Remove server from RDS Deployment after decommissioning

Question

I had a single WS2012 server VM that was a member of a test WS2012 RDS Deployment. It turned out that we were not going to need the server so I removed the guest from the Host. Now, when I go to Remote Desktop Services in Server Manager, I get this message:

The following servers in this deployment are not part of the server pool:

1. NameOfDeletedServer.domain.local
   The servers must be added to the server pool.

I can't add it because it no longer exists.

And at this time, new RDS connections can't be made; I'm guessing it's because the Connection Broker is trying to do something with the now-missing server.

I can restore it from backup and restore the server object from AD Recycle Bin, and THEN remove it from the Deployment. Unless there's an easier way.

Is there?

Answer 1

Hello @JRV

1. You may first use the Remove-RDServer cmdlet to remove a specified Remote Desktop Services (RDS) server from a Remote Desktop deployment;
2. If that not succeed , you could download the ‘SQL Management Studio’ software;
3. One user reported that simply create an AD computer object with the deleted server name, then remove the server.
   No need to install an actual server with the name.

RDS farm: delete a server not available in the deployment

Best Regards
Karlie

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Answer 2

Before you had posted your reply, I restored the VM from backup and the AD object from AD Recycle Bin which re-enabled access from Server Manager and I was able to remove the RDSH and the Collection it hosted.

Remove-RDServer was successful in removing the server from the Deployment in Server Manager and from Get-RDServer. However, the Remove-RDServer command posted this error:

Could not cleanup RDS Management Servers group. For more information, see the event log.
    + CategoryInfo          : SecurityError: (:) [Remove-RDMSJoinedNode], Exception
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.RemoteDesktopServices.Management.Cmdlets.RemoveRDJoinedNodeCommand
    + PSComputerName        : localhost 

I don't know what log to look in for this. On the RDCB/RDWEB/RDG/RDLicensing server I looked at Application, Windows Remote Management, TerminalServices-SessionBroker, TerminalServices-RemoteConnectionManager, Remote-Desktop-Management-Service, and RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Manager.

In Local Users and Groups, the RDS Management Server does not contain the decommissioned server. It contains

• NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
• NT SERVICE RDMS
• NT SERVICE\TScPubRPC
• NT SERVICE\Tssdis
• The RDCB/RDG/RDWEB/RDL server

I think that's complete; it matches another server I manage that has the same roles. (The other server is running WS2016; the problem server is WS2012.)

However, while I can use the Remote Desktop Services node in Server Manager from any computer OTHER THAN the RDCB/RDG/RDWEB/RDL, when I click on that node on the RDCB/RDG/RDWEB/RDL, I get this message:

"A Remote Desktop Services deployment does not exist in the server pool. To create a deployment, run the Add Roles and Features Wizard and select the Remote Desktop Services installation option."

The deployment exists; users are logged on to it all day every day. I don't use this server often to run Server Manager; I don't know when it broke. I've only tried using it since the decommissioning of the RDSH on Monday; I don't know if worked just prior to that, but I know it has worked in the past. All servers that are current members of the Deployment are added to this Server Manager. I've also removed them and re-added them.

How can I fix this?