NEC 320Fc User Manual
Express5800/320Fc:
Active Upgrade
™
User’s Guide
NEC Corporation of America
456-01720-000
Notice
The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice.
UNLESS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN A WRITTEN AGREEMENT SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
OF NEC, NEC MAKES NO WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WITH RESPECT TO THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, INCLUDING WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PURPOSE. NEC assumes no responsibility or obligation of any kind for any errors contained herein or in connection with
the furnishing, performance, or use of this document.
Software described in NEC (a) is the property of NEC and/or its licensees, (b) is furnished only under license, and (c) may
be copied or used only as expressly permitted under the terms of the license.
NEC documentation describes all supported features of the user interfaces and the application programming interfaces
(API) developed by NEC and/or its licensees. Any undocumented features of these interfaces are intended solely for use
by NEC personnel and are subject to change without warning.
This document is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be copied, reproduced, or
translated, either mechanically or electronically, without the prior written consent of NEC Corporation of America.
The NEC
Corporation of America. ActiveService Network and Active Upgrade are trademarks of Stratus Technologies Bermuda,
Ltd. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
Manual Name: Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Part Number:
Express5800/320
Publication Date: August 2007
NEC
10850 Gold Center Drive, Suite 200
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Corporation of America logo, Express580
456-01720-000
Fc Software Release Number: 5.0.1391
Corporation of America
0/320Fc, and the Express5800/320Fc logo, are trademarks of NEC
© 2007 NEC Corporation of America. All rights reserved.
Contents
Preface vii
1. Overview 1-1
2. Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-1
Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process 2-6
Configuring Windows Firewall for the Active Upgrade Process
Configuring a UPS-Protected System for the Active
Upgrade Process
Installing Java Runtime Environment
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Copying Software Installation Packages to the System 2-18
Configuring Windows Automatic Updates 2-18
Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console 2-21
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface 2-22
2-10
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3. Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-1
Contents iii
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Contents
Creating a Configuration File 3-2
Loading a Configuration File 3-3
Editing an Existing Configuration File 3-4
Performing an Upgrade with No Configuration File 3-4
Saving a Configuration File 3-5
Selecting Disks to Upgrade 3-5
Selecting Other Configurations to Include 3-7
Selecting Application Services to Control 3-9
Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up 3-10
Configuring Custom Actions 3-12
Programming Notes for Custom Actions 3-15
Starting and Stopping Applications 3-15
Using Active Upgrade Environment Variables 3-16
Generating Exit Values 3-17
Viewing Standard Output and Error Stream 3-17
Executing Visual Basic Scripts and Other Types of Execut-
able Files 3-18
Providing a Description for a Configuration File 3-19
Displaying the Upgrade Summary 3-19
4. Performing the Upgrade 4-1
Performing a Readiness Check 4-1
Splitting the System 4-3
Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side 4-5
Connecting to the Desktop on the Upgrade Side 4-6
Running Software Installation Programs 4-10
Restarting the Upgrade Side 4-12
Managing Your Applications on the Production Side 4-14
Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Merging the System 4-15
Merging the System 4-15
Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Committing the Upgrade
4-17
Committing the Upgrade 4-18
Aborting the Upgrade 4-19
Finishing the Upgrade 4-20
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status 4-21
Activity Log 4-21
Status Bar 4-25
5. Troubleshooting 5-1
Saving the Activity Log to a File 5-1
