Database restore when upgrading cucm 6.x or 7.x to 8.x

[feisalb]

Hello All

If I backup my database in 6.x or 7.x version of cucm and then upgrade to 8.x, to get it up and running can I simply restore the older version database onto 8.x?

Taking into account the upgrade matrix and licensing have been adhered to.

Thanks

Feisal

[Rob Huffman]

Hi Feisal,

The DRF backup/restore must be on the exact same version (including SR's)

so this will be a two step process.

Here's a clip;

Caution

Before you restore Cisco Unified Communications Manager, ensure that the Cisco Unified Communications Manager version that is installed on the server matches the version of the backup file that you want to restore.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/drs/6_0_1/drs/drsag601.html#wp169048

Cheers!

Rob

[feisalb]

Finally I have got Rob to answer one of my many questions that I have posted, it is an honour sir.

From you answer I assume that if I upgrade software levels the database is upgraded as part of the process.

If the upgrade fails for whatever reason I can activate the original cucm version. And in a db failure of the current version I can use the backup to restore.

Thanks

Feisal

[Rob Huffman]

Hi Feisal,

I'm honored by your kind words my friend, it's a pleasure

When you upgrade along the supported incremental path the db is upgraded

appropriately along the way as well. If for some reason the upgrade fails you

can rollback to the original version which is sitting on the inactive partition. You

will need to restart/restore the database replication if you do a version rollback

but it is certainly possible. If you were doing the 6.x to 7.x to 8.x path, you might want to

do this as separate upgrades where you move 6.x to 7.x let everything simmer down

do new DRS backups etc. and then move to 8.x in a separate window. There are many

many considerations like hardware, licensing, phone firmware etc. etc. so spending as

much time planning and doing due diligence as possible is always a great idea.

Cheers!

Rob

[Wes Schochet]

So what happens when you are at 6.3 and lose a node in a cluster.  If there are only install disks for 6.0, you can't build another 6.0 node and then upgrade because the databases are at a different version?