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Upgrading Network Policy Server from Server 2008 R2 to Server 2012 R2

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Synopsis: This tutorial will cover a basic "upgrade" path to go from Server 2008 R2 to Server 2012 R2.  This tutorial assumes you have a single Network Policy Server and you are wishing to reuse the same machine name, IP, and settings.  In environments needing high availability, you will need to complete each of the steps below, adding/removing each server being upgraded from your network load balancer.

In a standalone instance, you will experience some downtime as you will have to retire the old machine and setup a new one.

Tutorial

  1. Login to your Server 2008 R2 NPS server
  2. Open up a command prompt with Administrative Privileges
  3. Execute the following command
    1. netsh nps export filename="c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\Desktop\NPS.xml" exportPSK=YES
      netsh nps export
  4. Copy the NPS.xml file to your local machine
  5. Disjoin the NPS server from the domain
  6. Retire the machine
  7. Recreate a new Server 2012 R2 machine with the same name and IP address
  8. Join the Server 2012 R2 machine to the domain
  9. Open up Server Manager and select Add Roles and Features
    Server 2012 - Manage - Add Roles and Features
  10. Click Next > on the Before You Begin screen
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Before you begin
  11. Click Next > on the Installation Type screen
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Select installation type
  12. Click Next > on the Server Selection screen
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Select destination server
  13. Check Network Policy and Access Services (click Add Features when the screen pops up)
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Network Policy and Access Services
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Server Roles - Network Policy and Access Services
  14. Click Next > on the Features screen
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Default - Network Policy and Access Services
  15. Click Next > on the Network Policy and Access Services screen
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Network Policy and Access Services Welcome
  16. Check Network Policy Server and click Next >
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Role Services - Network Policy Server
  17. Click Install
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Network Policy and Access Services - Confirmation
  18. Click Close once the installation has successfully completed
    Add Roles and Features Wizard - Network Policy and Access Services - Results
  19. Copy over your XML file from the old NPS server to your new Server 2012 R2 NPS server.
  20. Open up an administrative powershell prompt
    Server 2012 - PowerShell - Run as Administrator
  21. Execute the following command
    1. Import-NpsConfiguration -Path c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\Desktop\NPS.xml
      Server 2012 R2 - Powershell - Import-npsconfiguration
  22. Head over to Server Manager and select Tools -> Network Policy Server
    Server Manager - Tools - Network Policy Server
  23. Verify the rules imported (I selected RADIUS Clients and Servers -> RADIUS Clients to see if it imported my WLAN controller)
    Network Policy Server - RADIUS Clients
  24. Connect your machine to your wireless network! 🙂