Express5800/320Ma: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide NEC Solutions (America), Inc.
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Contents Preface vii 1. Overview Features Overview of the Active Upgrade Process Aborting the Active Upgrade Process Active Upgrade State Model 1-1 1-1 1-2 1-6 1-8 2.
Contents Creating a Configuration File Loading a Configuration File Editing an Existing Configuration File Performing an Upgrade with No Configuration File Saving a Configuration File Selecting Disks to Upgrade Selecting Other Configurations to Include Selecting Application Services to Control Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up Configuring Custom Actions Programming Notes for Custom Actions Starting and Stopping Applications Using Active Upgrade Environment Variables Generating Exit Values Viewing Standa
Contents Verifying the Status of Installed Software Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing General Problems and Solutions Glossary Index 5-3 5-5 5-6 Glossary-1 Index-1 Contents v
Figures Figures Figure 1-1. Figure 1-2. Figure 1-3. Figure 1-4. Figure 1-5. Figure 1-6. Figure 2-1. Figure 2-2. Figure 2-3. Figure 2-4. Figure 2-5. Figure 2-6. Figure 2-7. Figure 2-8. Figure 2-9. Figure 2-10. Figure 4-1. Figure 4-2. Figure 4-3. Figure 4-4. Figure 4-5. Figure 4-6. Figure 4-7. Figure 5-1. Figure 5-2.
Tables Table 2-1. Table 3-1. Table 3-2. Table 3-3. Table 3-4. Table 3-5. Table 4-1. Table 4-2. Table 4-3. Table 4-4. Table 4-5. Table 4-6. Table 5-1. Table 5-2. Table 5-3.
Tables vi Express5800/320Ma: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Preface Purpose of This Manual The Express5800/320Ma: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide describes the Active Upgrade process, which allows you to upgrade system software and applications on an Express5800/320Ma system while its critical applications remain online and accessible to users.
Preface ! WA R N I N G A warning indicates a situation where failure to take or avoid a specified action could cause bodily harm or loss of life. ! CAUTION A caution indicates a situation where failure to take or avoid a specified action could damage a hardware device, program, system, or data. NOTE A note provides important information about the operation of a system.
Preface Getting Help If you have a technical question about Express5800/320Ma hardware or software, try these online resources first: • Online support from NEC Technical Support. You can find the latest technical information about an Express5800/320Ma through online product support at the NEC Technical Support Web site: http://support.necsam.com/servers/ • Online product support for Microsoft® products.
Preface x Express5800/320Ma: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Chapter 1 Overview 1- Active Upgrade™ technology allows you to upgrade system and application software on an Express5800/320Ma system with minimal downtime. Instead of taking your system offline to run upgrade procedures, you can use Active Upgrade technology to split the system into two independently running systems, one side of which you upgrade while the other side continues to run your applications without interruption.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process • Test the latest software updates in your environment before making the updates permanent. After your critical applications are restarted on the upgraded software, you can verify the success of your software updates in a production environment, with real users and system load. If you want to keep the changes, there is no additional downtime.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process Figure 1-1. Duplexed System Internal Storage Console System Duplexed System Data Mirror System Network Data External Storage duet001 Figure 1-2.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process As shown in Figure 1-2, when you split the system, the Active Upgrade console disables any Rapid Disk Resync (RDR) mirroring between the internal disks in each CPU- I ⁄ O enclosure and isolates the Upgrade Side from system resources such as the network, any user-specified application data disks, and any external PCI resources. It also disables user-specified applications and services on the Upgrade Side so they cannot restart if you restart the Upgrade Side.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process Figure 1-3. Merged System Internal Storage Data Console Duplexed System (Old System) (Current Data) Mirror Disabled System Network External Storage (Upgraded) (Old Data) duet003 Finally, the system restarts your applications, including the Active Upgrade console, from the Upgrade Side system disk. Depending on the complexity of your applications and the upgrade you performed, your applications may be back up and running in under a minute. 7.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process Figure 1-4. Committing the Upgrade Internal Storage Data Console Duplexed System (Old System) (Current Data) Remirror with RDR System Network External Storage (Upgraded) (Old Data) duet004 When the RDR disk resychronization is finished, all critical system resources are running in duplex mode, and the Active Upgrade process is complete.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process If you abort the upgrade session while the system is in merge mode, a short period of downtime is incurred while the Active Upgrade console initiates a system restart. The Active Upgrade console shuts down the Upgrade Side and restarts the system from the Production Side, which automatically restarts your applications from the Production Side. The period of downtime is only as long as it takes your system and applications to restart.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process Active Upgrade State Model The state model in Figure 1-6 shows all of the possible Active Upgrade states, and the order in which they occur during the Active Upgrade process. Figure 1-6.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process NOTE After the upgrade session leaves the Idle state, you must complete the full upgrade process in sequence or abort the process altogether. You cannot go back to a previous state or skip states, and you cannot proceed to the next state if the upgrade is in a Broken or Busy operational state. 3.
