Should I do an in-place upgrade or a database attach upgrade. How can I decide? This decision tree should help simplify the decisions and help you better understand the key points.

1. SharePoint 2010 Upgrade Decision Tree
By Joel Oleson
SharePointJoel.com
Upgrading to
SharePoint 2010
Upgrading from
SharePoint 2003
or Earlier?
NO
Have Budget and Recommend
Want to Evaluate Third Party
Customized? YES Reorganize or Migration Tools or
Move Out of Systems Integrator
Customizations?
NO
Do you need an
UPTIME strategy YES
during Upgrade?
NO
NO
Do you have
New or
additional or
YES
reallocated HW
can be used for
Upgrade?
DATABASE ATTACH
RECOMMENDED
NO
Read Only 2007
Farm
Have Physical Can start with
Hardware for YES clean Config YES CLEAN 2010 FARM
Production Database?
Database Attach to
NO Upgrade Content,
Search, and Services
NO
Is Basic Install IN-PLACE UPGRADE
box with MSDE the Services &
or WIDE & YES Content on Primary
Existing farm is Farm
Hardware Ready <ROLLBACK if HYBRID APPROACH
NEEDED>
NO IN-PLACE UPGRADE
the Services on
Secondary Farm
HYBRID APPROACH
IN-PLACE UPGRADE Read Only 2007
the Services on Farm
Primary Farm Assumes Existing
<ROLLBACK if Hardware is 2010
Approved (i.e. RAM, Database Attach to
NEEDED> Upgrade Content
Database Attach to x64, W2K8)
Upgrade Content
DB ATTACH UPGRADE
IN PLACE UPGRADE