Verifying the Status of Application Services 5-2
iv Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Verifying the Status of Installed Software 5-3
Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing 5-5
General Problems and Solutions 5-6
Glossary Glossary-1
Index Index-1
Contents
Contents v
Figures
Figures
Figure 1-1. Duplexed System 1-3
Figure 1-2. Splitting the System 1-3
Figure 1-3. Merged System 1-5
Figure 1-4. Committing the Upgrade 1-6
Figure 1-5. Aborting the Upgrade 1-7
Figure 1-6. Active Upgrade State Model 1-8
Figure 2-1. Windows Firewall Exceptions 2-11
Figure 2-2. Automatic Updates Control Panel 2-17
Figure 2-3. Automatic Updates Icon in System Tray 2-18
Figure 2-4. Active Upgrade console 2-20
Figure 2-5. Navigation Bar: Configuration 2-21
Figure 2-6. Navigation Bar: Active Upgrade 2-22
Figure 2-7. Navigation Bar: Links 2-23
Figure 2-8. Main Window: Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 2-24
Figure 2-9. Main Window: Activity Log 2-25
Figure 2-10. Status Bar 2-26
Figure 4-1. Links for Connecting to Upgrade Side 4-7
Figure 4-2. Remote Desktop Title Bar 4-9
Figure 4-3. Automatic Updates Icon in System Tray 4-10
Figure 4-4. Activity Log (in Active Upgrade Console) 4-22
Figure 4-5. Remote Activity Log 4-22
Figure 4-6. Activity Log Detail 4-24
Figure 4-7. Status Bar 4-25
Figure 5-1. Service Control Manager 5-3
Figure 5-2. Add or Remove Programs Control Panel 5-4
iv Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Tables
Table 2-1. Active Upgrade Process Worksheet 2-14
Table 3-1. Hard Disk Color Coding 3-6
Table 3-2. Selection of Application Services 3-10
Table 3-3. Control Types for Custom Actions 3-13
Table 3-4. Timing for the Advanced Control Type 3-14
Table 3-5. Environment Variables for Custom Actions 3-16
Table 4-1. Activity Log Entries 4-2
Table 4-2. Activity Log Entries 4-23
Table 4-3. Status: Hardware State 4-25
Table 4-4. Status: Upgrade State 4-26
Table 4-5. Status: Operational State 4-26
Table 4-6. Status: Partner State 4-27
Table 5-1. Troubleshooting: Readiness Check 5-6
Table 5-2. Troubleshooting: Custom Actions 5-8
Table 5-3. Troubleshooting: Miscellaneous Problems 5-8
Tables v
Ta bl e s
vi Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Purpose of This Manual
The Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide describes the Active
Upgrade process, which allows you to upgrade system software and applications on
an Express5800/3
accessible to users.
The manual provides an overview of the Active Upgrade process, specifies the
requirements and procedures necessary to prepare the system for the upgrade
process, and explains how to configure and execute the upgrade process using the
Active Upgrade console. It also provides information about troubleshooting the Active
Upgrade process if a problem occurs.
20Fc system while its critical applications remain online and
NOTES
1. The information in this manual is also contained in the
Active Upgrade Help file, which is available in the
Active Upgrade console and in the Start menu of your
system in the Express5800/320
install the Active Upgrade software).
Preface
Fc folder (after you
2. For the latest information about Active Upgrade
technology, including any issues that were discovered
after this release, see the Express5800/320
Active Upgrade User’s Guide online at
http://su
pport.necam.com/servers/ft
Fc:
Audience
This manual is intended for system administrators who will prepare for and execute an
Active Upgrade on an Express5800/320
with administering Express5800/320
Fc system. It assumes that you are familiar
Fc systems.
Notation Conventions
This document uses the notation conventions described in this section.
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
Warnings, cautions, and notes provide special information and have the following
meanings:
Preface vii
Preface
WARNING
!
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.
Typographical Conventions
The following typographical conventions are used in Express5800/320
documents:
• The bold font emphasizes words in text or indicates text that you type, the name of
a screen object, or the name of a programming element. For example:
Before handling or replacing system components, make sure that you are
properly grounded by using a grounded wrist strap.
Fc system
In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab.
Call the RegisterDeviceNotification function.