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process 1-10 Express5800/320Ma: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Chapter 2 Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2- Preparing for the Active Upgrade process involves the following tasks: • Learning about the types of upgrades that the Active Upgrade process supports. • Learning about the prerequisites and recommendations for your Express5800/320Ma system. • Learning how the Active Upgrade console can control your critical applications. • Performing pre-upgrade tasks on your system, such as: • Installing the Active Upgrade console.
System Prerequisites • The application’s installation or upgrade utility does not involve changes to files or databases on the data disks while the system is in split mode. (For example, the utility cannot create new databases or convert existing data records to be compatible with the new version of the application). The Upgrade Side has no access to the data disks while the system is split.
System Prerequisites All ports on any dual-port adapter must be either teamed or not teamed. You cannot have only one port on an adapter teamed. You do not need to team non-embedded Ethernet PCI adapters for the Active Upgrade process, but it is best to do so to ensure that the network connectivity provided by these adapters continues to be available throughout the upgrade process.
System Prerequisites • Can tolerate a potential decrease in performance during the upgrade. For example, if your system contains teamed network adapters that are configured for load balancing or link aggregation, there might be a decrease in network performance when the system is split because the network adapters on the Upgrade Side lose access to the network. • Are running Express5800/320Ma System Software Release 4.1 or higher.
Recommendations Recommendations When preparing your system for the Active Upgrade process, also consider the following recommendations: • If possible, assign static IP addresses for embedded Ethernet teams and VTM adapters. The Active Upgrade process also supports Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) addresses for these adapters; however, if the DHCP server becomes unavailable during the upgrade process, your system cannot obtain an IP address and configuration when needed.
Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process the particular QFE hotfix, contact NEC Technical Support or your authorized service representative to request such validation. For more information about evaluating hotfixes for Express5800/320Ma systems, see the following web page: http:www.necsam.com/support/servers/ft/hotfixes.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks If your application runs as a standard service that already accounts for interdependencies (with other services) and requires no special handling, you can specify it on the Application Services page of the Active Upgrade console during the configuration process.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks 4. Verify the integrity of all RDR disks, as follows: a. In ftSMC, expand ftServer I/O Enclosures and click Logical Disk Information. b. Right-click an RDR virtual disk. c. Select Verify RDR Virtual Disk. A message appears stating that the operation completed successfully, meaning that the command has been executed. d. Repeat for each RDR disk. 5. If necessary, upgrade the BMC and VTM firmware to support Active Upgrade technology. 6.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks When you are finished preparing for the upgrade, start the Active Upgrade console. Follow the on-screen instructions (and this document) to configure the process, then run a Readiness Check to verify if your system is ready to upgrade.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Configuring Windows Firewall for the Active Upgrade Process The Active Upgrade console requires network access to: • Communicate with system components and underlying services in the ftServer System Software. • Allow communication between the Production Side and the Upgrade Side while the system is split, so you can perform upgrade tasks.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Figure 2-1.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks To check the operational state of the enclosure with UPS (A-side) power 1. Open ftSMC. 2. Expand ftServer (Local). 3. Expand ftServer I/O Enclosures. 4. Click I/O Enclosure - 10. 5. Verify that the value for Op State: Reason is Primary and the value for ActiveCompatibilityFlag is True. If the value for Op State: Reason is Secondary and the value for ActiveCompatibilityFlag is False under I/O enclosure 10, you can manually set this enclosure as the primary enclosure.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Gathering Information Before you start configuring the Active Upgrade process on your system, considering the following questions: ❏ After you complete this upgrade, will you ever want to run the same type of upgrade again? If so, plan to create a configuration file with the details of your upgrade, so you can use it again at a later date.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Table 2-1.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Table 2-1.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Copying Software Installation Packages to the System When the system runs in split mode, the Upgrade Side has no access to the network, or internal data disks; therefore, if you need to download or copy any High Priority updates (hotfixes), installation packages, or disk images (for example, .msi files) to the system, put them on one of the disks you want to upgrade before you split the system. You might want to do so even before you run the Active Upgrade console.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Figure 2-2. Automatic Updates Control Panel If your company pushes software updates from an enterprise-wide service, like Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), you might need to override the default Automatic Update policies for your system. Typically, WSUS clients are set to install all critical updates at a time specified by the WSUS administrator. The Automatic Update control panel on the client system can be locked to enforce this policy.
