Migrate from EV12.4 to EV14.4

[louislo417]

Hi,

We try to upgrade Exchange 2013 to Exchange 2016, and in meanwhile migrate EV12.4 to EV14.4 with new OS and MSSQL server. In-place upgrade is not an option for us as there are risks to lose data (4TB size). We currently only do mailbox archive, no journal archiving or files archive.

I would like to know can we:

1. Install a new EV14.4 site and link it to Exchange 2016;

2. Migrate 1 user mailbox from EX13 to EX16;

3. Use "Moving Archives" function move archive from EV12 to EV14;

4. Repeat all steps until we done the migration.

On the other hand, I read the document and it indicates that we cannot use "Moving Archives" for "Closed Archives". We do have 3 partition in same group, 2 are closed and 1 is currently open. So it means we can't use "Moving Archives"?

Please kindly advise, we do need a suggestion here, thank you so much!

Below is our target:

From EV12.4:

- OS: Win 2012 R2

- MSSQL: 2012

To EV14.4

- OS: Win 2019

- MSSQL: 2019

[Tonaco_pt]

Hi louislo417,

This are my note to plan a migration similar to your, I did to EV 14.1, What I did:

1. Add a new server (virtual) with the same EV version but the recent S.O. compatible in the same site
2. Moved every service to this server and did an in-place upgrade
3. Install the new hardware and repeat step 2

# Move SQL server

[How to move the Enterprise Vault SQL databases](https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100016654)

[EV SQL Server Move tool](https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100011676)

# Move Storage

[How to move a Vault Store and Vault Store partition to a different Enterprise Vault (EV) server in the SAME site](https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100017529)

[How to Move a Vault Store Partition or Vault Store to a different location on the same server](https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100016652)

# Move Index

[How to move the Index Location to a different location on a different server](https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100038163)

[How to troubleshoot the Repository.xml file](https://www.veritas.com/content/support/en_US/article.100039337)

# Server Settings Wizard

[Enterprise Vault™ Migrating Enterprise Vault to New Hardware Using the Server Settings Migration Wizard](.\Enterprise-Vault-12\EV_Migrating_Using_Server_Settings_Wizard.pdf)

If you have more question don't be affraid to ask

[louislo417]

Hi Tonaco_pt,

Thank you for sharing your notes, I wanna confirm if I understand your steps correctly:

1. Add a new EV12.4 server with exact same spec as the old one, and add it to the same site.

2. Move only all services to the new EV12.4, and in-place upgrade to EV14.4;

3. Install new EV14.4 with the new Windows Server 2019 and MSSQL 2019;

4. Migrate the upgraded EV14.4 services to new EV14.4;

I have some questions about the steps' detail:

1. When adding new EV12.4 to same site as old one, can we config using same VaultStore and Indexing?

2. There are 2 EV12.4 server in one site, can I only upgrade one of them to EV14.4? Can different version of EV stay in one site?

3. As my old EV12.4 is using MSSQL 2012, EV14.4 is not support. How can I do the in-place upgrade?

4. After upgrade the EV14.4, will it affect the old EV12.4 server archived data or index? As EV14.4 is using new index system ElasticSearch.

5. When all solved, Install the new EV14.4 with all new spec in a new site, then start to migrate storage, indexing and server setting? What are detail steps for storage and indexing migration? 

I might need more details steps to understand better, thank you again for your kindly sharing!

[Tonaco_pt]

Hi,
Hope you can wait until tomorrow, I took a personal day and answer on my phone.

I need to move to an intermidite server because I was in EV11 on a Windows server 2008 R2. If can do an inplace upgrade, you don't need to do this step

[louislo417]

Hi Tonaco_pt,

Sure please reply to me at your convenient.

We would like to do the EV upgrade with Windows Server and MSSQL server at the same time.

I think it is better to do a migration upgrade instead of inplace upgrade in order not to affect current data and environment.

[GertjanA]

I would personally first upgrade/move EV to 14.4, then upgrade to new SQL version. If something goes wrong, it is easier to troubleshoot what is not correct. If you do everything in 1 go, you introduce a risk that Os, or EV, or SQL or all are not ok. Step by step is better way.

I wrote a few articles on moving database, upgrading etc. They can be found under my profile on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn_GJ 

[Tonaco_pt]

Hi,

When I upgrade, this where my assumption:

• The new server should be as clean as possible

We had a 2 node Cluster in Windows 2008 R2, our SQL Server (2008) was one group of the cluster and we end up with a 4 node cluster in windows 2019 and SQL 2019.

That why we had the extra step.

[Tonaco_pt]

I have some questions about the steps detail:

When adding new EV12.4 to same site as old one, can we config using same VaultStore and Indexing?

• When add a new server to the site and move:
  Storage - You need to copy over the Partition to the new server or move the volume (detach\attach) and follow (How to Move a Vault Store Partition or Vault Store to a different location on the same server)
  Indexing - This will take more analysis, when you upgrade to 14.4 you will have all index location (Altavista and/or Velocity) closed and a new Elasticsearch index location created. I think you should move the Index to the new engine just at the end. Not sure need more investigation.

There are 2 EV12.4 servers in one site, can I only upgrade one of them to EV14.4? Can different versions of EV stay in one site?

• No, it not possible to have different version of EV server in one site, there can only be one EV EnterpriseVaultDirectory database.
• Yes, can update just to one service, just move the EV Service to that server

As my old EV12.4 is using MSSQL 2012, EV14.4 is not supported. How can I do the in-place upgrade?

• In Enterprise Vault™ Compatibility Charts nor EV 12 or 14 are compatible with SQL Server 2012.
• Yes, it possible to do a SQL in-place upgrade
• We have lots of DBA and I asked for their help. Please refer to GertjanA. In my case I upgraded SQL server 1st because of hardware issue.

