Enable backwards compatibility mode on a fresh Project Server 2010 install
By blurg64
One of the great features of Project Server 2010 is Backwards Compatibility Mode (BCM). With BCM, users can connect to Project Server 2010 with both Project Professional 2007 and 2010 clients. This can be a great bonus for companies that have already standardised on the Project 2007 toolset but want the features of Project Server 2010 without a costly client upgrade and rollout.
Typically BCM is turned on when you upgrade your existing Project Server 2007 environment to Project Server 2010. If you do a fresh install of Project Server 2010, the server is installed in Native 2010 mode, only allowing Project 2010 clients to attach. However, it is possible to do a fresh 2010 install and enable backwards compatibility mode, and here’s how…
- Create a set of Project Server 2007 databases by provisioning a new Project Server PWA instance.
- Save the four ‘clean’ databases created in your Project Server 2007 environment and back them up via SQL Server Management Studio. Restore the four ‘clean’ databases into your Project Server 2010 environment database and make sure they have the correct permissions for your environment (more info on restoring databases and setting the permissions can be found here)
- In the 2010 environment, provision a new Project Web Application instance via Central Admin > Manage Service Applications > Project Server Service Application. In the configuration screen, change the four default database names to reflect the ‘clean’ Project Server 2007 databases restored above.
- Confirm that backwards compatibility mode has been turned on for the PWA instance in Server Settings > Additional Settings
There you have it, the server now supports both Project Professional 2010 and Project Professional 2007.
Update: Microsoft have released a set of clean Project Server 2007 databases that can be used to create a fresh 2010 instance. More details here.