Hello

I am having 3 tier architecture in Sharepoint 2013
DB server
APP Server
WFE.

couple of days before everything was working fine and both APP and WFE asked for windows updte.I updated. and APP server was giving error message "sharepoint the local farm is not accessible. cmdlets with featuredependencyid are not registered"

WFE works fine and already connected to farm so application is still running. As APP has stopped and disconnected from Farm. When i went to services of APP server. I found Sharepoint's all services were s disabled.

I run configuration wizard, it could find DB server and config DB and i entered passphase, in next step, it was giving error and stppoed. "cannot connect to configuration database,  ensure the passphrase is correct" even after i am entering correct passphase.

This may be ovevious as this APP server is not connected to farm it is not recegnizing correct passphase and can not proceeding.

So now do i have just one option to create new APP server and host central admin and service application over here ?
If so, will later can i point WFE to connect to this new server without much downtime ?

Please let me know all possoble resolution to this issue 

You can do this with basically no downtime, however have you tried resetting the farm passphrase from the WFE and used that to re-add your App server?

http://sharepointadam.com/2010/01/21/reset-the-farm-passphrase-in-sharepoint-2010/

Hello Trevor

Thanks for reply.

Yes.. only thing i could do is reseting passphase from WFE as it is allowing me to do that.

I did same couple of time successfully. and restarted admin and timer services of both WFE and APP server

But again when i try to connect existing farm from APP server, again same error "cannot connect to configuration database,  ensure the passphrase is correct" even after i am entering correct passphase."

Can you suggest me any other resoution to connect to existing server ?

So possible resolution could be, rather then connect to existing one, should i create new and config DB and APP server  and then disconnect WFE to existing one and re connect to this new one.

So by doing this, will i get directly functinal WFE or will there be downtime ?

Does the App server show as attached in Central Administration (even though it is not)?

If you build a new farm, yes there will be downtime for the WFE.

Hello Trevor

Actually Central admin has hoeted on APP server and APP is disconnected.

So i am not able to open central admin.

Good part is that WFE is connected and working fine so atleast site is up running.

So what is possible way to again connect to farm and create APP server to host central admin and search service application

Run:

Get-SPServiceInstance | where {$_.TypeName -eq "Central Administration"} | Start-SPServiceInstance

On your WFE.  That should provision Central Admin on the WFE so you can interact with it and check the status of the App server

Hi Trevor

Thanks for answer and sorry for replying late as i was travelling.

So when i try to execute above command on WFE, Powershell says Get-ServiceInstance is not recognized name of a cmdlet.

Do need to start any service or need to add any powershellSpin before executing this ? PFA screen below. which may help you to help me.

Hi Trevor

OK.. This is fine....

Look like it is working as it asked me to "Confirm" action now. Seems like we are very close to resolution.

When i tried to listing ServiceInstances by Get-SPServiceInstance | where {$_.TypeName -eq "Central Administration"} , it shows just 1 record  for  Central Administration Service and its staus is "Disabled". I think this means that Central admin on WFE is Disabled and not showing APP server's Central admin anywhere.

I think this also means that there is nothing like APP server in Farm. So now i can start Start-SPServiceInstance to provision Central admin in WFE then this Status will become "Online".  So at that moment in my farm i will have have just 2 servers 1) WEF + "New APP"  2) DB (Stays it is)

Later then i can again add that APP server to this existing farm and host central admin and service application on that server. and once that done, i can Stop-SPServiceInstance , Central Admin on WFE. So in this way my all 3 server will be up and running.. 

Can you please comfirm my understanding and resolution i am going to use on live farm today ?

I mean, if i am on right track or not follwing proper resolution or making any kind of mistakes etc...

Thank a lot

It sounds like the App server is no longer a member of the farm (as far as the Configuration database is concerned).  Make sure that is the case before proceeding (Get-SPServer or check Central Admin when you provision it).

I would strongly suggest rebuilding the defunct "App server" prior to adding it back to the farm, start with a fresh build of Windows.

Sounds like you should be all set.  Once CA is running, you can move CA with the Config Wizard when you bring the new App server online.

Hi Trevor

I am sure we ar eon track and very close to resolve issue.

I started central admin service, i successfully preovision and can see Central Admin hosted on my WFE. Great relief. I found no APP server so it for sure APP server is really disconncted.

I then uninstall Sharepoint from APP server, restated server , re install Sharepoint and Run Config Wizard. I entered currect PassPhase for sure. and again faced old error. "cannot connect to configuration database,  ensure the passphrase is correct". So i am sure that something wrong is with this server that it can not decrypt passphase. may be windows update added something unnecessary which is restrcting to decrypt passphase. PFA image attached. As i am having Central admin now, i can get going with configure service applicaitons and start search again..

Can you assist me to get issue of PassPhase. ? I think we are at last stage of issue.. :)

Try resetting the passphrase from the WFE:

http://sharepointadam.com/2010/01/21/reset-the-farm-passphrase-in-sharepoint-2010/