After upgrading the EV14.4, will it affect the old EV12.4 server archived data or index? As EV14.4 is using a new index system Elasticsearch.

• The and user will get a still different "Enterprise Vault Search", color more options in the menu. All their archive items are the same.

When all solved, Install the new EV14.4 with all new spec in a new site, then start to migrate storage, indexing and server setting? What are the detailed steps for storage and indexing migration?

• All Step are the same for Storage. Indexing you will have an extras step:
  • create snapshot(backup) 
  • move Index [How to restore Elasticsearch index data in Enterprise Vault 14.2 and later on a different server](https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100051838)
  • Migrate user index to the new Elasticsearch engine

My recommendation to you is:

• Simplify.
  The more complex migrate solution more failure points.
• Break down steps.
  What you need to move and what you can reinstall. My Step where:
  SQL Server and Database
  EV Server (Configuration, Registry Keys, Licenses, Alias, etc.)
  EV Services (Storage, Index, tasks, etc.)
• Create a Lab.
  The is nothing like testing.
• Verify if you are entitled for Veritas Support or other partner support.
  Some to fallback in case of problems

[louislo417]

Hi both,

Thank you for both of your opinions. I have come up an idea of a simplest solution for me, can you give your opinion on this? With this plan, I don't need to do in place upgrade or migrate database. All indexing should re-build in new EV14.

Simply say, I want to separate the old EV12 and new EV14 in complete 2 new sites, and migrate archive one by one using:

1. Export and Import .pst
2. "Moving Archives" function

Initial plan to do:

1. Install new EV14.4 with SQL Server 2019 on new OS Windows Server 2019 in a completed new site.
2. Disable archiving tasks on EV12.
3. Connect EX16 to EV12 so users on EX16 can still read the archives.
4. Move all users from EX13 to EX16. (They should still be able to access the old archives, right???)
5. Use "Export and Import .pst" or "Moving archives" move archives from EV12 to EV14 one by one. (It takes time, but our client is accepted long down time not to do new archives)
6. Disconnect EX16 with EV12, connect EX16 to EV14.
7. Link back all archives with EX16 users, and enable new archive tasks in EV14.

But I wanna know:

1. When using "Moving archives" or "Export and Import .pst", do I need to connect EX16 with EV12 and EV14 at the same time? or I should disconnect EX16 with EV12 first, then connect to EV14?
   1. If need to connect EX16 with EV12 and EV14 at the same time, there are 2 exactly same archives in both EV, how can I control users which archives they should access?
   2. If disconnect EX16 with EV12, then connect to EV14, can users link back to their archives?
2. "Moving Archives" function, after moving to new EV14, will EV12 still keep the archives? or it will delete and unlink automatically?

Many thanks and regards,

Louis

[Tonaco_pt]

Hi,

1. When using "Moving archives" or "Export and Import .pst", do I need to connect EX16 with EV12 and EV14 at the same time? or I should disconnect EX16 with EV12 first, then connect to EV14?
   
   You can only import PST to existing archive. Do you have Shortcut? 
   I would stop user from archiving, Move user from Exchange 2013 to 2016 and create it archive, then import PST to the archive
   
   1. If need to connect EX16 with EV12 and EV14 at the same time, there are 2 exactly same archives in both EV, how can I control users which archives they should access?
      
      Please don't do this, Connect EXCH 2016 to EV14 only
      
      
   2. If disconnect EX16 with EV12, then connect to EV14, can users link back to their archives?
      
      No, It a new site.
      
      
2. "Moving Archives" function, after moving to new EV14, will EV12 still keep the archives? or it will delete and unlink automatically?
   
   I don't know. When you finish the move just discontinue the old servers
   
   

NOTE: Old shortcut will not work. If you Archive date become the date of PST import and there will be other issue, I never did this approve, I read about but went another way, don't remember way (I know had to do with date of archive) .

[Tonaco_pt]

Hi freakstrop,

what did you mean to post? you just copy a old post of mine.

[glee621]

Hi All,

I have the same migration plan from v12.5 to v14.4 in next month. Also, I have the options to do in-place upgrade or migrating EV to a new VM using the "Server Settings Migration Wizard". For long terms, we are planning to install v14.4 on Windows OS 2019, so in-place upgrade is not the best option.

I go through the document of the migration wizard and seems everything can be done steps by steps. The archive partitions are stored in a shared drive on NetApps and I may only need to re-map the shared on the new v14.4 machine. My concern is how to find out the exact locations of all locally stored EV data for being moved to v14.4 server.

SQL server version is not a concern as currently we are using 2016. So if I follow all the migration steps, possibly what things would go wrong? And what is the roll-backup plan?

Thanks

Gary L.

[Tonaco_pt]

Hi

You can find exact locations of all locally stored EV data

Get-EVVaultStorePartition 

1. I would do an inplace-upgrade.
2. Add the new server to the site
3. Move the new Index
4. Move storage
5. Move Alias
6. Migrate velocity index to elesticsearch index

Have everything backup before each step. don't do all step at once (unless it a small organization, I have 14TB of storage to move + Index)

It will go fine

[glee621]

Thanks for the advise, Tonaco!

Few questions here

If I do in-place upgrade, why I need to add additional server to the site? I did talk to Veritas support, they just told to run the v14.4 installation package. As you said, the new server added should be as clean as possible, so if I move all EV services and tasks to the server, how can I migrate the same system configuration? Instead of Windows OS upgrade on the new server, what is the benefit to adding new server?

Sorry for so many questions as I have no previous experience on the EV upgrade.

Thanks

Gary L.

[Sri3]

Hello Glee,

Have you done the in-place upgrade from 12.5 to 14.3? If yes, can you share your experience pls.

Thanks,

Srini