional 2010, or custom fields display empty values inside PWA.

Remediation: This issue typically occurs when lookup tables have circular references in the 2007 database. To resolve this, run the validation script stsadm -o localupgradedatastores on the 2007 source to repair corrupted fields, then repeat the backup and restore process.

Queue Service Failure (Event ID 71) during Post-Migration Sync

Symptoms: The Project Server Queue Service gets stuck in a "Starting" state or crashes repeatedly after the migration.

Remediation: The Queue Service database tables may contain legacy 2007 active jobs that are incompatible with the 2010 transaction processor. Run a SQL truncation query on the pub.MSP_QUEUE_TRUST_JOBS table in the restored Published database to clear out the legacy backlog.

Desktop Client Upgrades: Project Standard and Professional

Once the server infrastructure is stable, you must update user desktop clients. Microsoft Project Standard/Professional 2007 clients cannot communicate with a Project Server 2010 instance.

File Format Transitions and MPP Compatibility

Project 2010 introduced an updated XML-based file schema for local .mpp files. While Project 2010 can open and edit Project 2007 files natively, Project 2007 cannot open Project 2010 files without the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack.

Merging the Global Template

Upon the first launch of Project Professional 2010, the software attempts to merge the local global.mpt template located in the user's local AppData directory. To prevent layout issues, IT administrators should distribute a standardized global.mpt configuration via Group Policy Objects (GPO).

[Standardize Local global.mpt Configuration] | [Deploy via Active Directory GPO] | [Silent Inplace Upgrades for Approved Workstations]

Silent In-Place Client Deployment

For enterprise scale installations, perform a silent command-line installation of Project Professional 2010 that automatically uninstalls the 2007 client. Create an updates.xml customization file using the Office Customization Tool (OCT) by running:

setup.exe /admin

Configure the OCT to remove previous versions of Microsoft Project and run the installation silently:

setup.exe /config \server\share\Project2010\config.xml

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I upgrade directly from Microsoft Project 2007 to Project Server Subscription Edition or Project Online?

No, a direct upgrade path does not exist. Microsoft's migration framework requires a step-by-step upgrade process. To migrate Project Server 2007 data to modern 2026 platforms like Project Server Subscription Edition or Project Online, you must first upgrade to Project Server 2010. From there, you must migrate to Project Server 2013, then to 2016 or 2019, before finally importing the databases into a subscription-based environment.

Will my custom Project Server Interface (PSI) web services still work after upgrading to 2010?

Most custom web services written for the 2007 Project Server Interface (PSI) using ASMX endpoints will continue to function under 2010 via backward compatibility configurations. However, any custom code that directly queries the SQL Server Reporting or Draft databases will break. This is because the underlying database schemas, table indexes, and view names changed significantly during the 2010 upgrade. You must update these queries to align with the new 2010 database schema.

What are the SQL Server compatibility requirements for this intermediate upgrade?

Project Server 2007 requires SQL Server 2005 or 2008, while Project Server 2010 supports SQL Server 2008 SP1 through SQL Server 2012. To perform this migration successfully, stage the databases on an intermediate instance of SQL Server 2008 R2. This SQL version is fully compatible with both the 2007 source files and the 2010 target platform.

How does the upgrade handle custom SharePoint security groups inside PWA?

The database upgrade retains your custom PWA security groups and permissions. However, if your Project Server 2010 deployment is configured to run in "SharePoint Permission Mode" instead of "Project Server Permission Mode", the legacy Project security groups will be disabled. They will be replaced by standard SharePoint security groups. To keep your legacy 2007 security settings, make sure the target 2010 farm is configured to use Project Server Permission Mode.

Authoritative Guidance for Modern Legacy Infrastructures

Maintaining legacy systems in 2026 requires specialized technical expertise and careful risk management. If your organization is modernizing older networks, running a structured database-attach migration from Project Server 2007 to 2010 is the safest way to preserve your historical project data. This step ensures that your valuable portfolio data remains intact and accessible for future migration phases.

For advanced enterprise planning, systems integration, or custom migration support for legacy enterprise architectures, reach out to our Senior IT Migration Engineering group to schedule a system audit and migration risk assessment.