Replacing a Server for Windows Essential Business Server

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You might consider replacing a server if you have a hardware failure or if you want to upgrade one of your servers to a new computer. To replace one of the servers running Windows EBS, you can use the Windows EBS Installation Wizard. Select the appropriate DVD for the server that you want to replace (each server requires a different DVD for installation).

Important

Before you start to replace a server running Windows EBS, ensure that the primary or the alternate DNS server is running and that you can connect to it. Also make sure that an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain controller is running and that you can connect to it. DNS and AD DS are required during the replacement process.

When you replace a server, the Windows EBS Installation Wizard proceeds through the initial steps of the Windows Server 2008 installation and the initial configuration of your server. After you join your existing domain, the wizard detects that you previously installed Windows EBS, and it restores the network settings for the server that you are replacing from the AD DS database. It continues with additional prompts for information that is required on the new server.

Before you proceed with your server replacement, back up the data files for the Windows EBS server roles that are installed on the computer you are replacing. You need the backup copies of these data files to import your data into the new server when your Windows EBS installation is finished. For example, on the Management Server, you should back up the System Center Essentials data files. On the Security Server, back up the Forefront TMG data files, and on the Messaging Server, back up the applicable Exchange Server data files.

For more information about completing the backup process, refer to the topic Backing Up the Windows Essential Business Server Infrastructure.

Important

The Windows EBS Preparation Wizard and the Planning Wizard must only be run when you initially install Windows EBS. Do not run the wizards when you replace a server.

To replace an existing server

  1. Insert the correct Windows EBS installation disc into the server that you are replacing, and then start the computer from the DVD drive. The Windows Server 2008 Installation Wizard starts.

  2. Set your locale, and then click Next.

  3. Click Install Now.

  4. When you are prompted, type the product key.

  5. If you have an Internet connection, select the check box Automatically activate Windows when I'm online if you want to activate your software now. Click Next.

  6. Review the Microsoft Software License Terms. If you agree with them, select the check box, I accept the license terms, and then click Next.

  7. Click Custom (advanced) as your installation type.

  8. On the Where do you want to install Windows? page, click the partition where you want to install Windows EBS, and then click Next.

    Note

    If you need to load a driver, click Load Driver. If you need to format or partition a hard disk drive, click Drive Options (advanced). If you do not want to format or partition the hard disk drive now, you have another opportunity to do it later during the installation by using the Windows Server 2008 Disk Manager.

  9. The Installation Wizard installs Windows Server 2008.

    Note

    Your computer restarts one or more times while Windows Server 2008 is being installed.

  10. The Windows EBS Installation Wizard starts in the server you chose. On the Welcome page, read the introductory text, and then click Next.

  11. On the Choose the network adapter page, select the network adapter that you use to connect this server to your network. Verify that the network adapter is connected to your internal network, and then click Next.

  12. On the Choose temporary IP addresses page, you can choose to use DHCP to automatically assign an IP address to the Management Server (this address is used only during installation). Alternatively, you can type a valid IP address that provides an Internet connection through your network.

    Warning

    Do not use the IP address of the original server as the temporary IP address of the replacement server.

    Note

    This IP address setting is used temporarily during the installation to download critical updates from the Microsoft Update Web site and to connect to the computers that already exist on your network. The setting is reconfigured to your final setting later in the installation.

    Click Next.

  13. On the Microsoft Update page, choose whether to download optional updates from the Microsoft Update Web site and apply them automatically during installation, and then click Next.

  14. The Installation Wizard connects to the Microsoft Update Web site and searches for critical updates for Windows EBS. If the wizard detects any updates, it downloads and installs them.

  15. When the wizard is finished, on the Critical updates installed page, click Next.

    Note

    If there are no updates to install or if you do not have an Internet connection, the Installation Wizard notifies you.

  16. On the Choose the Active Directory domain page, choose to join your existing Active Directory forest, and then click Next.

    On the Join the Active Directory domain page, type your existing domain information when prompted, and then click Next. Type the domain name and the account logon credentials for a user account that has Enterprise Administrator permissions on this domain, and then click Join domain.

