> We are using an Alphaserver 4100 5/466 with a Storageworks 450 RAID Array.
> This machine is used for development and testing purposes in order to
> support a bespoke application. This application is used by two of our
> clients. We (the two clients and ourselves) will need to upgrade the OS very
> soon. I am interested to get an understanding of the best (and safest) way
> to do this, given that we must be able to support both clients throughout
> the upgrade process. I had considered the following;
> 1) Schedule (only) the upgrade on site - to be managed by the clients.
> 2) Lease a machine and configuring it so that could be used to support both
> clients.
> 3) Perform the OS upgrade on the original machine.
> 4) Test the OS.
> 5) Test the application
> 6) Fix any problems
> 7) Deliver the application fixes
> 8) Give the OK to both clients to perform the OS upgrade and apply any
> application patches.
> 9) Allow a week or so in case there are any major upgrade issues
> 10) Return the leased machine.
> Having never performed an OS upgrade I am obviously concerned about the
> implications of the upgrade. Can anyone advise me on the following;
> 1) What kind of problems might I encounter?
No real trouble to be expected; read the instructions in the install
guide. I think you'll have to go in two steps here: first to 4.0F,
and then to 5.1. At least, that is what I had to do last year when
going from 4.0D to 5.0A. In any case, the install guide will contain a
list of upgrade paths.
Note that there are certain Layered Products that can act up here -
DCE once gave me trouble, as did the X.400 stuff. You usually have to
uninstall them prior to the upgrade, and re-install afterwards. The
"installupdate" script will complain if you need to do this, but it
never hurts to be prepared (find the appropriate CD-ROM).
Compaq introduced abominable "WEB-enabled agents" with 4.0F; after the
upgrade, you will have complaints from your firewall crew with respect
to broadcasts from port 2301. This is the Insight Manager. You might
like it, but it made me look stupid in front of a security auditor
once, so I hate Compaq for automatically installing it with an
upgrade.
You'll have to get used to the new device names for disks.
Another issue is ADVFS, if you are using it. V5 brought us a new ADVFS
Version as well (4, I think). The old File Domains are upward
compatible. I had trouble once with a fairly large (120 gig) Old-Style
File Domain panicking on me during a rmvol operation under
5.0A. Nothing serious, though. ADVFS is admirably robust.
Quote:> 2) Are there any automated scripts for testing the OS after the upgrade?
What do you want to test? If you have a regression test suite for your
application, then applying that would make sense.
Quote:> 3) Is the above a gold plated solution?
Sounds good to me.
Quote:> 4) What is the recommended approach?
> Any help or advise is much appreciated.
> Regards,
> Mat.
Florian
--
This thing, that hath a code and not a core,
Hath set acquaintance where might be affections,
And nothing now
Disturbeth his reflections. -- Ezra Pound, "An Object"
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