Upgrade CUCM and CUC from 8.5.1 to 11.5

[zdesignstudio]

I need to do an upgrade from 8.5.1 to 11.5 of CUCM and CUC.

CUCM is a PUB/SUB running on two MCS 7816H3 servers and CUC is a PUB and is already a VM.

I am a little confused if an external USB storage device is required for the CUCM upgrade on the MCS servers. Its documented and I have used one for 7825H3 servers but it doesn't technically state the 7816H3.

Below is my process.

CUCM

1. DRS 8.5.1 on MCS

2. Upgrade 8.5.1 to 8.6.2 on MCS

3. DRS 8.6.2

4. Install 8.6.2 fresh on VM

5. DRS restore 8.6.2 on VM -- Decom MCS servers

6. Upgrade 8.6.2 to 11.5

The above doesnt include any of the COP files that may/are required.

Thanks,

[zdesignstudio]

Upgrade complete.

Not one single issue. 

Used PCD for CUCM Migration

Did manual for Unity Connections Upgrade - Used 2 COP files in process.

Very surprised as to how easy PCD made the migration for CUCM though.

[Chris Deren]

Correct, that is what Migration task is, it installs the new servers and migrates/converts the data from old environment onto the new one.

[Jaime Valencia]

In PCD a migration means that the current configuration will be taken out of the server, a new target server will be installed, and the information will be pushed to it.

You can change hostname and/or IP during the procedure.

A PCD upgrade, is pretty much the same old upgrade procedure. PCD only helps to automate the process, but the actual procedure is pretty much the same (PCD can schedule when to start, will load the ISO and start the upgrade). Anything that needs to be done  before or after (adjust VM specs, install COP files, etc.) still has to be done manually (PCD can help you install COP files, but VM changes are still a manual process.)

Without PCD, a migration is usually referred to the process of moving the data from one virtual machine/host to another one via DRS/BAT/COBRAS, or if already in VM, moving the VM to another host.

An upgrade, is the same old upgrade we've had since 5.x before PCD was around.

If you're upgrading, you need to read the RN, as well as the upgrade guides for all the information about the procedure, pre-reqs, post-upgrade changes, etc.

[Chris Deren]

Jaime,

I would argue this statement:

A PCD upgrade, is pretty much the same old upgrade procedure. PCD only helps to automate the process, but the actual procedure is pretty much the same (PCD can schedule when to start, will load the ISO and start the upgrade). Anything that needs to be done  before or after (adjust VM specs, install COP files, etc.) still has to be done manually (PCD can help you install COP files, but VM changes are still a manual process.)

As it also eliminate the need of installing exact same version of the application in order for DRS restore to work, which was usually the biggest issue on migrations to new hardware. You needed to ensure you have proper exact version, ensure it was supported on the new hardware, otherwise you needed another upgrade window on the old hardware, etc.  With PCD these steps are bundled into a single step.

[Jaime Valencia]

Yes, on a PCD migration, but the PCD upgrade doesn't move anything, it's still an in-place upgrade.