Skip to content
Mike Reams

Try

Searches titles, summaries and topics across posts, work, diagrams, pages and the 47 Toolbox resources.

↑ ↓ move · Enter open · Esc close
← Work

PRJ · 2023

Key Management Services Upgrade

Moved a client's KMS activation host off end-of-support Windows Server 2012 onto 2022, right after the PKI upgrade.

WS2012 to WS2022

Key Management Services Upgrade

The situation

After we upgraded the client's internal PKI, their Key Management Service host — which activates volume-licensed Windows and Office across the network — was still on Windows Server 2012, heading for end of support in October 2023.

What I did

  • Retired the 2012 host: removed its host key and its DNS SRV record.
  • Stood up the Windows Server 2022 host and activated it with Microsoft.
  • Verified that clients found the new host through DNS and that its activation count climbed.

The full procedure, with commands: Moving a KMS Host From Windows Server 2012 to 2022.

Key Management Services Upgrade