much to be gained. To the tune of about 240 properties.

GSM moves only top level subscriber data - it does not include notification devices/info for instance and much else.

GSM also takes a much cruder approach to resolving links from users being moved - it makes no effort to reestablish them, it just cauderizes everything with simple selections you make - which may be ok but for complex audio text sites this is not a good thing... and of course COBRAS gets objects GSM does not (call handlers, interview handlers, DL, schedules etc...).

GSM is faster because it doesn't do nearly as much - but it does for a sync on both sites of the fence instead of waiting for AD to replicate the changes around. Hence for Unity installs the best way to go about moving as much data as possible is move them with GSM and then restore over the new user with a COBRAS backup.

If you don't care about anything other than top level subscriber data then GSM is fine for you.

awesome summary, thanks for the clarification!

The problem with just doing COBRAS is that you have to delete the user on the old box after taking a backup and then wait (and wait... and wait...) for the AD replication of that deletion to propogate through AD and then get picked up by the new server which will then allow you to import the user onto the new box.

GSM forces the delete/sync/add in one step - which is considerably quicker of course.

But technically you can just use COBRAS if the directory sync is not an issue for you.