Pre-Upgrade Tasks Figure 2-3. Automatic Updates Icon in System Tray To verify the list of updates 1. Click the Automatic Updates icon to display the Automatic Updates dialog box. 2. Select Custom Install (Advanced) and click Next. The next page displays the list of the updates you downloaded. 3. Check the list of updates against the list of updates that have been evaluated by NEC Solutions (America), Inc. for compatibility. Make note of the updates you can install during the Active Upgrade process. 4.
Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console NOTES 1. Your login account must be in the local Administrators group to run the Active Upgrade console. You cannot use a domain account. 2. The Active Upgrade console is not supported over remote connections. To start the Active Upgrade console, do one of the following: • Double-click the ftServer Active Upgrade console icon on your system’s desktop.
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface The Active Upgrade console window (Figure 2-4) is divided into four major parts: a title bar, a navigation bar, a main window, and a status bar. Figure 2-4.
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface The title bar also contains a Help button ( ), which you can click to display the Help topic associated with the current page of the Active Upgrade console. (You can also access the Help from the Production Side or Upgrade Side by clicking Start, All Programs, Stratus, and Active Upgrade Help to open the Help viewer.
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface If you are creating or editing a configuration file, you can click any entry in the Configuration section to skip directly to the associated configuration page. These pages have the following purposes: Configuration — Allows you to create or select a configuration file to modify, or to start the upgrade process with no configuration file. (When you start the Active Upgrade console, it opens on this page.
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface You can click Active Upgrade to perform a readiness check, and, if you are still modifying a configuration file, you can click any page in the Configuration section to go back and make additional changes. After you initiate an upgrade session (by clicking Split on the Active Upgrade page), the navigation bar reverts to a static mode, in which it only indicates where you are in the upgrade process and does not allow you to skip between pages.
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface These links have the following purposes: • Remote KVM — Allows you to establish an Advanced Video Redirection session to the Upgrade Side while the system is split to perform upgrade tasks. • Remote Desktop — Allows you to establish a Remote Desktop Connection session to the Upgrade Side while the system is split to perform upgrade tasks. (For more information about any of these navigation bar entries, click the name of the entry in this Help topic.
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface When you perform a readiness test and begin the upgrade process, the configuration settings in the main window are replaced with an activity log (Figure 2-9) that allows you to track the progress and success of the upgrade process. Figure 2-9. Main Window: Activity Log For more information about viewing and interpreting items in the activity log, see “Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21.
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface Figure 2-10. Status Bar 1 Configuration file name 4 Operational State 2 Hardware State 5 Partner State 3 Upgrade State For more information about interpreting items in the status bar, see “Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21.
Chapter 3 Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3- Configuring the Active Upgrade process involves the following tasks: • Creating and managing configuration files • Selecting disks to upgrade • Selecting other configuration files to include • Selecting application services to control • Selecting event log files to back up • Configuring custom actions • Providing a description for a configuration file • Displaying the upgrade summary Creating and Managing Configuration Files Configuration files allow yo
Creating and Managing Configuration Files NOTE You can save a configuration file to any disk — system or data, internal or external. The Active Upgrade console automatically copies configuration files to a staging area before beginning the upgrade to ensure that they are available throughout the upgrade process.
Creating and Managing Configuration Files Related Topics • “Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1 • “Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5 • “Providing a Description for a Configuration File” on page 3-19 • “Selecting Disks to Upgrade” on page 3-5 Loading a Configuration File Loading a configuration file allows you to open an existing configuration file for use.
Creating and Managing Configuration Files Editing an Existing Configuration File Editing a configuration file allows you to open and edit a configuration file that you have previously saved. After you edit the configuration file, you can view the Upgrade Summary, and, if applicable, proceed with the upgrade as configured. To edit a configuration file 1. On the Configuration page, click Edit Configuration File. 2.
