Removing an Index Partition Component Server in SharePoint 2013 Search

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Before

After

Step 1 : Clone the Active Search Topology
# Clone
$ssa = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchServiceApplication
$active = Get-SPEnterpriseSearchTopology -SearchApplication $ssa -Active
$clone = New-SPEnterpriseSearchTopology -SearchApplication $ssa -Clone –SearchTopology $active

Step 2: Get the ID of the Index Component to Remove
# Get the Index Search Component ID To Remove
$indexComponentID = (Get-SPEnterpriseSearchComponent -SearchTopology $clone -Identity IndexComponent1).componentID

Note: Use Get-SPEnterpriseSearchStatus -SearchApplication $ssa to see which components you have. Or use Get-SPEnterpriseSearchComponent -SearchTopology $clone

Step 3: Remove the original Index Component
# Remove Search Component
Remove-SPEnterpriseSearchComponent -Identity $indexComponentID.GUID -SearchTopology $clone -confirm:$false

Step 4: Activate Search Topology Again
# Activate  Search Topology Again
Set-SPEnterpriseSearchTopology -Identity $clone

Step 5: Monitor the Distribution of the Index (this time it should be instantaneous)
Get-SPEnterpriseSearchStatus -SearchApplication $ssa