replace web tiers with new ones - What might be the easiest way?

[ptaylor5]

Hello team, I'm new at supporting RSA. I currently have some windows 2012 8.5x web tiers. I need to build some new 2019 servers to swap them out since 2012 is EOL next month. Is there a guide out there for replacements? I see the web tier build guide but I think maybe I won't have to do all of those steps. They aren't in a DMZ and only used for token distribution. However the new VMs are going to be built at a different location so the IPs will need to change.  Any suggestions for an easy swap?

[EricaChalfin · Accepted solution]

@ptaylor5,

A belated welcome to the RSA community! We are so glad you are here.

Since Authentication Manager 8.5 went end if life in July 2022, we would recommend that you upgrade your deployment to a supported version, such as 8.7 SP1 patch 1. This would include uninstalling your current web tiers and reinstalling them so they'd be at the current version as well.

You can find information on how to uninstall your web tiers then reinstall them in the Authentication Manager 8.6 Setup and Configuration Guide, Authentication Manager 8.7 Setup and Configuration Guide and Authentication Manager 8.7 SP1 Setup and Configuration Guide. Be sure to also review Appendix A in each guide for steps to complete the Authentication Manager upgrade.

Note that in 8.5 and below we used Steel Belted RADIUS (SBR). With 8.6 and above we now use FreeRADIUS. That change means that file structures and names have changed. Whether you use RADIUS or nor, you will need to run the Authentication Manager 8.6 Pre-Upgrade Check Tool before upgrading to Authentication Manager 8.6. Failure to complete this task will result in losing the ability to manage RADIUS.

It seems that if you are required to uninstall your current web tiers and install them again that you can configure them with the new IP addresses.

[ptaylor5]

Thank you for the reply. we do plan to upgrade within the next year but for now we need to build new 8.5 web tiers in a different location. 

I would i could just built new ones as additional web tiers, then when established decommission the old ones.