Selecting Disks to Upgrade Related Topics • “Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1 • Performing the Upgrade Saving a Configuration File The Active Upgrade console automatically prompts you to save your configuration file if you leave the Configuration section of the application, or exit the application. (To save the configuration file, click Yes, otherwise click No or Cancel.
Selecting Disks to Upgrade You can mark each disk as a system disk or a data disk: • System disk A disk that contains the system or application software you want to upgrade. Only disks marked as System are available to the Upgrade Side while the system is split. The Active Upgrade console automatically marks some disks as system disks. These mandatory system disks contain either boot files or paging files (virtual memory files) that are currently in use by the running operating system.
Selecting Other Configurations to Include For more information about any volume, move your cursor over the volume to display ToolTip help. To select system and data disks • For any disk you want to mark as a system disk, click System. (This automatically marks any volume that the disk contains as a System volume.) • For any disk you want to mark as a data disk, click Data. NOTE Volumes can span multiple physical disks, and physical disks can contain multiple volumes.
Selecting Other Configurations to Include Potential uses for nested files include: • Your support provider creates a configuration file that you can call into an existing configuration file for your system. • You create separate configuration files, each for upgrading a different application, which you can enable or disable at will in your parent configuration.
Selecting Application Services to Control Related Topics • “Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1 • “Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5 • “Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19 Selecting Application Services to Control Use the Application Services page to select the critical application services you want the Active Upgrade console to automatically stop and restart during the upgrade process.
Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up Each service on the Application Services page has a three-state check box, as described in Table 3-2. Table 3-2. Selection of Application Services Check Box State Description Cleared Not selected. Checked Selected in the current configuration file. Checked (Gray) Selected in a child configuration file.
Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up When you commit an upgrade, the system reestablishes the RDR mirrors of any system disks by overwriting the Production Side disks (which contain the old version of your software) with the newer Upgrade Side disks (which contain your newly-upgraded software). Because the event log files on the Production Side are lost during this process, you might want to preserve them for future reference.
Configuring Custom Actions Configuring Custom Actions Use the Custom Actions page to customize the way that the Active Upgrade process runs in your environment. You can create custom actions to perform the following types of tasks: • Specify how a critical application is stopped and started during the upgrade process.
Configuring Custom Actions 2. Executable files for custom actions must be located on a system disk. If a executable file is located on an external or network disk, the Upgrade Side loses access to the file while the system is in split mode. 3. For information about writing your own programs for custom actions, see “Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15. To configure a custom action 1.
Configuring Custom Actions Table 3-3. Control Types for Custom Actions (Continued) Control Type Purpose Advanced Executes the custom action during every step of the Active Upgrade process, including interim steps such as PrepareSplit and PrepareMerge, which occur prior to the Split and Merge operations. This control type allows you to have more precise control over a custom action.
Configuring Custom Actions Custom actions run consecutively according to their timing options. Subsequent custom actions do not start until the current custom action terminates. 5. Click Add to accept the custom action. (If the Add button is inactive, ensure that you typed the File path name and file name correctly. The executable file must exist to be added.) You can view the custom actions you have created at the bottom of the Custom Actions page.
Configuring Custom Actions Related Topics • “Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15 • “Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12 Using Active Upgrade Environment Variables You can optionally use the environment variables specified in Table 3-5 in any program that you write for a custom action.
Configuring Custom Actions To pass multiple variables, add a space between each variable, as follows: %ACTIVE_UPGRADE_SIDE% %ACTIVE_UPGRADE_REQUEST% Related Topics • “Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8 • “Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15 • “Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12 Generating Exit Values An exit value of 0 indicates that the executable file exited normally.
Configuring Custom Actions Executing Visual Basic Scripts and Other Types of Executable Files By default, the File field on the Custom Actions page accepts only batch files (.bat), application files (.exe), and Visual Basic scripts (.vbs). However, if necessary, you might be able to run another type of executable file (such as a Perl script) by implementing the command-line script host for the file. You can also optionally run the command-line script host for Visual Basic scripts (cscript.
Providing a Description for a Configuration File Providing a Description for a Configuration File Use the Description page to specify a title and comments for your configuration file. These items appear on the Other Configurations page, the Upgrade Summary page, and in the Locate Configuration File dialog box when you are selecting a configuration file to load or edit. Type a brief summary next to Title, and type additional details next to Comments.
