Site Server high availability

With System Center Configuration Manager, you can have redunndancy role with multiple instance of role (Distribution point, …). Configuration Manager 1806 permit to have high availability for Site Server role (it’s not possible before 1806 version of Configuration Manager). For the central administration site and child primary site, you need have 1810 version of Configuration Manager.

With this dunctionnality, you can have this benefits :

• Redundancy for site server role

• Maintenance on your server (change hardware, update of your OS, …) is more easy

• The migration of the on-premise server to Azure is thus simplified

The Site Server in passive mode

The server with Site Server in passive mode must use the same site database as the server in active mode. He can’t write any data on the database site as long as it on passive mode. The content Library is same as site server in Active mode. For promote site server on passive mode to an active mode, you need promote it manually.

Prerequisites

The installation of the Site Server in passive mode need to have this prerequisites :

• The site content library is present on remote network share. The both Site Server are Full Control permissions on the share.

• The site server can’t have the distribution point role.

• The two site server must be joined to the same server.

• The two site server must be use the same site database. The database server must be remote from each site server.

• The two site server need have the sysadmin role on the instance of SQL Server. The new Site Server need access to the site database.

• The service connection point role can’t be installed on both Site Server.

The site server in passive mode need this prerequities :

• All prerequities for primary site is installed (.Net Framework, Remote Differential Compression, …) You can use this link for list all prerequities List all Prerequities.

• Add the computer account in the local administrators group on the site server in active mode.

• Must install using source files that match the version of the site server in active mode.

Before you install Site Server high availability, you potentially have to migrate few roles. The examples below allow you to migrate Site Database server, Distribution point and SMS Provider. In case the Site Server server does not contain any other role, you can ignore the next point (Role Migration).

Role Migration

Migrate Site Database Server

Open the Dos prompt and execute the command and access to the folder who the file preinst.exe (ConfigMgrFolderInstallation\bin\x64\00000409 ConfigMgrFolderInstallation is the folder who SCCM is installed

Exécute the command Preinst /Stopsite. This command permit to stop all services at this site before backup Database.

Open the SQL Management Studio for backup the SCCM Database. Right clik on the database and click on Tasks and Back Up….

With Add button, select the desired folder who backup will be stored.

When the backup is finished, a new Windows appear. Click on OK for close Windows.

The restoration can now be performed. Copy the backup on the new SQL Server.

Verify that the CRL integration is enabled. Create a new query and run sp_configure clr enabled.

Right click on the Database node and select Restore database option.

Select Device button radio and click on the icon for select backup file.

Click on Add and select the backup file. Click OK

Click OK to lauch operation.

The database has been added to the server. You can now configure your SQL database.

Open a new query on the news SQL Server and run :

--- Enable the SQL Broker on the Site database
USE master; 
GO 
ALTER DATABASE CM_NIB SET ENABLE_BROKER 
GO
--- SET the Site Database as trustworthy
USE master; 
GO 
ALTER DATABASE CM_NIB SET TRUSTWORTHY ON 
GO
--- SET the Database to honor the HONOR_BROKER_PRIORITY
USE master; 
GO 
ALTER DATABASE CM_NIB SET HONOR_BROKER_PRIORITY ON; 
GO

Verify that the configuration has been applied. Run the command. Replace ‘CM_NIB’ by the name of your database

select name, collation_name, user_access_desc, is_read_only, state_desc, is_trustworthy_on, is_broker_enabled,is_honor_broker_priority_on from sys.databases where name = 'CM_NIB'

It’s now possible to configure SCCM to use a new SQL Server. On the Site Server, launch Install of Configuration Manager in Windows Menu.

A new wizard appear, click on Next.Select Perform site maintenance or reset this site and click on Next

Select Modify SQL Server Configuration option and click on Next

Enter the FQDN of the new SQL server. Check that the computer account is member of local Administrator group of your new SQL Server and click on Next

The configuration begin…

Reboot the new SQL Server and the Site Server. The modification has been Apply.

Migrate Distribution Point

For migrate Distribution Point, you can add new Distribution Point on your SCCM infrastructure. The server who receive the DP role (Distribution Point) need have this Windows roles and features.

