Migrate a Windows Server 2008 or R2 Remote Desktop Gateway server to a Windows Server 2012 or R2 server in workgroup enviornment - Part 1

Recently, I'd like to migrate the Remote Desktop Gateway Server from Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows Server 2012 R2 in my lab enviornment. I intend to write down all the steps.

If you deployed the Remote Desktop Gateway server in a workgroup environment,  you could be interested in this post.

If you want to deploy a new Remote Desktop Gateway server in a workgroup environment, you can read the following posts for your information.

Deploying Remote Desktop Gateway in workgroup environment

Deploying Remote Desktop Gateway in Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 workgroup environment

Goal

• Migrate local user accounts or groups which are associated with Remote Desktop Gateway server in the existing Remote Desktop Gateway server to Windows Server 2012 R2 environment
• Migrate the Remote Desktop connection authorization policies and Remote Desktop resource authorization policies from the existing Remote Desktop Gateway server to Windows Server 2012 R2
• Export and import the certificate of Remote Desktop Gateway server from the existing one to Windows Server 2012 R2

Lab environment

• 1 Windows Server 2008 R2 with Remote Desktop Gateway named RDG08 in workgroup environment
• 1 Windows Server 2012 R2 named RDG12 in workgroup environment
• IP addresses of RDG08 and RDG 12 are 10.100.100.2 and 10.100.100.1

Prerequisites

• Create a share folder named Mig with full access for RDG12 in RDG08 of C Drive

• In RDG08, I created a user account named, RemoteUser, and a group named, RDG Users,  for accessing in Remote Desktop Gateway.

Lab

This part is intended to migrate the local user accounts and groups from RDG08 to RDG12.

Installing Windows Server Migration Tool

1. On RDG12, log in as Local Administrator.

2. Launch "Server Manager".

3. Click "Add roles and features".

4. On "Before You Begin" window, click "Next".

5. On "Installation Type" window, select "Role-based or feature-based installation" option.

6. Click "Next".

7. On "Server Selection" window, click "Next" twice.

8. On "Features" window, check "Windows Server Migration Tools" option.

9. Click "Next".

10. On "Confirmation" window, click "Install".

11. On "Results" window, click "Close".

We can also use cmdlet to install "Windows Server Migration Tools" by entering "Install-WindowsFeature Migration".

Migrate local user accounts and groups from RDG08 to RDG12

1. Still in RDG12, launch "Windows Server Migration Tools".

2. On "Windows Server Migration Tools" Command Prompt, navigate to "C:\Windows\System32\ServerMigrationTools".

3. Perform ".\SmigDeploy.exe /package /architecture amd64 /os WS08R2 /path \\10.100.100.2\Mig" to create a deployment folder package for Windows Server 2008 R2 to export settings.

Windows Server Migration Tools supports x86 and 64 architecture and the following OS: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012.

4. Go to RDG08, log in as Local Administrator.

5. Launch "Command Prompt" as administrator and then navigate to "C:\Mig\SMT_ws08R2_amd64" folder which is the deployment package of Windows Server Migration Tools.

6. Perform "SmigDeploy.exe".

Then the PowerShell window started automatically.

7. Perform "Export-SmigServerSetting -User All -Group -Path C:\Mig\UserData" to export and local users and groups data to a file.

8. Provide a password for the file.

The data file, svrmig.mig, has been created in C:\Mig\UserData.

9. Go to RDG12, select the "PowerShell" of "Windows Server Migration Tools".

10. Perform "Import-SmigServerSetting -User Enabled -Group -Path \\10.100.100.2\Mig\UserData" to import the data from the file, svrmig.mig.

11. Enter the same password which you entered before.

The error is related to an account, IIS AppPooL\DefaultAppPool to add into IIS_Users, because RDG12 hasn't been installed the IIS feature.

We can ignore this error.

12. Launch "Computer Management" and then navigate to "Local Users and Groups > Users".

The RemoteUser has been migrated but the account is disabled. It's normal after migration.

13. Double-click "RemoteUser".

The account is required to change the password when next logon because the password cannot be migrated. There is no password for this account at this moment. Administrators may need to assign a new password for all migrated user accounts. 

14. Un-check "User must change password at next logon", click "OK".

15. Select "Groups".

16. Double-click "RDG Users".

The group members information also migrated.

As a result, we have migrated the user account and group from RDG08 to RDG12.

We can uninstall the "Windows Server Migration Features" in RDG12.

Please go to the following web sites to read the next of this series.
Migrate a Windows Server 2008 or R2 Remote Desktop Gateway server to a Windows Server 2012 or R2 server in workgroup environment - Part 2

Migrate a Windows Server 2008 or R2 Remote Desktop Gateway server to a Windows Server 2012 or R2 server in workgroup environment - Part 3

References:

Migrate Local Users & Groups from Windows Server 2003 to 2008 R2 with Windows Server Migration Tools

Local User and Group Migration Guide

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!