Re: CM 4.1 Migration to 9.0

tech_guru · ‎12-03-2012

Good Day,

We have the following opportunity and need help of expereinced community experts

Below is a list of existing equipment:

Customer currently has 2 – MCS Servers with approx. 200 – 7960 IP Phones
150 Analog Licenses
Cisco Unity on MCS Server with 200 Licenses
Cisco 3825 Voice Gateway with 12.1 IOS
Catalyst 4507R Core and 3750 Distribution Switches 12.x IOS
VG224 Analog Gateways 12.3 IOS

Below is proposed plan:

Migrate Licenses using 9x3 Promo with 200 Enhanced and 150 Essential Licenses
Add 50 CUWL PRO Licenses
Deploy 2 UCS C-Class Servers
If possible re-use existing Voice and Analog Gateways
Migrate 200 Cisco Unity Connection License

We are looking at either using a full blown CUCM (1000 user node) or going with CUCM BE6000.

For the CUCM BE 6000 we need to know if this is a supported migration option.

Also regarding the migration itself we understand it a multiple step:

- 4.1 - 4.3 on same server using DMA

- 4.3 - 7.0 requires MCS Server

- 7.0 - 9.0 using new UCS appliance

We need assistance with the actual migration steps and what hardware is required apart from UCS appliance.

Also compatiability for older devices 12.1 IOS on router and 12.3 for Voice Gateway.

dakeller · ‎12-03-2012

Although you can perform the migration from 4.1 to 9.0 virtual, I would strongly advise you not do it. The reason is due to the number of upgrade hopes and hardware changes that would need to occur to get from 4.1 to 9.0. My recommendation would be to BAT out as much as you can from the 4.1 system and install new on 9.0. There are three reasons for this recommendation. First off, your existing hardware probably won't support a 7.x installation, so you would need to acquire HW just to install 7.x (remember that 8.0(2) was the first supported VM version, so you can't install 7.1(5) in VM). Secondly, you will have to perform 3 major upgrades and at least one hardware replacement migration to get to 9.0. Finally, with only 200 devices, it would be quicker to BAT export and BAT import the devices back into 9.0.

Although the 4.x version does not allow any export of your non-device/user configurations (like device pools, MRGL, dial plan, xlates, etc), but for 200 devices, the 4.1-9.0 upgrade path will easily take 24-30 hours to complete if you have everything ready to go and you encounter no issues. A new installation should take 8-10 hours including install and basic functionality testing. Plus, you will have to do 2 relicensing requests. The first will be on 7.x and the second will be on 9.0 (to get to ELM).

From my experience with upgrading to version 8.0 or later from a version of CUCM prior to 5.x, the easiest path is to BAT export devices/users, install the target version, then BAT in the device/user info and reconfigure the rest of the dialplan. Any upgrade that comprises 2 back to back upgrades introduces risk that can be minimized by doing a new install at the target version.

Thanks,

Dan Keller

Technical Marketing Engineer

bastienbertout · ‎12-05-2012

Hi,

I also have to upgrade from 4.1.3 to 9.X.

My customer only has 100 users / devices.

As you mentioned, it seems to me that it's much easier to do a clean install of 9.X, to reconfigure everything except devices/users and then to do BAT export devices/users from 4.1 to version 9.

But I'm wondering how I will be able to have my licenses files ?

When I buy Migrate Licenses using 9x3 Promo, I remember that I receive nothing else but node license PAK (it was with 8.X - with 9.0 I expect to receive nothing at all !).

Will licensing@cisco.com be able to help me ?

If yes, what will I have to bring them ? Will SO number of my migration order + existing 4.1 license be enough to them ?

Thanx for your help,

Regards,

Bastien.

dakeller · ‎12-14-2012

The recommendation for Pre 5.x systems will be to install a new cluster at 9.0, then migrate users from the 4.1 system to the 9.0. A SIP trunk between the 2 CUCMs will provide enough interconnet to migrate users over time between the 2 systems.

As for licensing on 9.0, you will need to contact licsening@cisco.com to have them convert the RTU licenses to UCL or CUWL licenses. I do not have specific details on that process and what licensing may need, but that will be the quickest way to migrate between 4.x and 9.0.

Thanks,

Dan Keller

Technical Marketing Engineer