VMS/TCPIP/Adv Server upgrade path...

[Art Wiens]

We have an ES40 running:
OpenVMS v7.2-1
TCPIP v5.0A-1
Advanced Server v7.2A

We want to get to:
OpenVMS v7.2-2
TCPIP v5.3 ECO4
Advanced Server v7.3A ECO1

The system disk is a shadow set.

What would be the "best" order to do these upgrades? I understand I have to disable shadowing for the OS upgrade...should I leave it off until "everything" is upgraded?

I'm pretty sure I have all the patches necessary waiting to go. Any licensing "gotcha's" along the way?

Thanks in advance,
Art

[Antoniov.]

Hello Art,
1) Trace info on paper (License installated, Decnet addresses, TCP/IP addresses, domain, configuration, etc). You might need info after installation.
2) Advanced Server might required a new license; read documentation for converting license v7.2 to v7.3. Usually is possible advancing up one version (i.e. from 7.2 to 7.3, but not from 7.1 to 7.3)
3) Backup your data on tape with BACKUP/IMAGE.
4) disable shadowin so you leave a previous binary image.
5) Upgrade OpenVMS (why v7.2-2? Is it better v7.3?)
6) You can upgrade TCPIP or Advanced server as you prefer.
7) Restore selective data from tape o from shadowed disk (it is better but do not mout as shadow). Remember you don't restore system files!
8) Test very well before enable shadowing; check to info written before upgrade.

Remeber SYSUAF can be copied to new version of OS.
Backup tape is usefull if you have any problem after enable shadowing.

Good luck!

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hello Art,

I would do it as first OS, then IP and finally Advanced Server.

As for the shadowset, the safest solution would be to expand to a three member shadow set before the upgrade, remove the third member before you start the upgrade. After you've been up for a few days with the new config you can scratch the stuff on the third disk.

Also do not forget to make a tape backup after you are done with the upgrade.

Greetings, Martin

P.S. If you do not have some very interesting contacts that should be TCPIP V5.3 ECO 2 ;-)

P.P.S If you do consider anything else than 7.2-2 go to 7.3-1 immediatly. You will want a number of addinal patches in that case.

[Art Wiens]

Thank you both.

The order of things is what I'm most interested in, but Antonio's points are all very good ... backup, backup, backup, write it down etc. ... you have to be able to get back to where you were! ;-)

Unfortunately, a three member shadow set isn't possible (4 - 18GB disks in the machine, system and "data" volumes - both two member shadow sets.

As far as TCPIP ECO version, I have patch:

TITLE: Compaq TCP/IP AXPVMS-TCPIP_ECO-V0503-182-4 Compaq TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS V5.3 ECO Summary

I decipher that as ECO4? (182-4) Perhaps not.

And our app vendor says they haven't certified it on VMS v7.3-1. Plus two other systems running same app for different parts of the country are at VMS v7.2-2...we want to make the environments a bit more "vanilla".

Thanks again...any other thoughts on licensing? I think Adv Server is taken care of...TCPIP version jump any concern?

Cheers,
Art

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hello Art,

that is ECO 2 ;-) As for the TCPIP version jump, it is not as large as it seems. 5.2 was never a public release (only available as part of the DII COE stuff). I have nothing bad to report about 5.3 ECO 2.

Good luck, Martin

[Art Wiens]

Hey sorry guys, I just read the breakdown of this points rating...you both should get more than the "meager" 1 or 2 I awarded.

I would have thought 5 and up would be you coming down and doing the upgrade for me!! ;-)

I do appreciate the answers more than :

"The answer didn't really help answer my question but thanks for your assistance!"

Sorry.

[Art Wiens]

You gotta love last minute decisions!

Apparently we're going to VMS v7.3-1 . Does this change the order? I think I remember reading a caution saying that one should "upgrade Advanced Server to 7.3a ECO1 first, but to NOT start it. Then upgrade VMS to 7.3-1"

[Brad McCusker]

Advanced Server V7.2A is not supported on OpenVMS V7.3-1, simply becuase of its age - we were well into V7.3A development when V7.3-1 was shipping. However, I know of no reason why ASV7.2A won't work on VMS 7.3-1.

There is no dependence on TCP/IP version from the Advanced Server point of view, so, don't worry about that (not sure if there are VMS dependencies).

So, that all being said, my suggestion is to upgrade VMS and TCP/IP first, and then upgrade to Advanced Server V7.3A-ECO1.

One other thing - you mention Advanced Server V7.2A - I sure hope you mean Advanced Server V7.2A-ECO4. Execute sys$manager:pwrk$versions.com and look at the ident strings - the majority should be V7.2-140A for ECO4 (If its V7.2-100A, then that means you don't have any of the ECOs). V7.2A-ECO4 addressed most of the issues that could lead to corrupt SAM databases. If you don't have the ECO-4, then, be sure you always do a controlled shutdown of Advanced Server.

Regards,
Brad McCusker
OpenVMS Engineering

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hello Art,

for 7.3-1 check http://ftp.support.compaq.com.au/pub/ecoinfo/ecoinfo/a731.htm

for applicable patches. There are currently three with rating 1 and one of them (UPD 1) collects a major number of previously released single patches).

Greetings, Martin

[Paul Nunez]

Hi Art,

Just to be sure, you do have the pwlmxxxca07.03 licenses for Advanced Server for OpenVMS, right? You implied you were ok, but I didn't see any mention of the specific license.

The older pwlmxxxca07.02 licenses will NOT work with Advanced Server v7.3 and later...

