Test Lab Guide: SharePoint Server 2013 Three-Tier Farm in Azure
Microsoft Corporation
Abstract
This Microsoft Test Lab Guide (TLG) provides you with step-by-step instructions to create a SharePoint Server 2013 three-tier farm test lab in a Microsoft Azure Virtual Network. With the resulting test lab, you can demonstrate the facilities of a default team site and experiment with an Azure-hosted SharePoint farm.
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Contents
Introduction 5
In this guide 5
Test lab overview 5
Ongoing costs of test lab virtual machines in Azure 7
Step 1: Create the Base Configuration in Azure 8
Step 2: Configure SQL1 8
Create an Azure Virtual Machine for SQL1 9
Join SQL1 to the CORP domain 9
Configure Windows Firewall for an inbound rule 11
Step 3: Configure APP1 11
Delete the existing APP1 virtual machine 11
Create a new Azure Virtual Machine for APP1 12
Join APP1 to the CORP domain 12
Run the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard 13
Step 4: Configure WFE1 14
Create an Azure Virtual Machine for WFE1 14
Join WFE1 to the CORP domain 15
Join WFE1 to the existing SharePoint farm 15
Step 5: Demonstrate the default Contoso team site 16
Additional Resources 17
Appendix 18
Starting the test lab virtual machines after being shut down 18
Introduction
Test Lab Guides (TLGs) allow you to get hands-on experience with new products and technologies using a pre-defined and tested methodology that results in a working configuration. When you use a TLG to create a test lab, instructions tell you what servers to create, how to configure the operating systems and platform services, and how to install and configure any additional products or technologies. A TLG experience enables you to perform all of the configuration steps on both the front-end and back-end that go into a single- or multi-product or technology solution.
The purpose of this TLG is to enable you to create a three-tier SharePoint farm as a set of virtual machines in a cloud-only Azure Virtual Network. A cloud-only Azure Virtual Network does not have a connection back to your organization network.
In this guide
This document contains instructions for setting up a three-tier SharePoint farm in Azure test lab by deploying five server computers as Azure virtual machines. The resulting configuration simulates a private intranet containing a SharePoint three-tier farm that is connected to the Internet.
Important
The following instructions are for configuring a test lab. Individual computers are needed to separate the services provided on the network and to clearly show the desired functionality. This configuration is neither designed to reflect best practices nor does it reflect a desired or recommended configuration for a production network. The configuration, including IP addresses and all other configuration parameters, is designed only to work on this Azure-based test lab network.
Test lab overview
The three-tier SharePoint farm in Azure test lab consists of the following:
· One Azure virtual machine named DC1 that is configured as an intranet domain controller and Domain Name System (DNS) server.
· One Azure virtual machine named WFE1 that is configured as a SharePoint web server.
· One Azure virtual machine named APP1 that is configured as a SharePoint application server.
· One Azure virtual machine named SQL1 that is configured as a SQL server for the SharePoint farm.
· One Azure virtual machine named CLIENT1 that will act as an intranet client.
The SharePoint three-tier farm in Azure test lab consists of the Corpnet subnet in an Azure Virtual Network named TestLab that simulates a simplified intranet, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 The SharePoint three-tier farm test lab in Azure
This configuration allows DC1, SQL1, APP1, WFE1, and CLIENT1 to be:
· Connected to the Internet to install updates, access Internet resources in real time, and participate in public cloud technologies such as Microsoft Office 365 and other Azure services.
· Remotely managed using Remote Desktop Connections by your computer that is connected to the Internet or your organization network.
For a short video that describes the configuration of this test lab, see the SharePoint Server 2013 Three-Tier Farm in Azure Test Lab Guide Overview.
Key differences from the Test Lab Guide: Configure SharePoint Server 2013 in a Three-Tier Farm, which configures a SharePoint three-tier farm on an isolated subnet, are the following:
· SQL1 and WFE1 are now DHCP clients, rather than statically configured.
· SQL1, APP1, and WFE1 are created from Azure virtual machine images that already have SQL Server 2012 (for SQL1) and SharePoint Server 2013 (for APP1 and WFE1) installed.
There are five steps to setting up the SharePoint three-tier farm test lab in Azure.
1. Create the Base Configuration in Azure.
2. Configure SQL1
3. Configure APP1.
4. Configure WFE1.
5. Demonstrate the default Contoso team site
Note
You must be logged on as a member of the Domain Admins group or a member of the Administrators group on each computer to complete the tasks described in this guide. If you cannot complete a task while you are logged on with an account that is a member of the Administrators group, try performing the task while you are logged on with an account that is a member of the Domain Admins group.
Important: The instructions for configuring the computers of the Corpnet subnet of the SharePoint 2013 three-tier farm test lab are designed to be simple and require as few computers as possible. In some cases, servers provide multiple roles that would normally be placed on different servers. This configuration is neither designed to reflect best practices nor does it reflect a desired or recommended configuration for a production network.
If you do not already have an Azure account, you can sign up for a free trial at Try Azure. If you have an MSDN Subscription, see Microsoft Azure Special Pricing: MSDN, MPN, and Bizspark Benefits.
Ongoing costs of test lab virtual machines in Azure
Virtual machines in Azure incur an ongoing monetary cost when they are running. This cost is billed against your free trial, MSDN subscription, or paid Azure subscription. For more information about the costs of running Azure virtual machines, see Virtual Machines Pricing Details and Azure Pricing Calculator.
To minimize the cost of running the test lab virtual machines, you can do one of the following:
· Create the test lab and perform your needed testing and demonstration as quickly as possible. When complete, delete the test lab virtual machines from the Virtual Machines page of the Azure Management Portal.