Displaying the Upgrade Summary If applicable, you can also save the current configuration file from the Upgrade Summary page. When you are finished viewing the Upgrade Summary, and, if necessary, saving the configuration file, you can click Next to proceed with the Active Upgrade process. If you have changed your configuration file since you last saved it, the Active Upgrade console displays a message indicating that you should save the file. To save the file, click Yes, otherwise click No or Cancel.
Chapter 4 Performing the Upgrade 4- Performing the Active Upgrade process can involve the following tasks: • Performing a readiness check • Splitting the system • Merging the System • Committing the upgrade • Aborting the upgrade (if necessary) • Finishing the upgrade • Viewing Active Upgrade process status Performing a Readiness Check Before you can initiate split mode on a system, the system must pass a readiness check.
Performing a Readiness Check The activity log reports the overall results of the readiness check as well as the results for each individual test. Table 4-1 describes the general meaning of the activity log entries. Table 4-1.
Splitting the System Related Topics • “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2 • “Splitting the System” • “Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21 • “Saving the Activity Log to a File” on page 5-1 • “Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19 • Troubleshooting Splitting the System Splitting an Express5800/320Ma system divides it into two independently-functioning systems: the Production Side, which continues to run your applications, and the Upgrade Side, which you can safely upgrade.
Splitting the System 2. Split the system only when you are sitting at the console for your system. The Active Upgrade console is not supported over remote connections. ! CAUTION Do not perform any hardware maintenance, including the removal of either CPU- I ⁄ O enclosure, after you have initiated the Active Upgrade process (by clicking Split). To split the system 1. Ensure that you have addressed any critical errors or warnings that were indicated by the readiness check. 2.
Splitting the System If the split process fails the first time, you can click Retry to try again. If the problem persists, you can click Abort to abort the upgrade process, or see Troubleshooting for information about resolving the problem. When the system is split, you can: • Manage upgrade tasks on the Upgrade Side. • Manage your applications on the Production Side. • Verify the Upgrade Side before merging the system.
Splitting the System If necessary, you can also completely abort the upgrade process from the Active Upgrade console on the Production Side. Because the Active Upgrade console itself runs on the Production Side of the system, you need to establish a remote connection to the desktop on the Upgrade Side before you can complete any of these upgrade tasks, as explained in “Connecting to the Desktop on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-6.
Splitting the System Figure 4-1. Links for Connecting to Upgrade Side Related Topics • “Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote KVM” • “Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote Desktop” on page 4-8 Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote KVM Remote KVM allows you to control the keyboard, video, and mouse of the Upgrade Side using the Advanced Video Redirection (AVR) feature of the VTM console. To initiate a Remote KVM session with the Upgrade Side 1.
Splitting the System For more information about managing an AVR session, see the Express5800/320Ma Virtual Technician Module User’s Guide. To terminate a Remote KVM session with the Upgrade Side 1. Verify that any installation processes are complete, and that you have exited from any installation programs. 2. Optionally, click Log Off in the Start menu of your remote session. In the Log Off Windows dialog box, click Log Off.
Splitting the System NOTES 1. If you want to refer to the Active Upgrade Help file while you are using the Upgrade Side desktop, click Start on the Upgrade Side desktop, then click All Programs, Stratus, and Active Upgrade Help to open the Help viewer. 2. If you maximize the Remote Desktop connection window, its title bar (Figure 4-2) might disappear from view (autohide). Only the Upgrade Side desktop is visible, as if it is your local desktop.
Splitting the System Related Topics • “Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote KVM” on page 4-7 • “Running Software Installation Programs” on page 4-10 • “Restarting the Upgrade Side” on page 4-12 • “Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21 • “Merging the System” on page 4-15 • “Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19 • Troubleshooting Running Software Installation Programs The following topics describe how to run software installation programs on the Upgrade Side while the system is split: • “Wi
Splitting the System NOTE Before installing any software, ensure that you are working on the Upgrade Side desktop (through a remote connection). Do not install software on the Production Side. To apply the downloaded updates 1. Click the Automatic Updates icon in the Upgrade Side system tray to display the Automatic Updates dialog box. 2. Select Custom Install and click Next. The next page displays a list of the updates you downloaded and allows you to select which ones to install at this time. 3.