• The italic font introduces new terms and indicates programming and command-line
arguments that the user defines. For example:
Many hardware components are customer-replaceable units (CRUs), which
can be replaced on-site by system administrators with minimal training or tools.
copy filename1 filename2
Pass a pointer for the NotificationFilter parameter
• The monospace font indicates sample program code and output, including
message text. For example:
#include <iostream.h>
The operation completed successfully.
viii Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Getting Help
If you have a technical question about Express5800/320Fc hardware or software, try
these online resources first:
• Online support from NEC Technical Support. You can find the latest technical
information about an Express5800/320
NEC Technical Support Web site:
Preface
Fc through online product support at the
http://support.necam.com/servers/ft
Notices
• Online product support for Microsoft
®
products. Your primary source for
support is the computer manufacturer who provided your software, or an
authorized Microsoft Support Provider. You can also find the latest technical
information about Microsoft Windows
®
and other Microsoft products through online
product support at the Microsoft Help and Support Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/
If you are unable to resolve your questions with the help available at these online sites,
and the Express5800/320
Fc system is covered by a service agreement, please
contact NEC Technical Support (866-269-1239).
• All regulatory notices are provided in the site planning guide for your system.
Preface ix
Preface
x Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Chapter 1
Overview
Active Upgrade™ technology allows you to upgrade system and application software
on an Express5800/320
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.
To learn more about Active Upgrade technology, see the following topics:
• “Features”
• “Overview of the Active Upgrade Process” on page 1-2
• “Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-9
NOTE
For the latest information about Active Upgrade
technology, including any issues that were discovered
after this release, see the Express5800/320
Upgrade User’s Guide online at
http://support.necam.com/servers/ft
Fc system with minimal downtime.
Fc: Active
1-
Features
Active Upgrade technology allows you to do the following:
• Install software updates with minimal disruption to your critical applications.
Your business-critical applications continue to run on one side of the system while
you install software on, and even restart, the other side. There is only a brief
disruption when you are finished installing updates, as your critical applications are
restarted on the upgraded software.
Overview 1-1
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. Otherwise, as quickly as your system can restart, you can abort the
upgrade to go back to the original version of your software.
• Abort the upgrade process at any point, until you commit the changes.
If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with an upgrade, you can abort the upgrade
session to return the system to its original state. Nothing is permanent until you
choose to commit the changes. (Also, if you abort the upgrade early enough in the
process, before testing the software in your production environment, your critical
applications are not disrupted.)
Related Topics
• “Overview of the Active Upgrade Process”
• “Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8
• “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1
• “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process
The Active Upgrade process involves the following basic steps:
1. You prepare your system to ensure it meets the prerequisites of the upgrade
process.
2. You use the Active Upgrade console to select the disks that are affected by the
software upgrade and to provide information about any applications or services
that require special handling during the upgrade process.
3. You run a readiness check in the Active Upgrade console to confirm that your
system meets the prerequisites for the upgrade process.
4. You start the upgrade process by initiating split mode, which divides the
fault-tolerant, duplexed system (Figure 1-1) into two independent, simplexed
systems (Figure 1-2) — a Production Side, which continues to run your
applications, and an Upgrade Side, on which you can run software installation
packages.
1-2 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Figure 1-1. Duplexed System
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process
Internal Storage
Figure 1-2. Splitting the System
Duplexed System
Duplexed SystemConsole
Network
Console
VTM
System Data
Mirror
System Data
External
Storage
duet001
Internal Storage
Production Side (Live)
System Data
No
External
Storage
Mirror
Disabled
Remote
Network
Connection
Connection
Upgrade Side (Isolated)
VTM
System
Software
Installation
duet002
Overview 1-3
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.
Meanwhile, the Production Side retains access to system resources and continues
to run your applications uninterrupted.
5. After the system successfully enters split mode, you establish a remote connection
to the Upgrade Side of the system through the private network that exists between
the VTM adapters in each CPU- I ⁄ O enclosure. Using this remote connection, you
can perform any of the following upgrade tasks on the Upgrade Side:
• Run software installation programs (see “Software Upgrade Support” on
page 2-1 for restrictions).
• Restart the operating system, if necessary.
