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RD Connection Broker Migration: Preparing to Migrate

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Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

This topic contains instructions for preparing for the migration of the RD Connection Broker role service. It assumes that you are migrating a working deployment of RD Connection Broker or TS Session Broker servers, including dependencies.

Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the RD Connection Broker server that you plan to configure, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

If you are migrating more than one Remote Desktop Services role service, you should migrate the RD Connection Broker servers after you migrate the RD Session Host servers and the RD Virtualization Host servers, but before you migrate the RD Web Access servers.

Warning

During the migration, users will not be able to connect to any of the virtual desktops, RemoteApp programs, or session-based desktops managed by the RD Connection Broker server. For the least impact on users, plan to migrate the RD Connection Broker server during a period of low usage, such as an evening or weekend.

Preparing to migrate an RD Connection Broker server or a TS Session Broker server

To prepare to migrate an RD Connection Broker server or TS Session Broker server, see the following sections in Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Preparing to Migrate:

Prepare to migrate the Session Broker Computers local group by using the steps in Gathering data from the Session Broker Computers local group.

Up until this point, the process for preparing the migration has been the same for RD Connection Broker servers and TS Session Broker servers; however, beginning at this point the process for preparing and migrating them will be different. Use the following sections to migrate the appropriate server:

  • If you are migrating an RD Connection Broker server, see Preparing your RD Connection Broker server for migration.

  • If you are migrating a TS Session Broker server, see Preparing your TS Session Broker server for migration.

Preparing your RD Connection Broker server for migration

To prepare to migrate an RD Connection Broker server, see the following sections:

  • Gathering data from the Session Broker Computers local group

  • Gathering data from your RD Connection Broker server

  • Installing the RD Connection Broker role service when migrating RD Connection Broker

Gathering data from the Session Broker Computers local group

To prepare to migrate a TS Session Broker server, you must retrieve the members of the Session Broker Computers local group.

To retrieve the members of the Session Broker Computers local group

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Computer Management.

  2. Expand Local Users and Groups, and then click Groups.

  3. Double-click Session Broker Computers.

  4. Write down all the computers in the Members box on the data collection worksheet, and then click Cancel.

Gathering data from your RD Connection Broker server

To prepare to migrate an RD Connection Broker server, follow the steps in the sections below.

Add the RD Connection Broker settings to the data worksheets in the “Data for migrating the RD Connection Broker server” section of RD Connection Broker Migration: Appendix A: Migration Data Collection Worksheets.

  • Retrieve the RD Connection Broker server name

  • Gather data from Remote Desktop Connection Manager

  • Gather data from Remote Desktop Connection Manager

Retrieve the RD Connection Broker server name

You retrieve the name of the RD Connection Broker server by using the System console.

To retrieve the RD Connection Broker server name

  1. Click Start, right-click Computer, and then right-click Properties.

  2. The name RD Connection Broker server is displayed in the Computer name box.

  3. Write down the name of the RD Connection Broker server on the data collection worksheet, and then click OK.

Gather data from Remote Desktop Connection Manager

You can retrieve the following data by using Remote Desktop Connection Manager:

  • Configuration of RemoteApp and Desktop Connection

  • Names of the RD Virtualization Host servers

  • Name of the RD Session Host server running in virtual machine redirection mode

  • Configuration of virtual desktops

  • Configuration of personal virtual desktops

  • Configuration of virtual desktop pools

  • Names of the RemoteApp sources

  • RD Web Access source for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection

First, retrieve the configuration of RemoteApp and Desktop Connection.

To retrieve the RemoteApp and Desktop Connection properties

  1. On the RD Connection Broker server, open Remote Desktop Connection Manager. To open Remote Desktop Connection Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Connection Manager.

  2. In the console root, right-click Remote Desktop Connection Manager, and then click Properties.

  3. In RemoteApp and Desktop Connection Properties, on the Connection Settings tab, write down the values in the Display name and Connection ID boxes on the data collection worksheet.

  4. On the RD Web Access tab, under RD Web Access servers, write the name of the RD Web Access server in the data collection worksheet, and then click Cancel.

Next, retrieve the names of the RD Virtualization Host servers.

To retrieve the names of the RD Virtualization Host servers

  1. On the RD Connection Broker server, open Remote Desktop Connection Manager. To open Remote Desktop Connection Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Connection Manager.

  2. In the console tree, click RD Virtualization Host servers.

  3. From RD Virtualization Host servers in the center pane, write down the names of the RD Virtualization Host servers in the data collection worksheet.

