Decommissioning RMS

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Decommissioning refers to the process of removing the RMS server and its associated databases from an organization. This process allows you to remove RMS from your infrastructure without losing access to rights-protected information. The following are possible reasons that an organization may need to remove RMS from their infrastructure:

• Migration of a proof-of-concept RMS server from a pilot environment into the production environment.

• Simplification of architectural design, by removing and consolidating licensing-only servers into the RMS root cluster.

• Merging of RMS servers (for instance, as a result of a company merger or acquisition) by integrating two RMS infrastructures into one.

• Decision to stop using RMS to protect content.

Because all rights-protected content must be decrypted before removing RMS from your organization, several steps are required to complete a successful removal of RMS. This section outlines these steps so that you can decommission your RMS installation if necessary.

This section covers:

• Understanding the Decommissioning Process

• Enabling the Decommissioning Service

• Setting Virtual Directory Permissions

• Removing RMS Protection from Content

• Removing the Web Service (Unprovisioning RMS)

• Removing RMS Program Files

• Alternatives to Decommissioning RMS