Migrate From NFA (RDS) to NMM (AVD)

Important Notification for NFA Partners Only

If you haven’t already, we highly recommend reviewing the current migration documentation here. As you review the documentation please submit any questions to nmm.support@getnerdio.com.

• New NFA account creation will be unavailable on November 30th 2021.
• NFA will be fully supported until the official sunset - nfa.support@getnerdio.com.
• We encourage all partners to watch this video, read all of our supporting KB's and consider preparing for migrations. The entire Nerdio team is here to support and guide all of our amazing partners during this transition.

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Index

NFA to NMM Migration Guidance is spread across multiple Help Center articles.  We recommend reading in the order below.

• [Read First] - Plan for a Successful Migration
• MSP Considerations
• New to NMM?
• Migration Part 1 - Add RDS Account in NMM
• Migration Part 2 - Customizing the Account in NMM
• Migration Part 3 - Completing the Migration
• [Read Last] - Post Migration Cleanup Guidance

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MSP Considerations

• Prerequisite - Provisioning NMM into your MSP tenant
• Review our steps for NFA Discovery Planning
• A new FSLogix profile must be created for each user.  
• NFA RDS included SMS based MFA which doesn't migrate to AVD.  Please consider Microsoft’s Best Practices for MFA in AVD.

• This migration document follows the path of least change to ensure a simple and fast migration

  Other modifications shouldn't be considered until after this migration is completed

  • (Moving from FS01 to Azure Files) - Documentation coming Q1 2024
  • (Moving from AD_DS to Microsoft Entra Domain Services) - Documentation coming Q1 2024

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New to NMM?

• Toubleshooting Active Directory Domain Join Errors in Nerdio Manager for MSP 
• Troubleshooting Desktop Image Sysprep Errors
• Troubleshooting FSLogix profile mount errors in NMM

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Part 1 - Add RDS account to NMM

Video Guide - Part One - Add Account

 

To add your customer's account, you will need an Azure login with Global Administrator and Subscription owner permissions. Follow the guide for adding an account and check this diagram. Since you're connecting to an existing NFA account, keep the following steps in mind:

 

Step 1 - Link to Customer's Azure AD Tenant

Select Use Existing Active Directory Setup

 

Step 2 - Networking

Provide details of your current NFA RDS account here.  

Specifically, select the region of the existing NFA account, and the LAN subnet of the existing VNET. This will be the default subnet for new hosts.

We recommend creating a new resource group for the NMM host VMs to keep them separate from the NFA resources. but it is acceptable to select the existing RG here if you will not be creating a new one for the NMM resources.

We will connect to the existing NFA resource group in a later step, but it is acceptable to select the existing RG here.

Step 3 - Active Directory

Provide details regarding the current AD_DS in NFA RDS

 

Step 4 - FSLogix Storage

Nerdio Note - (MSP Choice below)

1) CREATE NEW “Premium” AZ Files share (Nerdio Recommended)

2) Provide Existing FS01 UNC share path from NFA RDS.  This will be used for storage of new FSL Profiles       

Recommended Reading - FSLogix Share Permissions

*Reminder that all AVD users will need new FSLogix profiles created during migration

 

Example of creating new AZ Files Storage

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Part 2 - Customizing the Account in NMM

 

Step 1 - Configure Integrations and link Network/RG

Video Guide - Step Two - Configure Settings and Integrations

 

If you did not specify the existing NFA resource group when connecting to the NFA account, go to Settings -> Azure Environment in the left menu, and click Link under Linked resource groups

From the Account Screen, select "Settings" and "Azure Environment".  

 

 

Select your existing NFA resource group. This will allow you to see an manage the VMs in the NFA resource group from NMM.

 

Also in the Azure environment page, link to the existing DMZ subnet by clicking Link under Linked Networks

 

 

Step 2 - Create new Desktop Image(s)

Video Guide - Step Three - Create a Desktop Image

Recommended Reading - Overview of Desktop Images

Recommended Reading - Troubleshoot Desktop Image Sysprep Errors

 

To create a brand new image for use with NMM, click the Add from Azure Library button and select an Azure image such as Windows 10 EVD.

Nerdio Tip! - Don't forget to create and document the local administrator account!

Example of Desktop Images After Completion

 

Step 3 - Create first/test pool and assign users via a security group (new or existing)

Video Guide - Step Four - Create a Host Pool

Recommended Reading - Overview of Host Pools

Please read the above Overview of Host Pools prior to completing this step.  Understanding the four different desktop experiences is crucial to the success of this step.

Nerdio Note - Multi-user desktop (pooled) is similar to RDS Collections as it hosts "many to one"

 

 

Step 4 - Configure Auto-scale

Recommended Reading - Auto-Scale Settings for Host Pools in NMM

 

You will be prompted to configure AutoScale once the Pool creation is completed.  We recommend setting it to off until you read the above guide and determine how you want to configure Autoscale

 

Leave the toggle to OFF

 

Click Save

 

Step 5 - Install local Windows Desktop Client on client workstations

Nerdio Note - This may be a new install for your clients assuming all users were only on RDS prior

Video Guide - Step Five - Setup AVD Client and Test

Recommended Reading - Download AVD Clients [external Microsoft]

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Part 3 - Completing the Migration

 

Step 1 - Remove SafeDNS

Recommended Reading -

SafeDNS was an inclusive feature of NFA and isn't included in NMM.  Partners will need modify current DNS settings and consider what DNS service they will use going forward.

 

Steps to remove SafeDNS

1. From DC01, open up the DNS Manager and right-click "DC01", then select properties.
2. From the "Forwarders" tab, click Edit and add an IP address to a public DNS server such as Google  (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) or CloudFlare (1.1.1.1)
3. From your account in the Nerdio Admin Portal, expand the Network tab on the left and select Firewall.
4. Click "Add Rule"
5. Allow outbound traffic from any source using port 53 to the IP you used for the new forwarder.
6. Ensure that the priority is above the existing system rule titled "Allow DNS to SafeDNS" (use a number lower than 501)
7. Save the rule and confirm that DNS is functioning as expected.

 

Step 2 - Have all users log in once to create their new FSLogix Profile Container

Video Guide - Step Five - Setup AVD Client and Test

Recommended Reading - FSLogix Configuration Options

Recommended Reading - Troubleshooting FSLogix Profile Mount Errors

 

 

Step 3 - Copy existing “redirected” items from FS01 location into new FSL Profile (Desktop, Documents, Pictures)

 

 

Step 4 - Begin cutover or staged user migration(s) and breaking down NFA resources

 

Step 5 - Remove User Assignment(s) in NFA

 

Step 6 - Disable auto-scale on NFA host pools

In NFA portal, navigate to Servers, find your host pool and select Manage Auto Scale from the drop down menu

1. Shut down all old host pools in NFA portal
2. Disable auto-scale on all servers / personal desktops (in NFA portal)
3. Configure auto-scale on servers in NMM portal

Step 7 - Remove RDS Resources in NFA. 

1. 1. RDGW01 – RDS Gateway Server
   2. RDSH0”X” – RDS Session Hosts
   3. RDS Collections
   4. RDSCB0"X" - Collection Brokers
   5. PRX01 (if Domain is only Managed)
   6. Any Dedicated Desktops that weren’t migrated

 

Step 8 - Remove any remaining resources in NFA and Destroy Account

Recommended Reading - NFA Post Migration Clean-Up

 

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Videos

Step One - Add Account

 

 

Step Two - Configure Settings and Integrations

 

 

Step Three - Create a Desktop Image

 

 

Step Four - Create a Host Pool

 

 

Step Five - Setup AVD Client and Test