RD Web Access Migration: Preparing to Migrate

Applies To: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2

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

You will require membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, on the source server and destination RD Web Access servers that you plan to configure. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

If your deployment requires you to install a certificate at the trusted root of client computers, administrator access is required; however, when testing the client connection to RD Web Access, you should log on by using an account with user privileges. For more information about RD Web Access clients that require the certificate to be installed at the trusted root, see Install the RD Web Access server root certificate on the Remote Desktop Services client in RD Web Access Migration: Migrating the RD Web Access Role Service.

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

Preparing to migrate the RD Web Access or TS Web Access role service

To prepare to migrate the RD Web Access role service or the TS Web Access role service, see the following sections in Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Preparing to Migrate:

Preparing your RD Web Access server for migration

To prepare to migrate the role service, enter data from the source server to the data collection worksheet at RD Web Access Migration: Appendix A: Migration Data Collection Worksheets. To gather the settings, see the following procedures:

  • Gathering the name of the RD Web Access server

  • Gathering data from Web Server (IIS)

  • Gathering the RemoteApp sources

  • Installing the RD Web Access role service

Gathering the name of the RD Web Access server

You retrieve the name of the RD Web Access server by using the System console.

To retrieve the name of the RD Web Access server

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

  2. The name of the RD Web Access server is displayed in the Computer name box.

  3. Record the name of the RD Web Access server on the data collection worksheet, and then click OK.

Gathering data from Web Server (IIS)

You can retrieve the following data from Web Server (IIS):

  • Authentication method for Remote Desktop Web Access

  • SSL settings from Web Server (IIS)

  • SSL certificate information and exported certificate

First, retrieve the authentication method for Remote Desktop Web Access. The authentication method for the RD Web Access server is in Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

To retrieve the authentication method for Remote Desktop Web Access

  1. On the RD Web Access server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

  2. In the left pane of Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, expand the server name, expand Sites, expand Default Web Site, expand RDWeb, and then click Pages.

  3. In the middle pane, under IIS, double-click Authentication.

  4. On the data worksheet, record the authentication methods that are enabled.

Next, retrieve the SSL settings from Web Server (IIS).

To retrieve SSL settings from Web Server (IIS)

  1. In the left pane of Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, expand the server name, expand Sites, expand Default Web Site, expand RDWeb, and then click Pages.

  2. In /RD Web/Pages Home, under IIS, double-click SSL Settings.

  3. If Require SSL is selected, make a note of it on the data worksheet. Also, record the Client certificate setting.

Next, retrieve the SSL certificate information and export the certificate.

To retrieve the SSL certificate information and export the certificate

  1. In the left pane of Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, click the server name for the RD Web Access server.

  2. On the <server_name> Home pane, in IIS, double-click Server Certificates.

  3. On the General tab, retrieve the values for Name, Issued to, Issued by, Expiration Date and Certificate Hash, record them on the data worksheet, and then click OK.

  4. Consult the data worksheet to determine if you should export the certificate from the source server. For steps to export the SSL certificate that is used for HTTPS connections on the RD Web Access server, see Export a Server Certificate (IIS 7) (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=195060).

    Store and lock the certificate in a safe location.

Important

If the certificate from the source server will be used on the destination server, export it as a PFX file.

Gathering the RemoteApp sources

Next retrieve the list of RemoteApp sources used for RD Web Access.

To retrieve the RemoteApp sources

  1. Log on to the RD Web Access server with an account in the local Administrators group.

  2. 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.
If your SSL certificate was generated by an enterprise certification authority (CA) in your organization and it has not been signed by a CA that is trusted by Microsoft, it might also indicate that your client has not been configured correctly. For more information, see Install the RD Web Access server root certificate on the Remote Desktop Services client in RD Web Access Migration: Migrating the RD Web Access Role Service.

  1. In the Domain\user name box, type the name of a valid user in 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 tab, click An RD Connection Broker server or One or more RemoteApp sources. On the data worksheet, record the source names from the Source name box, and then close the browser window.

Installing the RD Web Access role service

You can install the RD Web Access role service by using the following procedures:

  • Install Windows Server 2008 R2.

  • Add the Remote Desktop Web Access and Web Server (IIS) role services.

First, install Windows Server 2008 R2 on the destination server, giving it the same name as the source server. For the name of the RD Web Access source server, see the data worksheet at RD Web Access Migration: Appendix A: Migration Data Collection Worksheets.

For a list of Windows Server 2008 R2 editions that include the RD Web Access role service, see the section “Supported operating systems” in Remote Desktop Services Migration Overview: Migrating Remote Desktop Services Role Services.

Finally, install the RD Web Access server and Web Server (IIS) on the destination computer.

To install the RD Web Access server and Web Server (IIS) on the destination computer

  1. Log on with an account in the local Administrators group.

  2. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.

  3. In Roles Summary, click Add Roles.

  4. On the Before You Begin page, click Next.

  5. On the Select Server Roles page, select the Remote Desktop Services check box, and then click Next.

  6. On the Remote Desktop Services page, click Next.

  7. On the Select Role Services page, select the Remote Desktop Web Access check box.

  8. Review the information about adding Web Server (IIS) and the Remote Server Administration Tools, click Add Required Role Services, and then click Next.

  9. On the Web Server (IIS) page, click Next.

  10. On the Select Role Services page, click Next.

  11. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.

  12. After installation is complete, click Close.

See also