· Shut down your test lab virtual machines into a deallocated state from the Virtual Machines page of the Azure Management Portal. However, you should restart your virtual machines in a specific order. For more information, see Starting the test lab virtual machines after being shut down.
Step 1: Create the Base Configuration in Azure
Set up the Base Configuration test lab for the Corpnet subnet using the instructions in Test Lab Guide: Base Configuration in Azure.
Step 2: Configure SQL1
Before configuring SQL1, you need to add a separate farm administrator account for the SharePoint farm.
Create a remote desktop connection to DC1 using the CORP\User1 credentials and open an administrator-level Windows PowerShell prompt. From the desktop, right-click the Windows PowerShell icon (), click Run as Administrator, and then click Yes when prompted.
From the Windows PowerShell command prompt, run the following command:
Windows PowerShell commandsNew-ADUser -SamAccountName SPFarmAdmin -AccountPassword (read-host "Set user password" -assecurestring) -name "SPFarmAdmin" -enabled $true -ChangePasswordAtLogon $false
When prompted to supply the SPFarmAdmin account password, type P@ssword1.
SQL1 will act as the database server for the SharePoint farm. Its configuration consists of the following:
· Create an Azure Virtual Machine for SQL1.
· Join SQL1 to the CORP domain.
· Configure the Windows Firewall for an inbound rule.
Create an Azure Virtual Machine for SQL1
1. In the task bar of the Azure Management Portal, click NEW COMPUTE VIRTUAL MACHINE FROM GALLERY.
2. On the Choose an Image page, click SQL Server 2012 SP1 Enterprise-Windows Server 2012, and then click the Next arrow.
3. On the Virtual machine configuration page:
· In VIRTUAL MACHINE NAME, type SQL1.
· In SIZE, select A3.
· In NEW USER NAME, type the name of a local administrator account. You will use this account when initially connecting and as an alternate set of credentials when SQL1 joins the CORP domain. Choose a name that is not easy to guess.
· In NEW PASSWORD and CONFIRM, type a strong password for the local administrator account.
· Record the local administrator account name and password in a secured location.
4. Click the Next arrow.
5. On the second Virtual machine configuration page:
· In CLOUD SERVICE, select the cloud service that you created for your test lab.
· In STORAGE ACCOUNT, select the storage account for the TLG virtual machines (VMs) and extra disks.
6. Click the Next arrow.
7. On the third Virtual machine configuration page, click the complete icon. Wait until Azure creates the virtual machine.
8. On the virtual machines page of the Azure Management Portal, click Running in the STATUS column for the SQL1 virtual machine.
9. In the task bar, click CONNECT.
10. When prompted to open SQL1.rdp, click Open.
11. When prompted with a Remote Desktop Connection message box, click Connect.
12. When prompted for credentials, use the following:
· Name: SQL1\[Local administrator account name] (from step 3)
· Password: [Local administrator account password] (from step 3)
13. When prompted with a Remote Desktop Connection message box referring to certificates, click Yes.
To check name resolution and network communication between SQL1 and DC1, run the ping dc1.corp.contoso.com command at a Windows PowerShell command prompt and verify that there are four replies.
Join SQL1 to the CORP domain
Run the following commands at the Windows PowerShell command prompt:
Windows PowerShell commandsAdd-Computer -DomainName corp.contoso.com
Restart-Computer
Note that you must supply your CORP\User1 account domain credentials after entering the Add-Computer command.
To reconnect to the SQL1 virtual machine, do the following:
1. After SQL1 restarts, on the Virtual Machines page of the Azure Management Portal, click Running in the STATUS column for the SQL1 virtual machine.
2. In the task bar, click CONNECT.
3. When prompted to open SQL1.rdp, click Open.
4. When prompted with a Remote Desktop Connection message box, click Connect.
5. When prompted for credentials, use the following:
· Name: SQL1\[Local administrator account name]
· Password: [Local administrator account password]
6. When prompted by a Remote Desktop Connection message box referring to certificates, click Yes.
7. From the Start screen, type SQL Server Management, and then click SQL Server Management Studio.
8. In Connect to Server, click Connect.
9. In the Object Explorer tree pane, open Security.
10. Right-click Logins and then click New Login.
11. On the General page, in Login name, type CORP\User1.
12. On the Server Roles page, click sysadmin.
- On the Securables page, click Search > The server 'SQL1' > OK, and then click OK.
- Right-click Logins, and then click New Login.
- On the General page, in Login name, type CORP\SPFarmAdmin.
- On the Server Roles page, select dbcreator, and then click OK.
17. Close the Remote Desktop connection window for SLQ1.
18. On the virtual machines page of the Azure Management Portal, click Running in the STATUS column for the SQL1 virtual machine.
19. In the task bar, click CONNECT.
20. When prompted to open SQL1.rdp, click Open.
21. When prompted with a Remote Desktop Connection message box, click Connect.
22. When prompted for credentials, use the following:
· Name: CORP\User1
· Password: [User1 account password]
23. When prompted by a Remote Desktop Connection message box referring to certificates, click Yes.
Configure Windows Firewall for an inbound rule
Run the following command at an administrator-level Windows PowerShell command prompt:
Windows PowerShell commandsNew-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName “SQL Server” -Direction Inbound –Protocol TCP –LocalPort 1433-1434,5022 -Action allow
Step 3: Configure APP1
APP1 is an existing virtual machine from the Azure base configuration that has been configured as a web and file server. It is easier to remove the existing APP1 virtual machine and create a new APP1 using the SharePoint Server 2013 Trial image than to configure the existing APP1 for SharePoint 2013. This new APP1 will provide application hosting services for the SharePoint 2013 farm.