• Perform limited testing of the installed updates. (The Upgrade Side has no
access to the network or application data disks during this stage.)
You can also completely abort the upgrade from the Active Upgrade console, if
necessary.
6. When you are finished installing software on the Upgrade Side, you disconnect the
remote connection to the Upgrade Side and initiate the merge process.
When you merge the system, the Active Upgrade console stops your applications
on the Production Side and unmounts any application data disks to ensure that
pending disk updates are flushed to disk. It then merges system resources so that
the network and application data disks become available to the whole system
again. With the exception of the internal disks, all critical system resources return
to duplex mode (Figure 1-3).
1-4 Express5800/320Fc Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Figure 1-3. Merged System
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process
Internal Storage
Data
Duplexed SystemConsole
Network
External
Storage
(Old System) (Current Data)
Mirror
Disabled
System
(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. After the system is successfully merged, you can test your applications and verify
the success of your upgrades with full access to the system’s resources. If you
discover a problem, you can still abort the upgrade process and restore the system
to its previous state, because the original copy of your system disk (on the
Production Side) has not been overwritten yet.
8. When you are certain that the upgrades were successful, you can commit the
changes to make them permanent.
When you commit the changes, the Active Upgrade console resynchronizes the
RDR disks in your system by overwriting the original Production Side system disk
and stale Upgrade Side data disks with their partner disks, which are up-to-date
(Figure 1-4).
NOTE
Because the original version of your system disk is erased
during the commit process, you cannot abort an upgrade
session after initiating the commit process.
Overview 1-5
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process
Figure 1-4. Committing the Upgrade
Internal Storage
Data
Duplexed SystemConsole
Network
External
Storage
(Old System) (Current Data)
Remirror
with RDR
System
(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. You do not
need to restart the system, and, because your application is already running on the
upgraded software, there is no additional downtime.
Related Topics
• “Aborting the Active Upgrade Process”
• “Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8
•
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1
• “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2
Aborting the Active Upgrade Process
Aborting the Active Upgrade process stops the current upgrade session and returns
your system to its original state. If necessary, you can abort an upgrade session at any
point up until you commit the upgrade.
If you abort the upgrade session while the system is in split mode, no downtime is
incurred. Your applications continue to run on the Production Side while the Active
Upgrade console restores the system to duplex mode.
1-6 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
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.
In either case, the abort process uses RDR resynchronization to restore the internal
disks to their original state by overwriting the unwanted Upgrade Side system disk and
stale Upgrade Side data disks with their original partner disks (Figure 1-4).
Figure 1-5. Aborting the Upgrade
Internal Storage
Data
(Old Data)
duet006
Duplexed SystemConsole
Network
External
Storage
System
(Old System) (Current Data)
Remirror
with RDR
(Upgraded)
After you abort the upgrade process, you can start another upgrade session as soon
as the RDR disk resynchronization is complete.
Related Topics
• “Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8
• “Overview of the Active Upgrade Process” on page 1-2
• “Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8
• “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1
• “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2
Overview 1-7
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. Active Upgrade State Model
Finish
Commit
Finish
Idle
Check
Readiness
Idle
Commit
Merge
Execute
Merge
Split Mode
Abort
Abort Abort
Prepare
Merge
Finish
Abort
Prepare
Merge
Abort
Split
Prepare
Split
Prepare
Split
Execute
Split
duet005a
The state model helps to demonstrate the sequence of events in the Active Upgrade
process, as follows:
1. All upgrade sessions start in the Idle state, where you can run the readiness check
as many times as necessary to verify that your system meets the prerequisites of
the upgrade process. The system continues to run normally, and both sides of the
system continue to be synchronized.
2. When you start an upgrade session, the Active Upgrade console switches to the
PrepareSplit state, during which it runs a final readiness check and additional
background tasks. If the system is ready, the console immediately switches to the
Split state and proceeds to divide the system into two independently running
systems.
