How to migrate the SoftGrid Server and the associated accounts to a new domain/forest

This useful tip on moving to a new domain comes from Paul Freitas, one of our top gun support engineers out in Charlotte, North Carolina:

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Say a SoftGrid Server is running in a production environment and the domain in which it operates is being retired and a new domain will take it's place. What's the best way to move your SoftGrid infrastructure to the new domain?  There are a couple ways this can be done but here's the method I usually use:

1. Create a two-way trust between the two domains (old and new).
2. Create the necessary SoftGrid accounts and groups in the new domain.  This would include the browse user (e.g. <NewDomain>\SGBrowse), the SG Administrators security group (e.g. <NewDomain>\SG Admins) and the provider security group (e.g. <NewDomain>\SG Users).
3. Update the SoftGrid server accordingly via the Management Console.  For example, in the Default Provider properties on the Group Assignment tab add <NewDomain>\SG Users.  In SoftGrid Administrators add <NewDomain>\SG Admins, etc.  Note that in both cases multiple security groups are permitted and you'll need to manually enter security groups that fall outside of the current account authority domain.
4. Migrade users and security groups to the new domain.  To do this, copy or create your users and security groups in the new domain, then add your SoftGrid users to <NewDomain>\SG Users (or whichever groups you've chosen to use).  You'll also need to create a new SoftGrid administrator group (typically \SG Admins) and add the appropriate users or groups.
5. Logon with the SoftGrid Administrator user account you created in the new domain.  
6. Change the "Account Authority" to reference the new domain.  This enables you to browse for security groups in the new domain.
7. Move the SoftGrid Server into the new domain.
8. Clean up accounts from the old domain.  For example. Remove <OldDomain>\SG Users from the provider and <OldDomain>\SG Admins from SoftGrid administrators.

Here's an alternate method you can use if there is no trust relationship between the two domains or both domains will
never exist at the same time.  The only drawback here is that you have to reinstall SoftGrid:

1. Uninstall the SoftGrid Server but do not delete the database.
2. Once removed, join the server to the new domain.
3. Install the SoftGrid server using the existing database.  Beyond that, follow the standard instructions for installing a SoftGrid Virtual Application Server (VAS).

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Thanks Paul!

J.C. Hornbeck | Manageability Knowledge Engineer

Comments

• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  The comment has been removed
• Anonymous
  January 01, 2003
  The first thing you’ll probably want to do in preparation for your callback is gather up any relevant