I keep running into a question when dealing with IPT upgrade projects, and I need to get an absolute answer. We all know that only 8.x UC products are “supported” on the UCS virtualized platforms, but I need to know if it’s “ok” (for lack of a better term) in Cisco’s eyes to install a lower-rev version just as a transition step during an upgrade.
I’ll use a current project I’m working on - existing Unity Connection 7.1(3) box running on 7835H2 (overlay 2) hardware – this server has 72-GB HDD’s, which will not support an in-place upgrade to 8.5. If it’s impossible to install 7.1(3) on the UCS platform (again, just for a couple hours), then we can’t use the Disaster Recovery System (DRS) to backup/restore from old to new using like versions. We’d have to either rebuild the environment from scratch on the 8.5 UCS install, or install bigger HDD (146+) in the existing UCN box, re-install 7.1(3), restore, upgrade in-place, THEN DRS backup/restore. Yuk.
Here's what I'd like to be able to do:
- Perform a backup of existing UC app (such as Unity Connection 7.1) using DRS
- Install Unity Connection 7.1 on the UCS platform (which would only be temporary - bridged upgrade)
- Perform a DRS restore to UCS
- Perform an in-place upgrade on UCS to Unity Connection 8.5
I know that UCS will allow an install of older versions of UC products – it’s just a matter of Cisco “supporting” it. If Cisco would have no issue supporting an upgrade where an older version could be used on UCS for a bridged upgrade, and then immediately upgraded to a supported (8.x) version, then this would significantly streamline these types of upgrades in the future.
Thank you!