1-8 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
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. When you are done installing software on the Upgrade Side and you start the
merge process, the Active Upgrade console switches to the PrepareMerge state,
during which it runs additional readiness tests and background tasks. If the system
is ready, the console immediately switches to the Merge state and restarts your
applications on the Upgrade Side.
4. When you are satisfied that everything is working correctly and you start the
commit process, the Active Upgrade console switches to the Commit state, during
which it starts the resynchronization of your RDR disks. You can subsequently start
the finish process, during which the Active Upgrade console switches to the Finish
state, cleans up system resources, and then returns the system to the Idle state.
The upgrade session is complete.
If necessary, you can abort the upgrade process from the PrepareSplit, Split,
PrepareMerge, and Merge states. When you abort an upgrade session, the Active
Upgrade console switches to the Abort state, during which it restores your system to
its original configuration and starts the resynchronization of your RDR disks. You can
subsequently initiate the finish process, as you would after committing an upgrade.
Alternatively, you can retry any of the Active Upgrade states to recover the system from
a transient failure and move on to the next states without aborting the entire upgrade
session.
All of these Active Upgrade states are reported in the activity log and status bar of the
Active Upgrade console during the upgrade process. See “Understanding the Active
Upgrade Console Interface” on page 2-20 for more information.
Related Topics
• “Overview of the Active Upgrade Process” on page 1-2
• “Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-9
• “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1
• “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2
Overview 1-9
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process
1-10 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
Chapter 2
Preparing for the Active Upgrade
Process
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
Express5800/320
• 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.
• Configuring Windows Firewall for the Active Upgrade process.
• Configuring a UPS-protected system for the Active Upgrade process.
• Gathering information about your system.
• Copying any software installation packages to the system before the upgrade
starts.
• Configuring Microsoft Windows Automatic Updates.
Fc system.
2-
• Starting the Active Upgrade console.
• Understanding the Active Upgrade console.
Software Upgrade Support
Active Upgrade technology currently supports the installation of high-priority updates
(also known as hotfixes) for the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system. It
also supports the installation or upgrade of application software that meets the
following criteria:
• The application’s executable files, configuration files, and temporary files (for
example, cache files) reside on internal system disks that are mirrored with RDR.
• The application’s persistent data files reside on separate data disks, either internal
or external. (Data volumes that reside on the same physical disk as a system
volume are not supported.)
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-1
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.
Active Upgrade technology does not support the following types of upgrades:
• Any upgrade that requires network connectivity during the upgrade process.
For example, you cannot use an installation program that downloads its installation
files from the Internet as the upgrade progresses. If possible, you must download
the complete installation package to the system prior to initiating split mode.
• BIOS, BMC, or VTM firmware updates, which you can already perform while the
system is duplexed and online. See the Express5800/320
for more information.
Related Topics
• Overview
• “System Prerequisites”
• “Recommendations” on page 2-5
Fc: User Guide
• “Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6
• “Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7
System Prerequisites
Active Upgrade technology is supported only on Express5800/320Fc
systems that:
• Are running in duplex mode prior to starting the upgrade process.
The CPU- I ⁄ O enclosures must be duplexed, and all critical resources in the
enclosures must be duplexed.
A critical resource is a device (such as a CPU, hard disk, or host bus adapter) that
is necessary to maintain fault tolerance. Non-fault-tolerant resources (such as tape
drives) connected to the system do not affect the Active Upgrade process.
• Contain teamed embedded Ethernet PCI adapters.
All embedded Ethernet PCI adapters must be teamed with the Intel PROSet utility,
and each Ethernet team must contain at least one Ethernet PCI adapter from each
CPU- I ⁄ O enclosure. Furthermore, at least one team of embedded Ethernet PCI
adapters must have an active network link in each CPU- I ⁄ O enclosure.
2-2 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
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. The readiness check in Active Upgrade console displays a warning for
each unteamed Ethernet PCI adapter, but the warnings do not prevent you from
proceeding with the upgrade process.
