Join an existing server group
Before installing StoreFront, ensure that the server you are adding to the group is running the same operating system version with the same locale settings as the other servers in the group. StoreFront server groups containing mixtures of operating system versions and locales are not supported. While a server group can contain a maximum of five servers, from a capacity perspective based on simulations, there is no advantage of server groups containing more than three servers. In addition, ensure that the relative path to StoreFront in IIS on the server you are adding is the same as on the other servers in the group.
Important
When you add a new server to a server group, StoreFront service accounts are added as members of the local administrators group on the new server. These services require local administrator permissions to join and synchronize with the server group. If you use Group Policy to prevent addition of new members to the local administrator group or if you restrict the permissions of the local administrator group on your servers, StoreFront cannot join a server group.
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If the Citrix StoreFront management console is not already open after installation of StoreFront, on the Windows Start screen or Apps screen, locate and click the Citrix StoreFront tile.
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In the results pane of the Citrix StoreFront management console, click Join existing server group.
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Log on to a server in the StoreFront deployment that you wish to join and open the Citrix StoreFront management console. Select the Server Group node in the left pane of the console and, in the Actions pane, click Add Server. Make a note of the authorization code that is displayed.
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Return to the new server and, in the Join Server Group dialog box, specify the name of the existing server in the Authorizing server box. Enter the authorization code obtained from that server and click Join.
Once joined to the group, the configuration of the new server is updated to match the configuration of the existing server. All the other servers in the group are updated with details of the new server.
To manage a multiple server deployment, use only one server at a time to make changes to the configuration of the server group. Ensure that the Citrix StoreFront management console is not running on any of the other servers in the deployment. Any configuration changes you make must be propagated to the other servers in the group to ensure a consistent configuration across the deployment.
Remove a server from an existing server group
If a StoreFront server was a member of a server group and has been removed, you must run the Clear-DSConfiguration PowerShell cmdlet to reset the StoreFront server to a factory default state. After you run the Clear-DSConfiguration cmdlet on the disconnected server, you can add the server back to an existing server group or to a different newly created server group.
- Open the StoreFront administration console on the primary StoreFront server that you use to manage your entire server group.
- Select the server group node on the left pane and choose another server to remove.
- Remove the selected server from the server group.
- In the Actions pane, propagate changes from the server you used to disconnect one of your server group members. Any other remaining server group members are now aware that a server has been removed from the group. Until you reset the disconnected server to a factory default state, it is not aware that it is no longer a member of the group.
- Close the administration console on the disconnected server.
- Open a PowerShell session on your disconnected server after it has been removed from the group and import the StoreFront PowerShell modules using: & “$Env:PROGRAMFILES\Citrix\Receiver StoreFront\Scripts\ImportModules.ps1”
- Run the Clear-DSConfiguration command, which resets the server to default settings.
- Open the StoreFront administration console and the disconnected server is reset and ready to be added to another server group.