• Web Server (IIS) : / ISAPI Extensions

• Web Server (IIS) : / ASP

• Web Server (IIS) : / ASP.NET 3.5

• Web Server (IIS) : / ASP.NET 4.5

• Web Server (IIS) : Security / Windows Authentification

• Web Server (IIS) : Management Tools / IIS 6 Management Compatibility / IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility

• Web Server (IIS) : Management Tools / IIS 6 Management Compatibility / IIS 6 WMI Compatibility

• Remote Differential Compression

You can now add the Distribution Point. On the Configuration Manager, click on Administration and on Sites. Click on Add Site System Roles.

Select the desired serve with Browse button.

Select the Distribution Point role and click on Next.

You can choose the desired location for content location and package share location.

On the Boudary Windows select the desired Boundary Group and lauch

You can veriry with the log SCCM (Distmgr.log) there is no error with the configuration of the new Distribution Point. You can also use the sccm console. Click on Monitoring / Distribution Point Configuration Status / “YourDistributionPoint” / Details

Add the new Distribution Point into Distribution Point Group and delete your old Distribution Point. When the distribution point is correctly configured, you can migrate the SMS Provider.

Migrate SMS Provider

Before installing the SMS Provider, you need install ADK (the same ADK version to the site server). You must install Deployment Tools, User State Migration Tools (USMT), and Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)

When ADK is installed, you can move SMS Provider. On the Site Server click on Configuration Manager Setup.

A new wizard appear, click on Next.Select Perform site maintenance or reset this site and click on Next

On Site Maintenance Windows, check Modify SMS Provider Configuration and click on Next

Enter the name of the new server and click on Next.

The configuration is in progress….

When is finish, you can reexecute this operation for Uninstall the role on the old server.

You can now configure Site Server for high availability.

High availability for Site Server

Before configuring high availability for the Site Server role, the passive server must have sysadmin role on SQL instance. On the SQL Server, open SQL Management Studio and create a new query. Run this query for add the new server (server in passive mode) on SYSADMIN Groups. Replace Formation\SRV-SCCM2$ by your AD Domain Name and the name of the server in passive mode.

USE [master]
GO
CREATE LOGIN [Formation\SRV-SCCM2$] FROM WINDOWS WITH DEFAULT_DATABASE=[master],
DEFAULT_LANGUAGE=[us_english]
GO
ALTER SERVER ROLE [sysadmin] ADD MEMBER [Formation\SRV-SCCM2$]
GO    

The two site server must have access to the sql database of the site. The first server have this access. So you need to add just the second server. On the SQL Management Studio, run the follow query. Replace CM_NIB by the name of your database and Formation\SRV-SCCM2$ by your AD Domain Name and the name of the server in passive mode.

USE [CM_NIB]
GO
CREATE USER [Formation\SRV-SCCM2$] FOR LOGIN [Formation\SRV-SCCM2$] WITH DEFAULT_SCHEMA=[dbo]
GO

You must install on the Site Server in passive mode the prerequities for site and System site.

• .NET Framework 3.5

• Remote Differancial Compression

• Windows ADK

on the server that has the role of Active Site Server, add the computer account of the passive site server in the administrators group

You can now Moving Content Library. Created a shared directory on a server other than site servers. Allow Full Control for the both Site Server.

On the SCCM console, click on Administration / Site Configuration / Sites / Manage Content Library

On the New Location field enter the path of the share previously created. Enter the name of a folder after the network path. I have chosen the name Content but you can configure the desired name. Click on Move.

You can use the DistMgr.log for validate the modification.

When the new location of the Content Library has been configured, the Site Server in passive mode has been added. On the SCCM Console, click on Administration / Site Configuration / Sites and click on Create Site System Server.

A new windows appear, click on Browse button and select the Site Server in passive mode.

Check Site Server in passive mode and click on Next.

Select the desired option for Configuration Manager source file and installation. I choose Copy installation source files over the network from the site server in active mode. Specify the installation folder for the new site server and click on Next.

You can next lauch operation and validate with the log FailOverMgr.log

You can verify sthe status of the Site Server. On the SCCM console, click on Monitoring and on Site Server Status. Select the server in passive mode and click on Show Status.

Promote passive Site Server on Active Site Server

You can promote passive server manually. On the SCCM console, click on Administration / Site Configuration / Sites.

Select Nodes tab and right click on the passive server. Click on Promote to Active.

Click on Yes for lauch operation. The Active Server has been changed.

You can use Monitoring and on Site Server Status to validate the different step for the promoting operation.