Upgrading a single CUCN server to 8.6.1 without any downtime

[leiboldsp]

Does anybody have any recommendation for me to upgrade a single CUCN server running 7..0.2 to 8.6.2a ?  Eventually I am going to run on virtualized servers.  Is there a best practice for this without any downtime?  I am thinking of building new virtualized and implementing the COBRA backup and restore but will this work?  Has anybody tried it?  I dont have a way of trying it. 

[Chris Deren]

Since this is an Appliance upgrade there should be no downtime as you are upgrading into INACTIVE partition and then just restart it after-hours.

HTH,

Chris

[leiboldsp]

Chris thanks for the response.  It does help!  I am looking for the answers.  This server is running a 24 hour a day.I only have one server.  I have read that the upgrade from 7.0.2 to 8.6.2a requires a intermediate step. Is this true? I also read that the upgrade changes the controller from a hardware based to software based.  and requires the data to be backed up to a USB drive.   Is this correct?  Is there an alternative using cobra to just migrate the data to the new virtualized servers?  Do you know of a process to do this?

[Chris Deren]

Correct you will need to go to version 7.1.3 before going to 8.6, you  will also need to install scocm.refresh_upgrade.cop.

What contorler are you referring to?

You only need USB drive if your server is MCS 7825-H3 or HP DL320G5

Sure you  can use COBRA, or you could also do this upgrade process on the UCS server, it is not officially supported to install UCON 7.X on UCS and perform the upgrade there, but I have done it few times and know lots of people who competed it successfully.  Your choice.

If you have not seen the upgrade doc, here is the link:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/connection/8x/upgrade/guide/8xcucrug007.html

Chris

[leiboldsp]

Chris,

Thanks for the propmt response.

Yes I read that if we upgrade the server that the raid controllers inside the server are converted from hardware based to software based.  .  Yes I am using a MCS 7825-H3 server so if I have to upgrade I will need one of these USB keys to move the data.  I am leaning towards migrating using cobra to virtualized UCSB200 server.  I am learning about cobra now.  Never used it before.  Do I still have to upgrade from 7.0.2 to do a cobra migration?  My thoughts are to leave the old versions running and build new and do a migration. 

[Rob Huffman]

Hi there,

Connection 7.0(2) would be supported here

	COBRAS Export for Connection 7.x and later
Version	8.0.7
Last Update	1/19/2012
Statistics	6.5 meg self installing EXE (will check                           for .NET 4.0 files) - can be installed on any Windows XP,                           Vista, Windows 7 Windows Server 2000/2003/2008 that has                           network connectivity to the target Connection server.
Compatibility	Connection 7.x Connection 8.x NOTE: For message                           extraction to work 7.0(2) or later is required.                            Backups of 7.0(1) are directory data only.

http://www.ciscounitytools.com/Applications/General/COBRAS/COBRAS.html

Cheers!

Rob