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Upgrading from 8.3 to 8.4

 
Bill Hassell
Honored Contributor

Upgrading from 8.3 to 8.4

I'm new to Open VMS and need to upgrade an rx3600 from 8.3 to 8.4. We don't have HP support so I think we have to purchase the OS again. The tasks I see would be:

Run a good backup for the OS disks.
Run the install media - is this a boot from media or running install?
Any choices when the upgrade starts?
Let the system reboot. (how much downtime should we allocate?)

I see mentions of AUTOGEN for an upgrade. Any pointers for this task?

The HPE quickspecs for 8.4 don't seem to list changes and enhancements.
Is this a simple upgrade or could there be application issues?



Bill Hassell, sysadmin
3 REPLIES 3
Steven Schweda
Honored Contributor

Re: Upgrading from 8.3 to 8.4

   Seeing no responses from those who know more (that is, something),
...

> Run a good backup for the OS disks.

Wise.  You should probably check your firmware version, and update as
appropriate.

> Run the install media - is this a boot from media or running install?

   I normally install from a DVD.  I run old junk, so I know nothing,
but I gather that some systems with modern firmware can deal with a
virtual medium, which may be faster than a real DVD.

> Any choices when the upgrade starts?

   Have you looked at the Upgrade and Installation Manual?:

      http://h41379.www4.hpe.com/doc/84final/ba322_90087/index.html
      http://h41379.www4.hpe.com/doc/84final/ba322_90087/ba322_90087.pdf

> Let the system reboot. (how much downtime should we allocate?)

   If nothing goes wrong, it depends.  You ought to use an off-line
backup scheme (boot from an alternate disk, like the installation
medium, not the usual system disk), and the time required for that
depends on how much stuff is on the disk and how fast the backup
hardware works.  It's been a while since I did an actual upgrade, but
I'd expect at least an hour or two for that.  (But newer non-junk might
be faster than I'd expect.)

> I see mentions of AUTOGEN for an upgrade. Any pointers for this task?

   Where did you see what, exactly?  Have you looked at the Upgrade and
Installation Manual?

> The HPE quickspecs for 8.4 don't seem to list changes and
> enhancements.

      http://h41379.www4.hpe.com/doc/os84_index.html

   See the Cover Letter, New Features and Documentation Overview, and
Release Notes.  (And everything else.)

> Is this a simple upgrade or could there be application issues?

   I don't remember any drastic changes, so it could be simple.  With my
weak psychic powers, I don't know what your applications are, so it'd be
hard to give precise advice there (even if I knew anything).  I'd expect
that non-exotic programs wouldn't notice any difference.  As usual, many
things are possible.


> [...] need to upgrade an rx3600 from 8.3 to 8.4.

   Why?

> We don't have HP support so I think we have to purchase the OS again.

   I'm a hobbyist who's never bought anything related to VMS, so I know
nothing, but I'd investigate the possibility of buying some
back-support before I threatened to buy a whole new license set from
HPE.  I'd also contact VSI, to see what they'd be willing to do for
someone in your situation:

      https://www.vmssoftware.com/

peyrache
Respected Contributor

Re: Upgrading from 8.3 to 8.4

hi

normally all stuffs are mentionned in OpenVMS documentations for Decade now :!!

release notes, installation guide , upgrade guide and so on

JY

Brad McCusker
Respected Contributor

Re: Upgrading from 8.3 to 8.4

Bill -

If you are going to upgrade to 8.4, I would strongly encourage you to upgrade to VSI's OpenVMS 8.4-2.  Get the latest fixes produced by the onshore VMS engineering tea,  You also get an OS with a future and an onshore engineering team. 

We are a VSI partner and reseller of VSI OpenVMS, I'd be happy to fill you in with more detail and provide a quote. We can also help you understand the issues with the upgrade process.

Feel free to send mail to my last name at sciinc.com. 

Brad McCusker

Software Concepts International

www.sciinc.com

Brad McCusker
Software Concepts International