Overview

• In this video guide, we will be covering how to configure site server high availability in Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch. We will cover the prerequisites to install a passive site server, how to perform the installation, and how to fail over to the passive server.

Topics in Video

• Review Basic’s of the Site Server and what actions it performs and impacts of it being down – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=27
• Basic’s of High Availability of the Site Server – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=134
• Review the lab setup and the current site server and site systems in the environment – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=267
• Add the computer account of the new Passive site server to the Site Servers AD Security Group so it has permissions to the Systems Management container – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=430
• Add the Computer Account or Security Group of the new passive site server to the Local Admins on the SQL Server and SysAdmin rights to the SQL Instance – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=518
• Install .NET 3.5 SP1 on the new passive site server – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=669
• Install WSUS (API’s) on the new passive site server – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=728
  • Install-WindowsFeature -Name UpdateServices-API
  • Get-WindowsFeature -Name UpdateServices*
• Install Remote Differential Compression role – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=815
  • Install-WindowsFeature RDC
• Install the Windows 10 ADK (WinPE, Deployment Tools, and USMT) – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=860
• Add Site Servers AD Security Group that contains Site Server Computer Accounts to Local Administrators on the new passive site server – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=933
• Move ContentLibrary from a local path on the active site server to a remote network share – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=1009
• Go through the wizard in the console to add a new “Site System Server” and choose the “Site server in passive mode” – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=1309
• Review the site server prerequisites check in the “Site Server Status” node in the console – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=1450
• Review C:\ConfigMgrSetup.log on new passive site server once core setup is started – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=1654
• After core setup is complete review sitecomp.log on passive site server to see components under SMS_EXECUTIVE getting registered – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=1688
• Installing the SMS_Provider on the new passive site server so the console could still connect is the active site server goes down – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=1778
• Review process to promote site server in passive mode to active mode – https://youtu.be/PsHsBseqkD0?t=2053

Helpful Resources:

• Site Server Failure Impacts – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/manage/site-failure-impacts#site-server
• High availability options for Configuration Manager – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/high-availability-options
• High Availability Prerequisites – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/site-server-high-availability#prerequisites
• High Availability Limitations – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/site-server-high-availability#limitations
• High Availability Site server promotion – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/site-server-high-availability#site-server-promotion
• High availability for sites and hierarchies – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/high-availability-options#bkmk_snh
• Use a site server in passive mode – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/high-availability-options#use-a-site-server-in-passive-mode
• Site server high availability in Configuration Manager – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/site-server-high-availability
• What’s new in 1810 – Hierarchy support for site server high availability – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/plan-design/changes/whats-new-in-version-1810#hierarchy-support-for-site-server-high-availability
• Prepare to use SQL Server Always On availability groups with Configuration Manager – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/sql-server-alwayson-for-a-highly-available-site-database
• Configure SQL Server Always On availability groups for Configuration Manager – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/configure-aoag
• Use a SQL Server cluster for the System Center Configuration Manager site database – https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/core/servers/deploy/configure/use-a-sql-server-cluster-for-the-site-database
• SQL AlwaysOn High Availability step by step Part 1 | External YouTube Guide – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR1S3feedzU