    The server restarts to join the domain. When prompted, log on with the account that you used to join the domain. The Progress of joining the domain page appears to help you track the progress as the domain is being joined. When the domain is joined, click Next.

  17. On the Replace an existing server page, click Next. The Replacement Confirmation window appears. Click Yes. The Installation Wizard collects your existing network settings from AD DS.

  18. Continue to complete the remaining steps in the installation wizard. These steps continue from the Choose a volume for storing data page in the normal installation sequence, and they vary depending on which server you are replacing. Use the same settings that you used in your initial installation to answer the prompts and finish the wizard.

  19. On the ServerName Installation page, carefully review your settings.

    Important

    If settings were changed after the installation of the original server, such as DNS or DHCP settings, you must change the settings in AD DS. If you want to make changes to any of the installation settings, see Change Installation Settings for Server Replacement. After you have changed the settings, restart the Installation Wizard on this computer.

    When you finish reviewing the settings, click Install.

    The Installation Wizard installs Windows EBS on your server and configures it with the settings from your existing environment. The Progress of ServerName Installation page displays progress bars that show you how the installation is proceeding. Depending on the settings that you chose, the server may restart several times.

    You can leave the remainder of the installation unattended. If you want to observe the progress, you can log on to the server by using your domain administrator credentials.

  20. When Windows EBS is installed, the ServerName installation tasks finished page appears. Click Next.

  21. If you did not choose to automatically install optional updates, the Select optional updates page appears. You can choose to install the most recent updates for all of your installed server roles, or you can finish the installation without downloading or installing the updates. Click Install updates to start the update process, or click Finish to finish your server installation without the updates.

  22. If you chose to install optional updates, on the Installation and updates finished page, review the status of your installation and updates, and then click Close.

If you replaced the Management Server, you must run the Update Certificates Wizard to renew the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates that were issued by Windows EBS to the Security Server and Messaging Server. For more information about updating certificates, see “Update Certificates Wizard” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=135000).

After you have finished the Windows EBS Installation Wizard, you can restore the data for the server roles that were installed on the server that you replaced. Use the current backup files that you made prior to replacing the server for the data restoration. You can find more information about where data files are located and how to move data files in Moving Data Files for Windows Essential Business Server.

For more information about completing the data file restoration for the applicable data files, refer to the topic Backing Up the Windows Essential Business Server Infrastructure.

Restoring CALs after replacing the Management Server

When you replace the Management Server, information about your previously installed client access license (CAL) packs and CAL assignments is not automatically migrated to the new computer. You must reinstall the CAL packs, and you must reassign the CALs that you used. For procedures to manage CALs, see “Client Access Licenses” at the Microsoft Web site (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc463362.aspx).

Note

The first 30 days after replacing the server constitute a grace period, when you can bring your client access licenses (CALs) and your network environment into compliance. Your users can log on to the network, whether or not you are finished assigning CALs to user accounts or devices. However, you must assign CALs to users who need to access any new servers that join the domain after the Management Server is replaced.

If you backed up the file Microsoft.BusinessServer.Licensing.backup.xml on the Management Server before you replaced it, you can use the following procedure to reinstall the CAL packs and to reassign the CALs that were previously assigned. This procedure uses cmdlets for licensing services from the Windows PowerShell™ command line interface.

For more information, see “PowerShell Cmdlets for Licensing Services” at the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=136795).

To restore CAL packs and CAL assignments by using Windows PowerShell cmdlets

  1. On the Management Server, click Start, click All Programs, click Windows PowerShell 1.0, and then click Windows PowerShell.

  2. At the Windows PowerShell command prompt, type the following command:

    Add-PsSnapin Microsoft.BusinessServer.Licensing.PowerShell

  3. To import the CAL data from the backup file, type the following command:

    $a = Import-CliXml \Windows\System32\Microsoft.BusinessServer.Licensing.backup.xml

  4. To reinstall the CAL packs, type the following command:

    $a.CalPacks | Install-CalPack

  5. To reassign the CALs, type the following command:

    $a.CalAssignments | Set-Cal