How to use SIF to install Sitecore 9.1 instance connected to existing database

Question

I have used SIF to install Sitecore 9.1 and it worked (database is created and everything is working).

Now I want to install a new instance of Sitecore 9.1 on another server - without creating a database, because I already have it.

How can I do this? It might be obvious, but I can't seem to find this in the installation guide.

I was speculating that the Install-SitecoreConfiguration command would discover that the database already existed and then just install the website, but when I try this I get an error somewhat like this: "You must remove all users with password before setting the containment property to NONE” (which I suppose means that it is trying to create the database, and then failing because it is already there).

Answer 1

To do this you can create a custom version of Sitecore 9.1.1 rev. 002459 (XM) (OnPrem)_cm.scwdp.zip (Or whatever version of the WDP package you are using for your install)

• Remove everything except iisapp from the archive.xml
• Remove all the .sql and /dacpac files
• Recreate the zip
• Run SIF referencing updated package. DB operations won't happen.

Even better you can remove all the unused db params too

Answer 2

On Sif Configuration files sitecore-XP0.json and xconnect-xp0.json you have a

InstallWD task like below.

"InstallWDP": {
        // Syncs the web deploy package with the website.
        "Type": "WebDeploy",
        "Skip":"True"
        "Params": {
            "Verb": "Sync",
            "Arguments": {
                "Source": {
                    "Package": "[resolvepath(parameter('Package'))]"
                },
                "Dest": "Auto",
                "SetParam": [
                    { "Name": "IIS Web Application Name", "Value": "[parameter('SiteName')]" },
                    { "Name": "Database Server Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlServer')]" },
                    { "Name": "Database Admin User Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlAdminUser')]" },
                    { "Name": "Database Admin User Password", "Value": "[parameter('SqlAdminPassword')]" },
                    { "Name": "Collection Database Server Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlServer')]" },
                    { "Name": "Collection Shard Map Manager Database Name", "Value": "[variable('Sql.Database.ShardMapManager')]" },
                    { "Name": "Collection Shard 0 Database Name", "Value": "[variable('Sql.Database.Shard0')]" },
                    { "Name": "Collection Shard 1 Database Name", "Value": "[variable('Sql.Database.Shard1')]" },
                    { "Name": "Processing Pools Database Name", "Value": "[variable('Sql.Database.Pools')]" },
                    { "Name": "Marketing Automation Database Name", "Value": "[variable('Sql.Database.MarketingAutomation')]" },
                    { "Name": "Messaging Database Name", "Value": "[variable('Sql.Database.Messaging')]" },
                    { "Name": "Reference Data Database Name", "Value": "[variable('Sql.Database.Reference')]" },
                    { "Name": "Search SOLR Core Application Connection String", "Value": "[variable('Solr.Url.Xdb')]" },
                    { "Name": "XConnect Server Configuration Environment", "Value": "[parameter('XConnectEnvironment')]" },
                    { "Name": "XConnect Server Certificate Validation Thumbprint", "Value": "[variable('Security.XConnect.CertificateThumbprint')]" },
                    { "Name": "XConnect Server Log Level", "Value": "[parameter('XConnectLogLevel')]" },
                    { "Name": "Marketing Automation Engine Xconnect Collection Client Endpoint", "Value": "[variable('Endpoint.MarketingAutomation')]" },
                    { "Name": "Marketing Automation Engine Xconnect Collection Client Certificate Thumbprint", "Value": "[variable('Security.XConnect.CertificateThumbprint')]" },
                    { "Name": "Marketing Automation Engine Xdb Reference Data Endpoint", "Value": "[variable('Endpoint.ReferenceData')]" },
                    { "Name": "Marketing Automation Engine Xdb Reference Data Client Certificate Thumbprint", "Value": "[variable('Security.XConnect.CertificateThumbprint')]" },
                    { "Name": "Collection Database Application User Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlCollectionUser')]" },
                    { "Name": "Collection Database Application User Password", "Value": "[parameter('SqlCollectionPassword')]" },
                    { "Name": "Processing Pool Database Application User Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlProcessingPoolsUser')]" },
                    { "Name": "Processing Pool Database Application User Password", "Value": "[parameter('SqlProcessingPoolsPassword')]" },
                    { "Name": "Reference Data Database Application User Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlReferenceDataUser')]" },
                    { "Name": "Reference Data Database Application User Password", "Value": "[parameter('SqlReferenceDataPassword')]" },
                    { "Name": "Marketing Automation Database Application User Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlMarketingAutomationUser')]" },
                    { "Name": "Marketing Automation Database Application User Password", "Value": "[parameter('SqlMarketingAutomationPassword')]" },
                    { "Name": "Messaging Database Application User Name", "Value": "[parameter('SqlMessagingUser')]" },
                    { "Name": "Messaging Database Application User Password", "Value": "[parameter('SqlMessagingPassword')]" }
                ]
            }
        }
    }

You need to add "Skip" parameter to skip this task.

Other way to do is to add Skip parameter to Install-SitecoreConfiguration command:

Install-SitecoreConfiguration @params -Skip InstallWD

Please have a look on:

https://sitecoredude.com/how-to-skip-tasks-in-sitecore-installation-framework-sif/

https://phani-abburi.blogspot.com/2018/