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

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

Login to your Server 2008 R2 NPS server
Open up a command prompt with Administrative Privileges
Execute the following command
1. netsh nps export filename=”c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\Desktop\NPS.xml” exportPSK=YES
Copy the NPS.xml file to your local machine
Disjoin the NPS server from the domain
Retire the machine
Recreate a new Server 2012 R2 machine with the same name and IP address
Join the Server 2012 R2 machine to the domain
Open up Server Manager and select Add Roles and Features
Click Next > on the Before You Begin screen
Click Next > on the Installation Type screen
Click Next > on the Server Selection screen
Check Network Policy and Access Services (click Add Features when the screen pops up)
Click Next > on the Features screen
Click Next > on the Network Policy and Access Services screen
Check Network Policy Server and click Next >
Click Install
Click Close once the installation has successfully completed
Copy over your XML file from the old NPS server to your new Server 2012 R2 NPS server.
Open up an administrative powershell prompt
Execute the following command
1. Import-NpsConfiguration -Path c:\users\YOURUSERNAME\Desktop\NPS.xml
Head over to Server Manager and select Tools -> Network Policy Server
Verify the rules imported (I selected RADIUS Clients and Servers -> RADIUS Clients to see if it imported my WLAN controller)
Connect your machine to your wireless network!