Splitting the System Other Installation Packages If you previously downloaded individual installation packages to a system disk, open the Upgrade Side folder that contains the installation packages. Run each installation program, one at a time. NOTE Before installing any software, ensure that you are working on the Upgrade Side desktop (through a remote connection). Do not install software on the Production Side.
Splitting the System ! CAUTION Do not shut down the Upgrade Side, otherwise, the Upgrade Side will not come back online, and you must abort the upgrade process to recover. If this happens, any changes you made on the Upgrade Side are lost. To manually restart the Upgrade Side 1. On the Upgrade Side, click Shut Down in the Start menu. 2. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, select Restart from the drop-down menu and click OK.
Splitting the System Managing Your Applications on the Production Side While the system is split, you can continue to access and use your applications on the Production Side; however, you must avoid doing any of the following on the Production Side desktop: • Installing or upgrading software. • Creating or modifying any files on the system disk, including the system registry. • Restarting the operating system.
Merging the System Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Merging the System After you have upgraded or installed software on the Upgrade Side, you can perform limited testing on the Upgrade Side system disks, as long as your activities do not require access to the following resources, which are currently unavailable: • Network • Internal data disks For example, you might want to perform the following tasks before you merge the system: • Verify the presence and version number of each software package (see “Ver
Merging the System Merging the system: • Stops your applications and services on the Production Side. • Merges system resources so that the network and application data disks become available to the Upgrade Side. • Restarts your applications (including the Active Upgrade console) from the Upgrade Side. To merge the system 1. Verify that all installation processes are complete, and that you have exited any installation programs. 2. Optionally, terminate any Remote KVM or Remote Desktop sessions.
Merging the System Related Topics • “Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Committing the Upgrade” • “Committing the Upgrade” on page 4-18 • “Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21 • “Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19 • Troubleshooting Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Committing the Upgrade After you have merged the system, your critical applications (including the Active Upgrade console) are running from the software on the Upgrade Side system disks.
Committing the Upgrade • “Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21 • “Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19 • Troubleshooting Committing the Upgrade When you are finished testing your applications on the merged system, and you are satisfied that everything is working correctly, you can commit the upgrade to make it permanent. Committing the upgrade: • Reestablishes the mirror of any internal RDR system disk by overwriting the original partner disk with its newer, upgraded partner disk.
Aborting the Upgrade If the commit process fails the first time, you can click Retry to try again. If the problem persists, see Troubleshooting for information about resolving the problem.
Finishing the Upgrade NOTES 1. Your screen might flicker and you might briefly lose control of your keyboard and mouse as the system recovers its original state. 2. If the Upgrade Side crashed during split mode, and there are dump files available on the Upgrade Side, the Active Upgrade console automatically copies these dump files to C:\sradumps\Memoryn.dmp on the Production Side of the system when the upgrade is aborted. The abort process should take only a few minutes.
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status • Click Active Upgrade in the navigation bar to initiate another readiness test and upgrade with the same configuration. • Click Configuration in the navigation bar to create, edit, or load another configuration file. NOTE Though the Active Upgrade process is complete, your RDR disks continue to resynchronize in the background. If you intend to initiate another upgrade process, you must wait for the resynchronization to complete before you do so.
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status Figure 4-4. Activity Log (in Active Upgrade Console) If you want to check the status of the upgrade process when you are logged on to the Upgrade Side of the system (while in split mode), you can also double-click the Active Upgrade icon ( ) in the system tray to open the remote activity log (Figure 4-5). Figure 4-5.
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status NOTE You can only view status in the remote activity log. To control the remaining steps of the Active Upgrade process, you must minimize or close the connection to the Upgrade Side and use the Active Upgrade console on the Production Side. Table 4-2 describes the general meaning of activity log entries that appear in the local and remote activity logs. Table 4-2.
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status Figure 4-6. Activity Log Detail In the detail window, you can click the Previous and Next buttons to review other items of the same severity. For example, if you are viewing an error, you can click Next to see the next error item. To change the severity level of the items you want to review, select an option from the Show severity pulldown menu. (A severity type is unavailable if there are currently no items of that severity in the activity log).
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status Status Bar The status bar (Figure 4-7), which is located at the bottom of the Active Upgrade console window, reports a quick summary of the status of the upgrade. Figure 4-7. Status Bar 1 Configuration file name 2 Hardware State (Table 4-3) 3 Upgrade State (Table 4-4) 4 Operational State (Table 4-5) 5 Partner State (Table 4-6) The Hardware State reports whether or not your critical applications are running in lockstep.