Next, retrieve the name of the RD Session Host server running in virtual machine redirection mode.

To retrieve the name of the RD Session Host server running in virtual machine redirection mode:

  1. On the RD Connection Broker server, open Remote Desktop Connection Manager. To open Remote Desktop Connection Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Connection Manager.

  2. In the console tree, right-click RD Virtualization Host servers, and then click Properties.

  3. On the Redirection Settings tab, write down the entry for Server name, and then click Cancel.

Next, retrieve the virtual desktop configuration.

To retrieve the virtual desktop properties settings

  1. On the RD Connection Broker server, open Remote Desktop Connection Manager. To open Remote Desktop Connection Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Connection Manager.

  2. In the console tree, right-click RD Virtualization Host servers, and then click Properties.

  3. On the Redirection Settings tab, if Enable redirection for earlier RDC versions is selected, make a note of that on the data collection worksheet. Also, write down the value for Alternative server name.

  4. On the RD Gateway Settings tab, make a note of the option selected for RD Gateway settings. If Use these RD Gateway settings is selected, write down the entries for Server name and Logon method in the data worksheet. If Use the same user credentials for RD Gateway and virtual desktops or Bypass RD Gateway server for local addresses is selected, make a note of that as well.

  5. On the Digital Signature tab, if Sign with a digital certificate is selected, make a note of it and record the values for Signing as, Issued by, and Valid until. =

Next, retrieve the personal virtual desktop configuration.

To retrieve the personal virtual desktop properties settings

  1. On the RD Connection Broker server, open Remote Desktop Connection Manager. To open Remote Desktop Connection Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Connection Manager.

  2. Right-click Personal Virtual Desktops, and then click Properties.

  3. On the General tab, if the Show in RemoteApp and Desktop Connection check box is selected, make a note of that on the data collection worksheet.

  4. If Automatically save virtual machines is selected, make a note of this, and the value displayed in the Wait for box.

  5. On the Common RDP Settings tab, write down all the values for the check boxes on the data collection worksheet.

  6. On the Custom RDP Settings tab, if any custom RDP settings exist, write them down on the data collection worksheet, and then click Cancel.

Next, retrieve the virtual desktop pool configuration.

To retrieve the virtual desktop pool settings from <virtual_desktop_pool> Properties

  1. On the RD Connection Broker server, open Remote Desktop Connection Manager. To open Remote Desktop Connection Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Connection Manager.

  2. In the console tree, right-click the virtual desktop pool, and then click Properties.

  3. On the General tab, write down the Display name and Pool ID. If the Automatically save virtual machines check box is selected, make a note of this and the value displayed in the Wait for box.

  4. On the Common RDP Settings tab, write down all of the values for the check boxes on the data collection worksheet.

  5. On the Custom RDP Settings tab, if any custom RDP settings exist, write them down on the data collection worksheet, and then click Cancel.

  6. Repeat steps 1-5 for each virtual desktop pool.

Next, retrieve the RemoteApp source names.

To retrieve the RemoteApp source names

  1. On the RD Connection Broker server, open Remote Desktop Connection Manager. To open Remote Desktop Connection Manager, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Connection Manager.

  2. Click RemoteApp Sources.

  3. From RemoteApp Source Names, write down the RemoteApp source names on the data collection worksheet.

Finally, retrieve the RD Web Access source for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection.

To retrieve the name of the source that RD Web Access uses for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Remote Desktop Services, and then click Remote Desktop Web Access Configuration.

Note

If you see a warning that there is a problem with the certificate for this website, and a link that says Continue to this website (not recommended), it indicates that there is a problem with the SSL certificate. If your client and server are behind a firewall, you might choose to click the link to gather the information; however, you should use a trusted certificate when deploying RD Web Access in a production environment. For more information, see Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Migrating Certificates.

  1. In the Domain\user name box, type the name of a valid user on the domain who is also a local administrator.

  2. In the Password box, type the password, and then click Sign in.

  3. On the Configuration page, click An RD Connection Broker server.

  4. Write down the source name of the RD Connection Broker server on the data collection worksheet, and then click Cancel.

Export the certificate from the RD Connection Broker server

Export the certificate from the source server.

To export the certificate from the source RD Connection Broker server

  1. Open the MMC and navigate to the location of the certificate from the data worksheet. For more information, see Add the Certificates Snap-in to an MMC (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=136632).

