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DanReynolds
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Upgrading/replacing existing connection server

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URL : http:////docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Horizon-7/7.12/horizon-upgrades/GUID-043C31E0-0E1A-4477-8CA1-1029...

Topic Name : Upgrade to the Latest Version of Connection Server on a Different Machine

Publication Name : Horizon 7 Upgrades

Product/Version : VMware Horizon 7/7.12

Question :

I've read the doc - but I only have a single connection server - and it's on a Windows 2008R2 box. How can I upgrade to a new 7.12 connection server?

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vBritinUSA
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If you are looking to move from Windows 2008 R2 to a newer version I would probably do

Snap Live Connection Server

Spin up a new VM with Windows Server 2016/19 add to the domain etc.

Install Horizon(Same version as you are running now) Connection Server as a replica.

Configure Connection Server the same as first as in Certs/Tunneling/Security Servers/UAG's

Update DNS to point to new Connection Server, If you use Security Servers(I hope not) you will need to pair to new server or spin up another Security server or better still a UAG.

Test and validate the new setup

Uninstall first connection server

Decommission Windows 2008 Server

Spin up new Windows server

Install Horizon and add as a replica

Perform testing and validation

Fix external access to use new server

Never done it like this as I always deploy 2 UAG's and 3 Connection Servers and its a lot easier.

Good Luck

Please mark helpful or correct if my answer resolved your issue.

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surajr04
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If it is Operating System upgrade. You can do inplace upgrade.

If you want to change the Connection server, you can create another VM and install Connection Server as replica and check the functionality.

And then run vdmadmin.exe -S -s server_name -r on the Replica server to remove the Primary server.

NOTE: Please take Snapshot and backup of the Connection server and Adam Database prior doing the above steps.

vBritinUSA
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If you are looking to move from Windows 2008 R2 to a newer version I would probably do

Snap Live Connection Server

Spin up a new VM with Windows Server 2016/19 add to the domain etc.

Install Horizon(Same version as you are running now) Connection Server as a replica.

Configure Connection Server the same as first as in Certs/Tunneling/Security Servers/UAG's

Update DNS to point to new Connection Server, If you use Security Servers(I hope not) you will need to pair to new server or spin up another Security server or better still a UAG.

Test and validate the new setup

Uninstall first connection server

Decommission Windows 2008 Server

Spin up new Windows server

Install Horizon and add as a replica

Perform testing and validation

Fix external access to use new server

Never done it like this as I always deploy 2 UAG's and 3 Connection Servers and its a lot easier.

Good Luck

Please mark helpful or correct if my answer resolved your issue.
DanReynolds
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vBritinUSA

I've never had replicas... Just figure it would make things more complex. Very small environment - 70 users...

But that is definitely something to think about. Thanks.

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DanReynolds
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surajr04

Thanks, that might be the solution. My problem is I need 7.1x, I'm on 7.5. 2008 R2 is no longer supported (and it is time to get off of it). I tried upgrading the OS but View didn't work after that. So, I'm stuck creating a new view server. I do have a security server. I think between the two of you I have a good plan.

And YES always take a snapshot (plus it's backed up everyday as well).

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vBritinUSA
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Even with 20 users I would install 2 of everything, not just because HA but as you are finding out upgrades are more simple.

Think of the Connection Servers as Domain Controllers, you never want to just have one.

Please mark helpful or correct if my answer resolved your issue.
DanReynolds
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vBritinUSA​ I think I will pursue that. And yes, I do currently have a connection server but wanted to go with a UAG for this upgrade (to 7.1x).

I think the replica is a good idea - but how do you handle two UAG's or two security servers? Do you have to load balance or something?

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vBritinUSA
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So, for the UAG's they have a feature that you can turn on called HA. This creates a VIP (Floating IP) between the UAG's, this makes the UAG's Active/Passive. The UAG's can handle upto 2000 sessions so you are well within those limits.

The UAG's point to an internal URL that balances between the Connection servers, if you don't have a load balancer you could create a dns cname record and point it to one of the Connection servers, when you need to reboot that server move the record.

This I must stress is not ideal for the Connection Servers, I've deployed it like this for lab or pilots but not production but it should work and will be better than what you currently have.

Please mark helpful or correct if my answer resolved your issue.
DanReynolds
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vBritinUSA​, that VIP things sounds really cool. I didn't know they had that - but honestly I hadn't looked at the UAG more than to know it exists and I can get rid of a Windows license that way. My "plan" was to created the UAG and just REPLACE the connection server. I was thinking/hoping I could do that after I had updated the connection server.

I really do think I'll go with your plan to create the replica with the older version of connection server but new OS, make it a replica. Then get rid of the old connection server - rinse repeat to create a new replica. And I already have a DNS cname so that the "outside" DNS name and the inside DNS name are the same.

I'll start reading up on UAG's.

Thanks a bunch.

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DanReynolds
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vBritinUSA​ - I got the replica server built super easy and there really was nothing to "setup" it just basically inherited all the settings.

I'm reading on the UAG's now.

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