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status Table 4-4. Status: Upgrade State Upgrade State Description Idle The current upgrade session is idle. The Active Upgrade process has just finished, or it has not been initiated yet. Prepare Split The Active Upgrade console is preparing to split the system by running a final readiness check and additional background tasks. Split If the operational state is Ready, the system is running in split mode.
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status Table 4-6. Status: Partner State Partner State Description DC On The partner operating system is shut down, but system power is still on. DC Off The partner operating system is shut down and system power is off (but the system still has housekeeping power). BIOS POST The partner system is performing a BIOS Power On Self Test (POST). Hung: BIOS POST The partner system hung in the BIOS POST. OS Booting The partner operating system is booting.
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status 4-28 Express5800/320Ma: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Chapter 5 Troubleshooting 5- If necessary, you can collect information about the Active Upgrade process and resolve problems by: • Saving the activity log to a file • Viewing the status of application services • Viewing the status of installed software • Verifying If RDR disks are resynchronizing • Learning about general problems and solutions • Getting help Saving the Activity Log to a File If necessary, you can save the contents of the activity log to a file for later viewing.
Verifying the Status of Application Services Verifying the Status of Application Services At various stages of the Active Upgrade process, you can optionally verify the status of services you specified for control on the Application Services page of the Active Upgrade console. To verify the status of a service 1. Right-click My Computer on your desktop (or in the Start menu). 2. Select Manage from the shortcut menu. Computer Management is displayed. 3.
Verifying the Status of Installed Software Figure 5-1.
Verifying the Status of Installed Software Figure 5-2. Add or Remove Programs Control Panel If you installed any Windows updates, select the Show updates check box in the control panel to display the updates in the list of programs. NOTE If your system is in split or merge mode, remember to view the Add or Remove Programs control panel on the Upgrade Side. The same control panel on the Production Side does not list the new software you installed on the Upgrade Side.
Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing When you complete or abort the Active Upgrade process, the system reestablishes the mirrors between the RDR partner disks in each CPU- I ⁄ O enclosure. If you intend to initiate another upgrade process, you must wait for the full resynchronization to complete before you do so. You can tell if a disk is resynchronizing by viewing the LEDs on the front panel of the disk.
General Problems and Solutions General Problems and Solutions Table 5-1 describes some common problems that could prevent your system from passing the readiness check. ! CAUTION Never perform hardware maintenance, such as removing and replacing system components, while the Active Upgrade process is running. If you experience a problem that prevents the Active Upgrade process from completing successfully, you should always be able to abort the upgrade session to restore your system to its original state.
General Problems and Solutions Table 5-1. Troubleshooting: Readiness Check (Continued) Error Action No IP address on Upgrade ready team Use the Network Connections control panel to assign an IP address (preferably a static IP address) to the Ethernet team, or renew your DHCP lease. See “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2 and “Recommendations” on page 2-5 for more information about configuring Ethernet PCI adapters.
General Problems and Solutions Table 5-2 describes some common problems with custom actions. Table 5-2. Troubleshooting: Custom Actions Error Action The executable filename does not exist. Ensure that the executable file associated with your custom action is located in the directory you specified during the configuration process. Also, ensure that the custom action is located on a system disk, otherwise the Upgrade Side loses access to the executable file while the system is in split mode.
General Problems and Solutions Table 5-3. Troubleshooting: Miscellaneous Problems (Continued) Error/Problem Action Failed to disable PCI device: QLogic Fibre Channel Adapter If you have installed QLogic SANsurfer Fibre Channel HBA Software to upgrade the BIOS in your host bus adapter, you should uninstall this utility when you are done upgrading the BIOS. In this case, the Active Upgrade console cannot split system resources because it cannot disable the HBA on the Upgrade Side.
General Problems and Solutions Related Topics • “Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21 • Troubleshooting Getting Help If you have a technical question about Express5800/320Ma hardware or software, try these online resources first: • Online support from NEC Technical Support. You can find the latest technical information about an Express5800/320Ma through online product support at the NEC Technical Support Web site: http://support.necsam.
Glossary Glossary- Active Upgrade technology A process that allows you to upgrade system software and applications on an Express5800/320Ma system while its critical applications remain online and accessible to users. For more information, see the Overview. application service A program that runs in the background and performs tasks related to other programs on the local system or on remote systems. For example, a server may run an Exchange service, which can process email for local and remote systems.
