Upgrade HP-UX 11.0 to 11.i questions.

[Jeffrey F. Goldsmith]

This weekend I am planning on upgrading OS my L2000 server from HP-UX 11.0 to HP-UX 11.i. I know that I need to make an ignite tape prior to starting the upgrade but I was wondering if there was anything else that I should do before starting the upgrade. I have the application software set of 4 disks created in September 2003. Is this a good set to use? What other patched am I going to need to download to get my server up to date?

Also, does anyone have some easy step by step instructions that you could send me so I could check to make sure I know what I am doing. I haven’t done any OS upgrades before and really don’t want to mess things up.

Thanks for the help.

[Cheryl Griffin]

Make sure you check out the upgrading docs at http://www.docs.hp.com/hpux/os/11i/index.html#Installing%20and%20Updating

They'll help.

[John Poff]

Hi,

One neat trick that I've seen described here before is that if you have the disks mirrored you can split the mirrors, do the upgrade on one set of disks, and if it fails just boot from the mirror set and put things back together.

JP

[Sanjay_6]

Hi Jeff,

Upgrade from one version to another is a painful process and i would personally always prefer to do a clean install rather than an upgrade.

However if you have a support contract linked to your itrc id, you may want to print this doc from the hp recovery manual,

http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/iv/docDisplay.do?docId=prodITRC/DE_SW_UX_swrec_EN_01_E/Update11i.pdf

This is "chapter 7" from the hp recovery manual. The link to the doc is availble on the hpux section of the forum.

Hope this helps.

regds

[Thierry Poels_1]

hi,

the HP-UX 11.0 to 11i update is a very feasable update. There a no major culprits.
I know that many prefer a fresh install to have a "cleaner" system, but in my opinion this is a waste of time and money. Just follow the guide step by step.

Before starting the upgrade take a full backup + an Ignite backup. If you also generate an config2html report, you'll have all the info about your system if necessary.

Next to the installation/upgrade CD/DVD's the latest patch bundle could prevent some issues.

good luck,
Thierry Poels.

[Steven E. Protter]

I did this upgrade along with a room full of people in June of 2002.

With a cookbook and very vanilla systems the failure rate in class was 35%. I did two identical systems sicd by side step by step after class and still only got one of them to upgrade.

The process has improved since then.

Guide: The more complex your applicaation setup is, the more likely you are to have problems in the category we call showstopper.

In genral, we plan cold install, followed by application install on new hardware. That works better.

If you go ahead, plan on relinking all your oracle based applications and doing a lot of patch installs to get all your other applications working.

As far as the Ignite tape goes. Make two. There is a finite chance you'll need it.

SEP

[Rita C Workman]

It's Friday afternoon...you don't have a plan set out, and your going to do this over the weekend.
..ouch..

If you haven't read how any documentation on How to Upgrade or Cold Install, you may want to rethink doing this. Do a search here for the topic and get all the tips you can....

First a cold is always cleanest method, but remember you are blowing out your box to do this....so backup, ignite, printout copies of everything you may need.
I even copy to another server every file I figure I want handy like:
...password,group.nsswitch.conf,netconf,sendmail.cf, and so forth...

But there are alot of other things you should consider, like some files you can't just copy over, you need to merge them..like - /etc/services for one.

We upgraded several servers here, and before I began I did several cold installs on dummy systems to I got comfortable with doing them. We also mapped out the...we goofed and need to get back to where we were plan options.

Just my 2 cents, and best wishes !
Rita

[Rita C Workman]

I just re-read your message....so my official Forums advice is this:

You are not ready to do this. For the sake of your systems and users (and your job)..
Please do not take on this task if you are not totally prepared and completely confident that you have covered everything.

...otherwise you will be paying dearly to have someone come in and clean up.

Best Wishes !
Rita

[Jeffrey F. Goldsmith]

A little more of my background. I have taken the HP class Hands on with HP-UX 11.i workshop last year. I have an HP D370 server that I have installed HP-UX 11.i onto several times this past summer trying to get familiar with the OS. I have read some of the calls in ITRC concerning upgrading too. The think that has been keeping me from upgrading in the past is that my server is always in use. This is the only weekend that the server is available. My next window is either during the Thanksgiving or Christmas weekends and I donâ t want to have to work then.

I just had never done an upgrade and wanted to know if there are any problems that I might have.

We are using Informix not Oracle.

John, VG00 is mirrored so I could split the mirror as a precaution after I create my (2) ignite tapes.

Thanks for the links and the valuable information. After reading my notes if anyone has any new information please send it my way

[Geoff Wild]

Have you checked your firmware?

PDC Firmware Revision needs to be at 41.02 or higher

Rgds...Geoff