Azure & Office 365

Posts Tagged ‘worfklow’

Hi Friends,

Today we will discuss on how to configure Multi Server Workflow farm with SharePoint farm. Just of your information, you need to access Workflow farm only from WFE and Application servers. This means just like your database server, even workflow servers are not exposed to end users.

We need to meet below pre-requisites before we proceed further:
A. SharePoint farm configured and ready to use
B. Two or more Workflow servers with setup files
C. If you are using Windows server 2012 R2 then you would need update KB2799752(Service bus hotfix) and KB2799754(Workflow manager hotfix)
D. FQDN name for your workflow farm e.g.(Workflow.domain.com) and its DNS entry with Round Robin(You can also configure Windows NLB or a Load Balancer entry for same)

1. Let’s get started with installation of Workflow Manager 1.0 on Workflow servers. We need installable as shown below
   

2. When you will try to install the workflow.exe file you will be asked to download and install WebPlatformInstaller.exe. Now all the updates and most components are installed through WebPlatforminstaller.

 

1. Once the WebPlatforminstaller is installed, you need to search for Workflow manager and Workflow manager client and install the same.

1. Once Workflow Manager and client is installed, I would suggest you to install the updates as well.

1. Now let’s configure Workflow Server farm. This is very important so please follow steps carefully.
2. Lets execute the Workflow Manager Configuration Wizard
3. Select “Configure Workflow Manager with Custom Settings”
   

4. Now provide the SQL server instance name, Authentication, Certificate and SQL Workflow database names
   

5. You need to provide the Workflow service account credentials which will be used to connect to SQL server and for workflow IIS Application pool.
   

6. You would need to provide a Certificate Generation Key. It is just like Passphrase for your SharePoint farm
   

7. Make sure you select “Allow workflow management over http on this computer”
   

8. Along with Workflow Management, you need to configure Service Bus required by Workflow manager
   

9. Make sure you select “use the same certificate generation key as provided for workflow manager”
   

1. Once the Workflow Farm is created, you need to join other Workflow server to the farm. To do so execute the same Workflow configuration wizard and select “Join an Existing Workflow Manager Farm”
   

2. Provide the existing Workflow Farm SQL server instance name, Workflow database name and Service Bus farm database name
   

3. Provide the workflow service account and Certificate generation key used while creating workflow farm.
   

4. Select “use the same service account credentials as provided for Workflow Manager”, then select next
   

5. Once farm other server is joined to workflow farm you will see below
   

6. Once workflow is configured, you need to attach Workflow Farm to SharePoint farm. Make sure you have DNS entry(Workflow.domain.com) for your Workflow farm. If not DNS, you should at least have Host entry for same. Try to browse http://workflow.domain.com:12291 on WFE and Application server, you might see Authentication error.
   

7. Add the URL to Local Intranet and set the Local Intranet zone to “Automatically login with current username and password”
   

1. Now you should be able to browse the workflow farm details, this shows you can connect to workflow farm and it is working fine.
   

2. Now execute below command in SharePoint Powershell
   Register-SPWorkflowService -SPSite “http://sharepointsite” -workflowHostUri “http://workflow.domain.com:12291/” -AllowOauthHttp -ScopeName SharePoint –force
   

3. Now you need to activate the workflow feature on site
   Enable-SPFeature -Identity WorkflowServiceStore –Url http://sharepointsite

4. In Central Admin > Manage Service Application > Workflow Service Application Proxy
   

5. Open site in SharePoint designer – Select workflow from left pane – select new workflow
   
   Note:
   A. Workflow farm can co-locate on SharePoint servers
   B. As per Microsoft articles, for high availability you need to have at least 3 Workflow Server in farm. You cannot have 2 workflow servers in a farm. It has to be 1 or 3.