Development environment using Visual Studio 2019 SQLServer 2016 and Biztalk 2020 + SYSPREP

Question

Hi,

I would like to automate the generation of virtual machines for Biztalk application development. I want to install all the tools required for developing this kind of applications (Visual Studio, Biztalk, SQL Server) in a virtual machine (golden image) and them generate and distribute virtual machine clones using the sysprep command of the operating system. This cloned virtualmachines have their own computer name and their SQL server instance.

After the sysprep command, the resulting virtual machine is not valid for development. I cannot access the SQL server database. I suppose that computer name change makes it fail. Also the Biztalk Server does not work.

Is there instructions about how to use sysprep in this case? Is there any workaround, for example, a script I can run that fixes the installation? I mean, a script or utility that reconfigures the installation changing what is needed (references to sqlserver instance, windows identifiers...). The clones virtual machines have to be joined to the company Active Directory and must be in a supported status.

I found instructions to sysprep a simple sql server installation but nothing about how to do something similiar with Biztalk+SQL Server.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/install-windows/considerations-for-installing-sql-server-using-sysprep?view=sql-server-ver16

Best regards.

Luis.

Answer 1

If it is a singleton environment, e.g. the DB is on the BizTalk Server, then essentially you have to follow some the steps (you can skip step 5 Restore) outlined in How to Move the BizTalk Server Databases

However even following that process, there are sometimes settings left in the DB that need to be manually adjusted with the new DB name