Specifications

• Test your upgrade in a VM environment with a copy of your SQL database to make sure the

upgrade works smoothly.

• Validate all your settings to confirm they are in place after the upgrade.

Move the server

There might be a time when you need to move your McAfee ePO server from one physical server to

another and maintain all your settings.

For example, when your hardware is old, has failed, or is out of warranty. Or, when you upgrade your

version of ePolicy Orchestrator software and you decide to upgrade your hardware as well.

Make sure you back up the following:

• The SQL database is critical. Before you do anything make sure you back up your McAfee ePO

server SQL database in case something goes wrong. The database stores everything about ePolicy

Orchestrator. For example, your tree structure, your product policies, administrators, events, and

server settings.

• Back up these items that are outside your database:

• Agent keys which secure the communication between the server and all your agents

• Software checked into the master repository

• Extensions to manage all your product policies

• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates

• Server settings such as communication ports

After you have backed up all of this information, follow the installation instructions in the McAfee

ePolicy Orchestrator 4.5 Installation Guide as if it were a brand new server. Then you are left with a

clean database that you replace with your original database that has all your original settings. Restore

the original SQL database, agent keys and SSL certificates. For additional information, see ePO 4.5

server backup and disaster recovery procedure, KnowledgeBase article KB66616.

When you upgrade your McAfee ePO server from one physical server to another, make sure your new

server has the same DNS name and IP address as the old server. This is the ideal situation and

ultimately reduces any potential problems.

Unfortunately, one of these items may need to be changed. For example if you are changing the IP

scheme a new IP address may be required, or if you change the DNS name and keep the old IP

address you have to regenerate the local SSL certificates. See KnowledgeBase article KB66616. Once

your database has been restored, you can turn off your old McAfee ePO server and all agents

automatically start communicating with the new McAfee ePO server.

You must understand how the agents find the McAfee ePO server especially if you are moving your

McAfee ePO server. The agent tries to connect to the McAfee ePO server first using the IP address,

then using the fully qualified DNS name. If you move the McAfee ePO server or change its IP address

the agent attempts to query the DNS to get the IP address for the DNS name. If you are going to

move your McAfee ePO server you must make sure you have good DNS name resolution in your

environment.

Installation and upgrade of ePolicy Orchestrator software

Move the server

McAfee

ePolicy Orchestrator

4.0 and 4.5 Best Practices Guide