08-03-2021 02:04 AM
Hi All
Looking to do my first EV upgrade, normally this has been actioned by another colleague who has since retired. Currently we're on EV 12.1.2 and looking to go to 12.5.3.
Our environment is: 4x Win2012 servers (2 x storage/task servers and 2 x indexing servers), SQL 2012 server, Storage is handled by CIF shares. We're currently running onprem Exchange 2016 servers. We don't use EV reporting, discovery or any smtp/journal archiving
Pre-change:
Copy and backup EV folder for webapp.ini and web.config files
a) have I got the above steps correct?
b) my previous colleague would also put the Vault Stores in Backup mode, is this necessary since I'm stopping the EV services and changing them to Manual startup for the duration?
c) he also noted something about Check Statistics have been dropped on Vault SQL Databases, what is this?
d) Do I need to upgrade OWA extensions on each Exchange server as well?
e) the client app deployment is handled by another team, does it matter if the server is 12.5.3 but the client is 12.1.2 for a short duration?
f) any other step I'm missing?
Thanks in advance.
08-10-2021 08:32 AM
Copy and backup EV folder for webapp.ini and web.config files
Regarding OWA, with Exchange 2016 you just need to upgrade Office Mail App with a PowerShell command on Exchange server
Regarding Outlook Addins, it's not mandatory to upgrade it at the same time, you can upgrade it before or after upgrade of EV server without issue
Regards,
Antoine
09-01-2021 11:08 PM
Hi Antoine
Thanks for your reply, sorry for the lateness, I didn't see it earlier. Can you clarify what step 6 is as I haven't read about this part. With the DB upgrade, I thought you have to upgrade all servers to new base first before you run the DB command?
I managed to get around to upgrading my dev environment the other day and these are my revised steps:
Confirm SQL backup
Confirm server backups
Confirm AV off
Change Tasks:
SCOM and Tivoli maintenance
12.5 Base install
12.5 DB install
Do not upgrade to Enterprise Vault 12.5 and then immediately install Enterprise Vault 12.5.3. After you have upgraded to Enterprise Vault 12.5, use the PowerShell cmdlet Start-EVDatabaseUpgrade to upgrade all Enterprise Vault databases as described in the Enterprise Vault 12.5 Upgrade Instructions, and then install Enterprise Vault 12.5.3.
12.5.3 MR install
12.5.3 DB install
Final steps
Post check on client
Like you stated in step 2 though, I might do the reboot at the start to ensure a cleaner upgrade. Also with the checking with EV Admin and Directory services, so this can be started at any point to check it's ok, I don't have to wait till the very end?
09-02-2021 02:28 AM
Hello Charlie,
Step 6 (copy msg files) is only necessary if you have customized the shortcut content text. Some companies change the shortcut-text, to (for instance) include a link to a help, or the number of the supportdesk. If you have not changed these, you don't need to back them up. If you have changed them, and you don't backup, they'll be overwritten by the install of 12.5
As for your question related to upgrading 1 server first:
History: up to EV10, you needed to upgrade each server, and first upgrade the directory database (by starting the directory service). Then on each server, you would start the storage service, to upgrade the vault store databases (and the fingerprint ones).
EVDatabaseUpgrader upgrades EACH database from 1 server. Why do this on 1 server? You do the preparations, shut down all services, set admin service to disabled. Upgrade 1 server to 12.5, runevdatabaseupgrader. If this completes succesfully, you can then install 12.5 on the other servers.
If it fails (which is unlikely, but you never know), you only need to restore the databases, reinstall your 11 version ON THIS 1 SERVER, and you are back in business.
If it succeeds, BACKUP the Databases, and if you are confident, you can then perform the install of 12.5.3 on this 1 server, run evdatabaseupgrader, then install 12.5.3 on the other servers.
In short:
Stop EV.
BACKUP databases
Install 12.5 on 1 server, upgrade databases.
BACKUP databases
Install 12.5.3 on this 1 server, upgrade databases
BACKUP databases.
install 12.5 on other servers, then install 12.5.3
09-02-2021 02:34 AM
Also with the checking with EV Admin and Directory services, so this can be started at any point to check it's ok, I don't have to wait till the very end?
and as for your last question, wait until the databaseupgrade confirms it is finished successfully before starting admin/directory on other servers!
As I described earlier, if you do the upgrade on/from 1 server, if you start services on other servers before they are on the same level as the first, strange things will happen :)
Don't forget Discovery Accelerator/Compliance Accelerator if you have these. Do these before you do EV.
09-05-2021 06:25 PM
Thanks Gertjan for the clarifications. We don't use DA/CA so I don't have to worry about these ones.
Ok, so long as I don't start services on any of the other servers, then I can upgrade all the way through on the 1 server and when this is completed successfully, I just need to install 12.5 base and 12.5 MR on the remaining servers.
If 2 servers are the task/storage servers and the other 2 are only indexing servers, does this matter? Or can I still follow the process you've outlined?
09-05-2021 11:25 PM
Hi Charlie,
You can follow the process as outlined.
Indeed, upgrade 1 server full, then on the other 3, install 12.5, then 12.5.3
You can install the latest MR , as that incorporates the previous MR's also.
09-06-2021 09:23 PM
Thanks again.
In the event (hopefully NOT) I need to restore the sql DB, do I need to restore ALL the databases?
(EVAudit, EVDirectory, EVMonitoring, EVStore01, EVStore02, EVStore03, EVStore04, EV..etc)
Or is it only 1 db I need to restore?
Regards
Charles
09-06-2021 11:44 PM
Hi Charles,
The best option is to restore all databases, so they are all on the same level. It depends on where the failure occurrs. If it is during Directory DB upgrade, you might get away with restoring the Directory, Audit and Monitoring DB. I personally would always restore all DB's.
If you have your SQL configured as High Available, and use mirroring, break the mirror before upgrading. Otherwise it might not work.
09-13-2021 06:15 PM
Thanks for the feedback, I've put in my change for 2 weeks time so fingers crossed all goes well.