Upgrading the OS on Unity - best approach

maratimer_2 · ‎07-21-2009

We have several Unity 7.02 servers configured with failover, which are still on the W2k OS. As a result of this OS being retired next year, I am looking for the most straight forward and complete approach to upgrade the servers with minimal downtime (evening/change window).

In the past, I would secure one set of new hardware for this customer and begin by rebuilding a new server with new OS and do a DIRT backup / restore of that server - is this still the way to go? Once that is done, then I can wipe that server, rebuild with new OS and continue with the next upgrade...

As well, if I have two servers, which I would like to consolidate into one (so moving subscribers from both servers to be homed on 1 new server), what would be the best approach to this?

This customer does not want to hear that certain configurations will be lost, or will need to be recreated, as we average about 3000 users per server and there are tons of call handlers, routing rules, etc...that need to be cleanly moved over as part of the upgrade.

Im looking for feedback from those who have experience doing this already, as well as gotcha's, and anything that would change/lose in the "upgrade"...

Thanks.

Tommer Catlin · ‎07-21-2009

Rebuilding the OS, best approach is to DIRT export, then reload with the platform disc for Unity which loads 2003. Then load Unity 7.02 back in. DIRT import. It's really the best way.

As for consolidating, you cant use DIRT of course, but you can use Cobras. How much it will restore to make your customer satisfied is up to you. It does grab all the basics and items you need, etc.

The approach you should take is more that you are consolidating. And when you consolidate, you should be re-examining items in the old server that may not be needed.

I'd probably set it up this way:

Rebuild the OS with 2003. (DIRT Export/DIRT IMport.)

Digitally Network the new server and the old server you want to knock down.

Using GSM, move the subscribers from the old to the new server in one shot. (or in blocks of 200 say.)

For the call handlers, move these with Cobras.

That would be my vote.