How do I setup a Search Service Application on a SharePoint 2016 Application Server

Question

I'm trying to setup a 3 server instance of SharePoint 2016.

• 1 WFE Server
• 1 App Server
• 1 DB Server

I have started with the Application server. I'm current trying to setup a Search Service Application, when ever I do I get the following message.

Errors were encountered during the configuration of the Search Service Application.

When I look through the ULS Logs I see this

SearchConfigWizardFinish page failed with exception. 

System.InvalidOperationException: No search service instances found in the farm.    Server stack trace:     
 at Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Administration.SearchConfigurationJobDefinition.Create(AbstractSearchConfigWizard wizardOM)    
 at Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Internal.UI.SearchConfigWizardFinish.ExecuteConfigurationTimerJob(SPLongOperationState longOperationState, String& strRedirectPage)    
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPStatefulLongOperation.SetThreadCultureAndRun(RunStatefulOperation runOperation, SPLongOperationState state, CultureInfo culture, CultureInfo uICulture)    
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPStatefulLongOperation.<>c__DisplayClass6.<Run>b__0(Object state)    
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPThreadPool.WaitCallbackWrapper(Object state)    
 at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink._PrivateProcessMessage(IntPtr md, Object[] args, Object server, Object[]& outArgs)    
 at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.AsyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg, IMessageSink replySink)    Exception rethrown
 at [0]:     
 at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.EndInvokeHelper(Message reqMsg, Boolean bProxyCase)    
 at System.Threading.WaitCallback.EndInvoke(IAsyncResult result)    
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPThreadPool.RunAsyncWorkItem(ImpersonatedCallbackParam param, TimerCallback timerCallback, Object timerState, Int32 timerPeriod)    
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.Utilities.SPThreadPool.RunAsyncWorkItemWithImpersonation(WaitCallback workItemCallback, Object workItemState, TimerCallback timerCallback, Object timerState, Int32 timerPeriod)    
 at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPStatefulLongOperation.Run(RunStatefulOperation runOperation)    
 at Microsoft.Office.Server.Search.Internal.UI.SearchConfigWizardFinish.<>c__DisplayClass2.<Commit>b__0(SPStatefulLongOperation longOperation) StackTrace: 
 at Microsoft.Office.Server.Native.dll: (sig=44e0fda3-6960-4843-8128-8afc65c1a23a|2|microsoft.office.server.native.pdb, offset=28145)
 at Microsoft.Office.Server.Native.dll: (offset=2E522)

So my question is how do I setup a Search Service Application for a SharePoint 2016 Application Server?

Answer 1

I figured out my issue. With the RTM Version of SharePoint 2016 I was unable to create a Search Service Application on an Application Server due to the new MinRole setup. I had to download the SharePoint 2016 Feature Pack 1, below are the steps I took.

1. Download and Install SharePoint 2016 Feature Pack 1 (AKA November 2016 CU)
2. Run the following line of code PSConfig -cmd upgrade -inplace b2b -force -wait -cmd applicationcontent -install -cmd installfeatures Alternatively run the SharePoint 2016 Product Configuration Wizard
3. Once SharePoint has be successfully updated navigate to Central Admin > System Settings > Convert server role in this farm
4. Select "Application with Search" from the drop down menu, Click Apply

Once the server role has changed you will be able to create a new Search Service Application.