N O T E
If you modify the configuration of your Ethernet PCI
adapters and Ethernet teams to meet these prerequisites,
it could impact network connectivity for the system. You
should schedule this work to minimize impact to your
critical applications.
See the Express5800/320Fc: User Guide for more information about
configuring Ethernet PCI adapters and Ethernet teams.
• Contain Virtual Technician Modules (VTMs).
The VTMs provide the connection between the Production Side and Upgrade Side
during the Active Upgrade process. Both VTMs must be configured properly and
connected to the same subnetwork, preferably on a dedicated maintenance
network.
• Can tolerate running in simplex mode for a brief period during the upgrade.
Because each side of the system runs in simplex mode during the upgrade, an
interruption on the side that is actively running your critical applications can result
in downtime.
C A U T I O N
!
You cannot restart the operating system on the Production
Side during an upgrade (though you can restart the
Upgrade Side as many times as necessary.) Also, it is
unsafe to pull an enclosure from a split-mode, simplexed
system because doing so terminates all processes
running on that enclosure.
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-3
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 Express5800/320Fc System Software Release 5.0 or higher.
• Have been updated with the latest firmware to support Active Upgrade technology,
including required BMC and VTM updates.
Furthermore, the Active Upgrade process has the following storage requirements:
• All internal hard disks must be configured with RDR and must be duplexed
(synchronized) before the upgrade process starts.
• The operating system boot volume and all active Windows operating system
components must be located on internal RDR disks. This includes any volumes
that contain paging (virtual memory) files for the operating system.
• Any disk that contains software you want to upgrade cannot contain persistent
data files for your business-critical applications (those applications that continue to
run during the upgrade process). You must store your data files on separate data
disks, either internal or external. (Data volumes that reside on the same physical
disk as a system or paging volume are also not supported.)
• External storage devices are always considered data disks. You cannot upgrade
software on external storage devices, as these devices not available to the
Upgrade Side of the system while the system is in split mode.
Also see “Recommendations” on page 2-5 for more information.
Related Topics
• Overview
• “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1
• “Recommendations” on page 2-5
• “Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6
• “Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7
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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.
• If your system is protected by Windows Firewall, enable the exceptions for Active
Upgrade console and Remote Desktop as shown in “Configuring Windows Firewall
for the Active Upgrade Process” on page 2-10.
If Windows Firewall is running, and these exceptions are not enabled,
communication between the Production Side and Upgrade Side might fail during
the upgrade process.
• If your system is protected by an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), ensure that
the CPU- I ⁄ O enclosure with A-side power (CPU enclosure 0, I/O enclosure 10) is
marked as the Primary enclosure in ESMPro before starting the upgrade process.
This configuration provides better protection for your system should power fail
during an upgrade. See “Configuring a UPS-Protected System for the Active
Upgrade Process” on page 2-11 for more information.
Recommendations
Use caution when applying hotfixes from any source. Applying updates
•
indiscriminately may introduce serious problems to your system.
• You should install all Microsoft Security hotfixes (identified by the prefix MS).
• Do not install other types of hotfixes, such as Microsoft patches that fix a
particular problem, before obtaining validation from NEC Corporation of
America.
Please refer to NEC Corporation of America's support website for infromation
pertaining to the application of Microsoft Windows patches, hotfixes, and
service packs. http://support.necam.com/servers/ft
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-5
Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process
Related Topics
• Overview
• “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1
• “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2
• “Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6
• “Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7
Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process
The Active Upgrade console allows you to specify how business-critical applications
are started and stopped during the Active Upgrade process.
If your system runs business-critical applications, such as Microsoft Exchange Server
or SQL Server, these applications can run on only one side of the system—the
Production Side—when you split the system. They must be stopped on the other side—
the Upgrade Side—to prevent resource conflicts and to allow you to proceed with
upgrade tasks. Furthermore, when you merge the system, the same applications must
be stopped on the Production Side and restarted on the Upgrade Side, so you can test
the applications with the newly-upgraded system disk, and possibly commit the
upgrade.
