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Upgrade of Windows Terminal Servers to Windows Server 2016 OS

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Summary:

We are planning to migrate all active terminal servers from Windows Server 2012 to 2016 OS. For this, we need to build the environment by considering the current and future size of the environment.

 

Requirements

  1. Configure new 2016 with server hardening task.
  2. Provisioning new servers running 2016 and determining what Roles, Tools, Apps need to be migrated to the new server.
  3. If the server is located onsite, determine if it can be migrated to AWS.
  4. Determine estimate of the time it will take to migrate app/data and cut over to a new server.
  5. Determine if IP or Hostname needs to be kept.
    1. If moving from onsite to AWS, keeping the same IP is not possible.
  6. Migrate any windows roles or services to the new server via Windows Migration Tool.
  7. Review accounts that are part of local admin groups and remove any unnecessary accounts (both domain and local accounts).
  8. Review Task Scheduler to identify any custom task that needs to be migrated.
  9. Make note of Data drive provisioned vs space used.
    1. Look for over provisioned disk.
  10. Make sure there are no automated scripts that need to be migrated.
    1. If so, please make note of any service accounts that are being used.

 

Challenges

  1. MS. related forums and blogs and got confirmed that Windows server 2012 R2 Std Operating System will not support the Service connection points (SCP) for Windows Server 2016 Operating system.
    1. Reference Link: /en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-desktop-services/rds-client-access-license

Proposed Plan

1.Since, Windows Server 2012 operating system Licensing server did not support we need to build the new server with Windows Server 2016 with our standard specifications. 
2.On the Post check activities is completed, install the Microsoft Remote Desktop (RDS) Licensing component.
3.Post to the reboot of server ensure the RDS Licensing Component is installed successfully. 
4.As very first of License will display as s not activated. You can see that on the red mark left to the server name.
5.To change the scope the user we use to reconfigure this option needs to have Enterprise Admin privileges in Active Directory. Click CONTINUE
6.If you right click on the server name you can open the configuration of the server. You can see that the Discovery Scope of the License Server is configured to Domain.
7.Ensure the discovery scope is a Domain and click OK. 
8.We need to add the groups for this server to add as the member of “Terminal Server License Servers” built-in Security group. 
9.Now this server is a member of “Terminal Server License Servers” built-in Security group. 
10.Now the server is ready to activate and install the fresh license and migration of old licenses.
11Right Click on the Server and choose Activate Server. Ensure all fields are properly filled. 
12Now this server is activated and ready to install new licenses.
13.Once we get the Windows Server 2016 CAL license, we need to install the license on this server. 
14.The SCP for Terminal Server Licensing will allow Windows Server to add the licensing automatically, when the Remote Desktop Session Host component is installed.