And as far as Brad's statement about corrupting the SAM goes, you may want to check the SAM database now. If corrupt, you'll want to correct that condition prior to attempting the upgrade:

$ @sys$startup:pwrk$define_commands
$ samcheck -sv

If it reports any problems, let us know here and also let us know (1) the server's role and (2) whether there are other domain controllers w/i the domain.


Paul

[Art Wiens]

A couple of replies and a few more questions:

Brad: The command procedure you mentioned is actually in SYS$UPDATE:PWRK$VERSIONS.COM but yes, we are currently running V7.2-140A.

Martin: Thanks for the link...been there before. This is a very handy site!

Paul: I have both PWLMXXXCA07.02 and PWLMXXXCA07.03 licenses loaded so we should be good to go. There is also a PWXXWINAT07.02 license loaded (no corresponding 7.03 though). Anyone know what this one's for? I also tried the SAMCHECK, but it looks like that can only run when Advanced Server is down? : "This utility can not run while either the PATHWORKS server or another command line utility is running"

The system is currently a domain controller. Part of the reason to go to v7.3A, is we have an AD domain migration underway and the new role will simply be a member server in the new domain.

Just a few more questions and I think I'm ready.

1) Is the version of Advanced Server on the VMS v7.3-1 CD, v7.3 or v7.3A ? I think v7.3A is on the Q2CY2003 SPL.

2) Is the CD "Compaq TCP/IP Services Version 5.3 MUP" actually ECO 1? Do I need to apply it if I'm patching with ECO 2?

3) One last time for the order of things. I plan to (your comments please):

a) Put an empty SYSTARTUP_VMS in place so things don't get started on the reboots during updates.
b) Come up conversational, turn off system disk shadowing.
c) Do the VMS upgrade to v7.3-1
d) Reboot, do the Advanced Server upgrade to v7.3A.
e) Reboot, do the TCPIP upgrade to v5.3.
f) Reboot and apply all the patches.
(I think after c) there might be some mandatory patches that might prevent d) and e) but I'll play that by ear)
g) Reboot, test the application.
h) Reboot, turn Shadowing back on.
i) Go home, have a couple of cold ones! ;-)

Thanks again for all your help.

Art

[Brad McCusker]

Hi Art,

>>actually in SYS$UPDATE:PWRK$VERSIONS.COM

Whoops, sorry bout that.

>There is also a PWXXWINAT07.02 license
>loaded (no corresponding 7.03 though).
>Anyone know what this one's for?

That is for the PATHWORKS 32 client product. You canignore that for purposes of this discission. You probably don't even need to have that loaded on your system. Just make sure you own the correct licenses for the PATHWORKS 32 clients that you have deployed (just like any other software).

>I also tried the SAMCHECK, but it looks
>like that can only run when Advanced Server >is down?

That is correct. I would recommend finding some time to do this, just to avoid any suprises later.

>1) Is the version of Advanced Server on the
> VMS v7.3-1 CD, v7.3 or v7.3A ? I think v7.3A
>is on the Q2CY2003 SPL.

Correct on both counts. But that doesn't matter, because you actually should go for Advanced Server V7.3A-ECO1 which is on the ECO web site, somewhere. V7.3A-ECO1 is a full kit (all Advanced Server ECOs are), and you can install it instead of V7.3A. You do not need to install V7.3A first.

Question 2 (TCP/IP...) I don't know about this.

Question 3 - If you _must_ do this all in one sitting, then, I guess you have the right order. You could swap D and E, it doesn't matter. As for item f, there are no patches that will be required for Advanced Server.

What I would rather see you do is break this into two sittings. Do VMS/TCP-IP one weekend, do Advanced server a week or two later. But, I recognize and appreciate that many sites don't have that luxury. If that is you, then, go for it, I think you have a reasonable plan.

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hello Art,

the MUP is superseeded by ECO 2.

Greetings, Martin

[Art Wiens]

If anyone is interested, I have attached my "plan" which I have submitted to management. The one "tip" that I want to pass along (I didn't notice it at first myself) is that there is a VMS v7.3-1 patch called DEC-AXPVMS-VMS731_UPDATE-V0100--4.PCSI which is a "rollup" of ~ 25 patches. What a time saver!! Only leaves 2 or 3 others to apply. Any chance of a VMS722_UPDATE-v0200 rollup coming up soon? (my other production systems are v7.2-2 that I don't want to move to v7.3-1 until further testing can occur)

Anyways, thanks again for everyone's help ... I'll let you know how it went (if I live! ;-)

Cheers,
Art

[Antoniov.]

Hi Art,
your updgrate is fine terminated ?

Bye!

[Art Wiens]

Everything went very well up to the point of upgrading Advanced Server. That upgrade went fine (it did complain that it could find a PCSA$MAIL object and wanted to terminate, but I carried on...it's a Decnet thing and we don't use Decnet on this system). The IVP ran successfully at the end of it, but AS wouldn't start after the reboot. I'm not that familiar with AS...so I contacted someone else who called HP and resolved the issue. Apparently there's a difference in how AS keeps track of it's role in the domain (PDC, BDC etc.)... something about keeping parameters in an LSA file now. In the end my partner had to rejoin the domain and restore the ACL. and SHAREDB. files.

Other than that it was a "good time" ;-) My timing was actually pretty close, I was about an hour ahead of schedule up to the AS upgrade, and then lost a couple of hours troubleshooting and getting a call back from HP. Although ~ 1.5 hour response time on a Sunday was great!!

Thanks again to all! Case closed.
Art