Glossary configuration file A file that contains all of the settings pertaining to the Active Upgrade process for your system. You can create multiple configuration files, each for a different type of upgrade that you regularly perform on your system. You can also use nesting to incorporate the settings of one configuration file into another configuration file. critical system resource A system component, such as a hard disk or network adapter, that is required to run mission-critical applications.
Glossary (Note that, in ftSMC, elements are displayed as enclosures, for example, CPU Enclosure - n and I/O Enclosure - n.) enclosure A physical container that includes at least one CPU element and at least one I/O element. In a system with more than one physical enclosure, you may be able to remove or upgrade one enclosure while the other continues to run your applications uninterrupted. executable file A program file, such as a .exe, .bat, or .vbs file, that you can assign to a custom action.
Glossary merge system The stage of the Active Upgrade process during which the system restarts your applications on the Upgrade Side. When the system is in a merged state, it has access to critical system resources, which you can use to test your applications and verify if the upgrade was successful.
Glossary service See application service. session One complete Active Upgrade process, from split mode to finish. Or, a remote connection to the upgrade side of the system, as in a Remote KVM (or AVR) session. simplex mode (simplexed) The state of an ftServer system when one or more of its individual components is operating without a redundant partner component. If a hardware failure occurs, system operations may terminate.
Glossary Upgrade Side The side of a split-mode system on which you can upgrade software. See also Production Side. volume A fixed amount of storage on a hard disk (or spanning many hard disks) that is defined and managed as a single device in the operating system.
Index Index- A abort upgrade, 1-6 collecting dump files, 4-20 executing, 4-19 illustrated, 1-7 Abort Upgrade page, 4-19 Actions, 3-12 Active Upgrade console, 2-20 activity log, 4-21 installing, 2-9 main window, 2-24 navigation bar, 2-21 starting and exiting, 2-19 status bar, 4-25 title bar, 2-20 Active Upgrade page, 4-1 Active Upgrade process, 1-1 abort upgrade, 1-6, 4-19 commit upgrade, 1-5, 4-18 configuring, 3-1 defined, Glossary-1 finish upgrade, 4-20 general steps, 1-2 merge system, 1-4, 4-15 network
Index nesting, 3-7 saving, 3-5 upgrading without, 3-4 Configuration page, 3-1 configuring administrator account, 2-8 application services, 3-9 Automatic Updates, 2-16 custom actions, 3-12 disks, 3-5 firewall, 2-10 log file backup, 3-10 Remote Desktop, 2-8 UPS, 2-11 connecting to Upgrade Side, 4-6 connection failed, 5-8, 5-9 control type field, 3-13 critical application.
Index G M gathering information, 2-13 glossary, Glossary-1 managing application during upgrade, 2-6 configuration files, 3-1 Production Side, 4-14 Upgrade Side, 4-5 mandatory system disk defined, Glossary-3 disk selection, 3-6 merge system, 1-4, 4-15 defined, Glossary-4 illustrated, 1-5 verifying Upgrade Side before, 4-15 Merge System page, 4-15 H hardware maintenance, 4-4 Hardware State, 4-25 Help button, 2-20 high-priority update See hotfix host bus adapter (HBA).
Index Production Side defined, Glossary-4 managing, 4-14 programming notes, custom actions, 3-15 Q QLogic Fibre Channel adapter. See external storage R Rapid Disk Resync checking resync progress, 5-5 data loss on Production Side, 3-11, 3-12 disabling during split process, 1-4 prerequisite for upgrade process, 2-1, 2-4, 3-5 resyncing during abort process, 1-7, 4-19 resyncing during commit process, 1-5, 1-6, 4-18 running verify process, 2-8 RDR.
Index upgrade fault tolerance during, 2-3 session, 1-8, Glossary-5 status, 4-21 support, 2-1 tasks, 4-5 Upgrade Side connecting to, 4-6 defined, Glossary-6 managing, 4-5 verifying before commit, 4-17 verifying before merge, 4-15 Upgrade State, 4-26 Upgrade Summary page, 3-19 V verifying list of hotfixes, 2-18 status of installed software, 5-3 status of services, 5-2 Upgrade Side before commit, 4-17 Upgrade Side before merge, 4-15 Virtual Technician Module configuring for upgrade, 2-3 Remote KVM, 4-7 stati
Index Index-6 Express5800/320Ma: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
