Re-join and sync server to existing SharePoint farm

Question

Re-join and sync server to existing SharePoint farm

Anjana R 156

Hello,

Would like to identify the correct steps in joining a server back to SP2013 farm. Due to some issues and for further troubleshooting, one of the SP2013 server is removed from the farm by running configuration wizard and by selecting disconnect from the server farm. However, this server is still showing up under "Manage servers in this farm" and the services running for this server is "Not Configured"

Whether running Configuration Wizard again on this server is the right method to join that server back to the farm?
If we join the server back this way, whether it will automatically sync and start all the services that was configured previously in the same server (like Search, MMS, UPS etc. ) or services have to be configured manually again?
Suppose if SharePoint is uninstalled from Control Panel and reinstalled again and then try to join the server back to the farm using Config Wizard, is that supported or better would be rebuild the VM before joining to the farm?
I think restoring only the problematic SharePoint VM to a date when it was working properly will make the farm go out-of-sync with other servers in the farm configuration. Is that correct?

Appreciate your help on above queries.

Thanks

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Answer 1

Elsie Lu_MSFT 9,806

Hi @Anjana R ,

For your questions:

Q1&2:
According to the information in these two posts, you can use the Config Wizard to rejoin the server to the farm. According to my understanding, the service application should run automatically under normal circumstances.
Rejoining SP 2016 server back to farm
SharePoint Servers join, disjoin and re-join in Domain?

Q3: It is not recommended that you uninstall SharePoint from the control panel. This is not a clean way to uninstall. I recommend that you prepare a new VM to reinstall SharePoint.

Q4: Not sure how problematic your VM is, it is recommended that you solve the issue first before considering rejoining the farm.

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Anjana R 156 Reputation points

2021-11-01T15:47:17.813+00:00

@Elsie Lu_MSFT - Thanks for your response.

As a follow up to the above replies:

Q3: If we re-build the VM (assign same name and IP) and install SharePoint, whether the service application services will run automatically after joining to the farm or need to configure it again?

Q4: If the issue is resolved after restoring the problematic VM to a certain date (for e.g. 2 weeks' prior backup), joining the VM to the existing farm is suggested as the server is not in sync with the farm for 2 weeks?

New Question (Q5:) If we are joining a VM to the existing farm, I think we can directly install the SharePoint CU (after SP1) to the new server which is the same installed on other farm servers before connecting to the configuration database, since the patches are cumulative. Is that correct?
Elsie Lu_MSFT 9,806 Reputation points

2021-11-03T07:17:44.02+00:00

Hi @Anjana R ,

For the questions:

Q3: If you rebuild the VM, then this is a new server and needs to be reconfigured.

Q4: Computers in a workgroup usually get time syncronization from an external time source or a master browser computer. Once you connect a machine to a domain, that machine will use a domain controller as a time source.

Q5: Yes, the patch can be installed first.
Anjana R 156 Reputation points

2021-11-05T17:17:36.927+00:00

Hi @Elsie Lu_MSFT ,

For Q5, just to rephrase my understanding, we can install the last CU installed on other farm servers to the new VM which we are adding newly to the farm. No need to install the previous or earlier SharePoint CUs. Is that correct?

In this case the number of patches installed will be showing different in Product installation Status page in Central Admin for servers.
Elsie Lu_MSFT 9,806 Reputation points

2021-11-08T08:23:11.987+00:00

Hi @Anjana R , you only need to install the latest CU. Cumulative Updates include all previous updates.

See related posts:
Question about installing Cumulative Updates in SP2013
Does CU (Cumulative Update ) contains all previous CU or we need to install CU's one after another ?
Elsie Lu_MSFT 9,806 Reputation points

2021-11-11T06:49:07.78+00:00

Hi @Anjana R ,

Good day!

Do you have any further questions about this thread? If you have any concerns, please feel free to reply.

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Re-join and sync server to existing SharePoint farm

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