cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Agent Needs the Server to Reboot? WHY?

navar_holmes
Level 5

This is crazy.

I have my new BE2015 server online and i started the migration of the agents from BE2012 to BE2015.

It is 100% un-acceptably that a reboot it required.  IT will takes months to do the migration if i have to schedule a reboot for every server that gets the BE2015 agent.

Please tell me that there is a better solution?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

The remote servers need to be rebooted because some processes could be holding on to the old files preventing them from being updated.  Only a reboot can ensure that the update is 100% complete.  Without a reboot, you might end up with mismatched files and you may experience unusual problems.

This reboot requirement is no different from any other software.

View solution in original post

9 REPLIES 9

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified

The remote servers need to be rebooted because some processes could be holding on to the old files preventing them from being updated.  Only a reboot can ensure that the update is 100% complete.  Without a reboot, you might end up with mismatched files and you may experience unusual problems.

This reboot requirement is no different from any other software.

navar_holmes
Level 5

That doesn't explain it.

If i do a new install a reboot is not required, only an upgrade requires.

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

Well, if you do a new install the reboot might not be required, but running LiveUpdate after that WILL require a reboot. As you know. any upgrade changes files...updates, replaces, adds new etc. A reboot requires a restart for these changes to take effect. Windows upgrades require it, Veeam upgrades require it, ARCserve upgrades require it etc.

Thanks!

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified
..... because an upgrade replaces files whereas a new install does not

navar_holmes
Level 5

As you know trying to find time to reboot can be a problem.

When I migrated servers from BE2010 to BE 2012 it did not require a reboot.

 

Can i do an un-installed and then a new install?

 

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

You can do an uninstall and then reinstall but expect a reboot. Don't forget it is removing system files that need to be seen as removed by the OS...via a reboot.

pkh
Moderator
Moderator
   VIP    Certified
Your servers must be very special. Each time I upgrade the BE agents, I have to reboot my servers, even for hotfixes.

CraigV
Moderator
Moderator
Partner    VIP    Accredited

At the end of the day you need to reboot. Trying to get around it isn't going to fix it. You need to reboot and you need to find the time to do so. I've looked after some very, very large clients with DBs in the TBs and have always had the opportunity for downtime. Not immediately, but it was always given.

Thanks!

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

It is bad practice to update any software on aserver without planning a reboot

 

Think of this hypothetical scenario (which assumes reboots are not required for any updates)

Over a 4 month period you apply

- 20 operating system patches

- 5 patches to your business critical applications

- 2 hardware support updates

- 4 Backup Software patches

Then at the end of 4 months something happens that means the server needs a reboot (let's say a power cut where your UPS also ran out of juice)

The server fails to reboot correctly (leaving you with either a complete server down or applications not running afterwards)

You now have a possibility that the issue was caused by either the power cut or 31 different major updates - whilst you would almost certainly solve the problem it would probably take longer than if you kept changes to a smaller number between reboots.