Adding VMWare node to existing hardware cluster

[Jean-Christophe Majchrzak]

Hello,

I need to add a node to an existing hardware Type 7816I4 Telepresence Publisher.
It was initially installed with release 7.1.5 and was upgraded to 8.5.1 a few months ago (with additional RAM)
Next upgrade target is 8.6.2 SU2 in order to support TX9000.

I plan to add the additional node as a VMWare server before the upgrade from 8.5.1 to 8.6.2 SU2

I've read all the well documented documentation related to adding a subsequent node and the great Cisco wiki for VMWare (http://docwiki.cisco.com/wiki/Unified_Communications_VMware_Requirements#Best_Practices), but I still have a few questions...

- Can I run safely my Telepresence endpoints with a mixed cluster made of (old) hardware and VM server(s) ?
- I need to use an OVA file for VM template, but there is no OVA file for version 7.1.5, so I cannot start installation from this version.
- I've the versions 7.1.5 and 8.6.2 bootable DVD but not the 8.5.1 version...But I cannot start the installation with a version that is greater than my Publisher's one...

Any suggestion on how to proceed ?

JC,

[Jaime Valencia · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can have a mix of MCS/UCS in a CUCM cluster.

Officially 8.0(2) is the very first CUCM supported on ESXi, nothing before that is supported.

We're supporting a jump upgrade to 9.X with 6.X/7.X on VMWare, but only for version 9.X

You would need to go the unsupported way, manually create the VM, install, restore, go to target version, do a fresh install on that version, and do once again a backup from the upgraded non-supported path, into the fresh install VM.

Since you don't have a fresh install media for 8.5, I'd suggest you to go all the way to 8.6 on MCS, and then just add the VM as a subscriber on that release, it will be fully supported and you'll avoid all what I just mentioned, use the 8.6 media, and choose to install a patch during install to match the SU from PUB.

HTH

java

if this helps, please rate

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[Jean-Christophe Majchrzak]

You're right it's far better this way.

Thanks Java,