Typically, critical applications are started and stopped automatically by the operating
system. For example, your application might be configured to start as a service in the
Services Control Manager, or as a startup item in the system registry. But these
resources control your applications only when the operating system itself is started or
stopped. In most cases, to minimize downtime, the Active Upgrade console executes
upgrade operations, like split and merge, without restarting the operating system.
Therefore, if you want your applications to start and stop at the appropriate times during
the upgrade process, you must configure the Active Upgrade console itself to control
the applications
Active Upgrade console provides two methods for controlling your critical applications
during the upgrade process. The method you use for each application depends on the
type of application you want to control:
• Application services
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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. On the Application Services page, you can select each
service you want to manage from the list of services on your system, and, when
you start the upgrade process, the Active Upgrade console automatically starts and
stops these services at the appropriate times. See “Selecting Application Services
to Control” on page 3-9 for more information.
• Custom actions
If you have a custom application or integrated applications from several different
software vendors, and you have special executable files that start and stop these
applications, you can specify the executable files on the Custom Actions page of
the Active Upgrade console during the configuration process. Using the controls on
the Custom Actions page, you can specify when your executable files will run
during the upgrade process, and, if you have several files, you can specify the order
in which they will run. See “Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12 for more
information.
Related Topics
• “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1
• “Selecting Application Services to Control” on page 3-9
• “Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12
Pre-Upgrade Tasks
To prepare for upgrading the system, do the following:
1. Ensure that your system meets the requirements and recommendations discussed
in “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1, “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2,
and “Recommendations” on page 2-5.
2. If necessary, plan for the brief downtime associated with restarting your critical
applications while merging the system.
3. Run backups of the system.
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-7
Pre-Upgrade Tasks
4. Verify the integrity of all RDR disks, as follows:
a. In the RDR Utility click Logical Disk Information.
b. Right-click an RDR virtual disk.
c. Select Verify RDR Virtual Disk. A message appears stating that the operation
d. Repeat for each RDR disk.
5. If necessary, upgrade the BMC and VTM firmware to support Active Upgrade
technology.
6. If necessary, create a user account for yourself in the local Administrators group on
the system.
To install and run the Active Upgrade console, your user account must be in the
Administrators group. Furthermore, because the Upgrade Side of the system has
no access to the network while the system is in split mode, your administrator
account must be a local system account, not a domain account.
7. Install Java Runtime Environment as described in “Installing Java Runtime
Environment” on page 2-13.
8. Install the Active Upgrade console as described in “Installing the Active Upgrade
Software” on page 2-9.
9. If necessary, enable access for Remote Desktop connections from the Production
Side to the Upgrade Side of the system while the system is in split mode, as follows:
completed successfully, meaning that the command has been executed.
a. Open the System control panel.
b. Click the Remote tab to display remote settings.
c. Under Remote Desktop, click the check box next to Allow users to remotely
connect to this computer to activate it.
d. Click OK or Apply to save the setting.
(You need to use either Remote Desktop or Remote KVM to connect to the
Upgrade Side to perform upgrade tasks. For more information, see “Connecting to
the Desktop on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-6.)
10. If applicable, enable the exceptions for Active Upgrade console and Remote
Desktop in Windows Firewall properties, as shown in “Configuring Windows
Firewall for the Active Upgrade Process” on page 2-10.
11. If applicable, ensure that the CPU- I⁄ O enclosure with A-side, UPS-protected
power (CPU enclosure 0, I/O enclosure 10) is the primary, active enclosure, as
shown in “Configuring a UPS-Protected System for the Active Upgrade Process”
on page 2-11.
12. Gather information about your system using the worksheet in “Gathering
Information” on page 2-15.
13. If necessary, copy any required software installation packages to the system, as
described in “Copying Software Installation Packages to the System” on page 2-18.
2-8 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide
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