Rebuilding SharePoint Farm

Recently, I have done a rebuild of a SharePoint Farm for a QA environment. It is really a challenging task to rebuild a SP Farm, because some servers must be already running and you need to create a new server and deploy your stuff out there on the new one. I managed to setup the QA, but the turn-around time was poor as I was facing so many roadblocks in setting up and configuring servers. Sharing you some of the major tasks which I have done to rebuild the SharePoint Farm.

 Install Windows Server 2008 R2

• Click Here to know more about the System Requirements

Install IIS 7.0 on Windows Server 2008 R2

IIS is one of the Windows Server Server roles. IIS 7 can be installed through the graphical user interface (GUI), using the new Server Manager interface after the Windows Server operating system is installed.

You can also enable IIS 7.5 in Windows Server 2008 R2.

 

Server Manager provides a single dashboard to install or uninstall server roles and features. Server Manager also gives an overview of all currently installed roles and features. When IIS 7 is chosen from the Server Manager, the basic components and services needed for IIS are automatically selected.

 

1. Click Start -> All Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Server Manager.

 

2. In the Server Manager Window, scroll down to Roles Summary, and then click on Add Roles. The Add Roles Wizard will start with a Before You Begin page. The wizard asks for verification of the following

• The administrator account has a strong password.
• The network settings, such as IP addresses, are configured.
• The latest security updates from Windows Update are installed.

3. Select Web Server (IIS) on the Select Server Roles page. An introductory page will open with links for further information.

 

4. Select the IIS services to be installed on the Select Role Services page. Add only the modules necessary. In this case, ASP.NET is selected, and a description of ASP.NET appears in the right pane. Once desired modules are added, click Next.

 

5. Add any required role services.

 

6. IIS is now installed with a default configuration for hosting ASP.NET on Windows Server. Click Close to complete the process.

 

7. Confirm that the Web server works using http://localhost/.

 

 

Install .Net Framework 3.5 on Windows Server 2008 R2
 
Here are the steps to verify that .NET Framework 3.5.1 is installed on Windows Server 2008 R2.


1. Click the Start button in the lower left hand corner of the display.
2. Highlight Administrative Tools and select Server Manager.
3. In the Server Manager interface, click Features to display all the installed Features in the right hand pane. Verify that .NET Framework 3.5.1 is listed.

If .NET Framework 3.5.1 feature is not listed, you can use the following method to install it:

Using Server Manager Interface

1. In the Server Manager interface, select Add Features to displays a list of possible features.
2. In the Select Features interface, expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features.
3. Once you expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features, you will see two check boxes. One for .NET Framework 3.5.1 and other for WCF Activation. Check the box next to .NET Framework 3.5.1 and click Next.

Note: If you do not expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features and check it, you will get a pop-up titled Add Features Wizard as shown below.

Click Cancel and expand .NET Framework 3.5.1 Features and then check .NET Framework 3.5.1 check box below it.