This is a continuation of my preceding post and will cover the step by step process to define FE pool and installation of first FE server.

Open Skype for Business Server 2015 Topology Builder and create “New Topology”.

(Note: this step is only required if this is the first pool in your environment, otherwise select “Download topology from existing deployment”)

Right click on Skype for Business Server and select New Central Site…

Define New Central Site.

12. Click on Next to Define New Front End Pool.

Define Pool FQDN (make sure you are using <pool name>.<domain fqdn> format).

Add first FE server fqdn.

Select features which you want to enable for your FE Pool.

Select this option if you want to collocate Mediation server role with FE servers.

Click on Next, we will add Edge pool later.

Add SQL server store, click on New. We are using SQL mirror with this FE pool.

Write Primary SQL Server Name.

Select Named instance and write instance name.

Select “Mirroring relation” from high availability settings.

Enable mirroring option and click on new.

Define SQL mirror server name and mirror instance.

Enable mirroring witness and click on new.

Define witness server name and instance.

Once done, click on next.

Define the file store. We are using DFS share which we had created for SfB.

Define a file share.

Define internal and external web services url.

Define Office Web Apps server.

Define the Archiving SQL server store in the same way as we defined Back End server store.

Define the Monitoring SQL server store in the same way as we defined Back End server store.

Now you have to define the CMS and admin url. Right click on “Skype for Business Server” and edit properties.

Select CMS and define administrative access url. (Note: this step is only required if this is the first pool in your environment.)

Publish the defined topology.

Click on Next to publish the topology.

Select databases and click on Advanced…

Use database location, select “Use SQL Server instance defaults”

Select mirror database and click on settings to define File share which will be used by SQL server to setup the mirror.

Note: SQL account which was used for the sql instance should have permission on share. (It could be your sql service account)

Click on Next.

Now it will publish the topology and will create all the databases as well as it will setup the mirror.

Once your topology has been published successfully. Click on “Install or Update Skype for Business Server Systems” from Deployment Wizard.

Run “Install Local Configuration Store”

 

Run “Setup or Remove Skype for Business Server Componenets”

Once you are done with the installation, can request and assign certificates. Click on Run to request the certificates.

Request and assign OAuth certificate.

Request certificate for SfB server and web services.

Fill the required fields and click on advanced.

Follow the process.

Make sure you marked private key as exportable.

Add rest of the servers which are going to be part of the pool.

Now you are done with the first FE server installation and configuration.

Next part (Part III) will cover the installation and configuration of second FE server, and the same process will be used to add more FE servers in the same pool.