On-Prem RDS Session Host Migration To Azure WVD

Copper Contributor

Hi all, I'm working on migrating our on-prem RDS session hosts, all running Windows2012R2, to Azure WVD. Since most of the RDS session hosts have complex configurations, I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to clone the RDS session host virtual machines(running in Hyper-V) and stand them up as a hostpool virtual machine in Azure WVD.  I've cloned an RDS VM, sysprepped it, converted the vhdx file to vhd, and uploaded it into Azure. After that, i used this doc to create the hostpool and create the vm from the image and then installed the Virtual Desktop Agent and the VDA Bootloader. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/virtual-desktop-fall-2019/create-host-pools-p...

At this point, I can access the cloned-from-RDS WVD desktop using Remote Desktop, however, if you look in the event logs on the WVD vm, there's messages where it seems that the new WVD vm is still trying to reference the on-prem RDS system. Messages like:

The RD Licensing grace period has expired and the service has not registered with a license server with installed licenses. A RD Licensing server is required for continuous operation. A Remote Desktop Session Host server can operate without a license server for 120 days after initial start up.

On other thing as well: Let's say the cloned RDS session host was originally set up to use RDS User Profile Disks. Every time you log in in to the cloned WVD desktop, you get a temporary user profile and see this in the event viewer. Remote Desktop Services could not apply a user desktop for a user account with a SID of S-1-5-21-86470620-99333846-1478062314-20925. A temporary profile was enforced for the user. Verify that the user profile disk settings are correct. The error code is 0x35.82

How do you undo a user profile disk configuration once a cloned vm is in Azure?

All that I am asking is if anyone knows of a method to clone on-prem RDS session host virtual machines and stand them up in a WVD environment.

Any feedback appreciated.

2 Replies

@J_Bush If you use Windows Server as part of WVD, it will still require to have a license server up in Azure. It's recommended to reconfigure that in your Azure subscription. Overtime you could consider using Windows 10 Enterprise multi-session which doesn't require a license server. 
I don't know the answer to the UPD question but will ask around. 

@J_Bush , @PieterWigleven , if the VHD for the UPD is not transferred then you don't have that user profile.  I would assume that+Sysprep would be adequate, then use that image as your base for WVD. 


You would, of course, have to re-create the user's profile, preferably using FSLogix Profile Container.

 

Have you tried this process and it has failed?