  2. Select the option to export the private key. For step-by-step instructions to export a certificate with the private key, see Export a certificate with the private key (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=186422).

Note

The PFX file generated for the export of the certificate includes the private key. In this migration, the private key is assumed to be on the RD Connection Broker server. While the private key can be stored in another location such as on a smart card, it must be available to the server for RemoteApp signing to function.

Installing the RD Connection Broker role service when migrating RD Connection Broker

Install Windows Server 2008 R2 on the destination server by using the server name from the data worksheet. For a list of Windows Server 2008 R2 editions that include the RD Connection Broker role service, see the section “Supported operating systems” in the Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Migrating Remote Desktop Services Role Services.

To install the RD Connection Broker role service, follow the steps in the Help topic Install the RD Connection Broker role service.

Importing the certificate to the destination RD Connection Broker server

Import the certificate to the destination RD Connection Broker server by using the certificate name and location from the data worksheet. For step-by-step instructions, see Add the Certificates Snap-in to an MMC (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=136632) and Import a Certificate (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=188055).

Preparing your TS Session Broker server for migration

To prepare to migrate TS Session Broker, see the following sections:

  • Gathering data from your TS Session Broker server

  • Installing the RD Connection Broker role service when migrating TS Session Broker

Gathering data from your TS Session Broker server

Gather the data that you plan to migrate from the source server. Add the TS Session Broker settings to the data worksheets in the “Data collection worksheets for migrating TS Session Broker” section of the RD Connection Broker Migration: Appendix A: Migration Data Collection Worksheets.

To prepare to migrate a TS Session Broker server, use the steps in the topics below:

  • Retrieve the TS Session Broker server name

  • Retrieve the registry key values

  • Retrieve the name of the source that TS Web Access uses for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection

Retrieve the TS Session Broker server name

To retrieve the TS Session Broker server name

  1. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Computer Management, and then right-click Properties.

  2. Write down the name of the TS Session Broker server on the data collection worksheet, and then click OK.

Retrieve the registry key values

The following registry keys can be migrated from the TS Session Broker server to the RD Connection Broker server.

Location: HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tssdis\Parameters

  • NumberFailedPingsBeforePurge: REG_DWORD

  • TimeBetweenPings: REG_DWORD

  • TimeServerSilentBeforePing: REG_DWORD

  • WorkingDirectory: REG_SZ

  • RecoverWhenStart: REG_DWORD

  • PingMode: REG_DWORD

  • TraceOutputMode: REG_DWORD

Warning

Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on the computer.

To retrieve the registry key values from the TS Session Broker computer

  1. Click Start, and in the Search programs and files box, type regedit.exe and then press ENTER.

  2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tssdis\Parameters.

  3. Double-click the NumberFailedPingsBeforePurge registry entry. Make a note of the entry in the Value data box.

  4. Click Cancel.

  5. Repeat steps 3–4 for each registry setting.

  6. On the File menu, click Exit to close the Registry Editor.

Retrieve the name of the source that TS Web Access uses for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection

Finally, retrieve the name of the source that the TS Web Access role service uses for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection.

To retrieve the name of the source that TS Web Access uses for RemoteApp and Desktop Connection

  1. Log on to the RD Connection Broker server as a member of the local Administrators group.

  2. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, point to Terminal Services, and then click TS Web Access Administration.

  3. If you see a warning that there is a problem with the certificate for this website, and a link that says Continue to this website (not recommended), it indicates that there is a problem with the SSL certificate. If your client and server are behind a firewall, you might choose to click the link to gather the information; however, you should use a trusted certificate when deploying RD Web Access in a production environment. For more information about migrating certificates in Remote Desktop Services deployments, see Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Migrating Certificates.

  4. In the Domain\user name box, type the name of a valid user on the domain who is also a local administrator.

  5. In the Password box, type the password, and then click Sign in.

  6. On the TS Web Access page, click Remote Desktop.

  7. Write down the source name of the TS Session Broker server on the data collection worksheet, and then close the browser window.

Installing the RD Connection Broker role service when migrating TS Session Broker

Install Windows Server 2008 R2 on the destination server by using the server name retrieved from the source server. For a list of Windows Server 2008 R2 editions that include the RD Connection Broker role service, see the section “Supported operating systems” in the Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Migrating Remote Desktop Services Role Services.

To install the RD Connection Broker role service, follow the steps in the Help topic Install the RD Connection Broker role service.

See also