need to migrate Unity 4 to Unity 7

[jburk]

I have a customer that has an old MCS that cannot be upgraded to Unity 7, they are running Unity 4 - They have UCSS so we have a PAK for Unity 7 and have ordered a new MCS appliance to install Unity 7 on. does anyone know the best route to migrate Unity servers and migrate all the licenses?

The upgrade guides dont really cover new appliances as part of the upgrade.

[lindborg]

version "4" isn't really very specific - there are 7 derivatives of version 4 (4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.04, 4.05, 4.1 and 4.2). The answer can depend on which one you're at.

The license file is issued new (it must be - the files are tied to the MAC of the machine and when moving machines a new license must be issued) - go through your account team and they'll get you a new license file for the new server to use.

Migrating data has a couple options and which one's are available to you depends on which version of 4 you're at.

If you're on 4.0(5) or later you can use COBRAS to migrate all your user, call handlers, interviewers, schedules, distribution lists and messages over in one shot directly from 4.0(5) to 7:

http://www.ciscounitytools.com/App_COBRAS.htm

If you're at an older version of 4.x you can use DiRT to back it up, install that same version of 4.x to the new platform, restore with DiRT and then upgrade to 7.0 from there:

http://www.ciscounitytools.com/App_DisasterRecoveryTools.htm

[jburk]

I am on 4.0(5) - wouldn't a DiRT backup/restore copy all settings and point my users to the new box rather than having to move things like holidays and manually rehome users to the new box? I am thinking this would be a better route to go if it is possible.

[lindborg]

Yes, DiRT gets more data (covered in some detail in the COBRAS help file if you're interested). If does require you restore to the same version you backed up so you add an extra step here - you need to install 4.0(5) on your new hardware, then restore then upgrade to 7. But it gets more data - many sites don't have much invested in information outside of call handlers, users, distribution lists, interviewers and schedules and prefer the "one shot" move option instead. Up to you...

[Ginger Dillon]

Hi - When you are ready to "rehost" your current 4.x license files to the new server, you can send the *.lic files to licensing@cisco.com with the MAC of the new server a couple of days in advance of your upgrade plans. Then if you choose to DIRT Restore 4.0(5) to the new server, you can simply use the demo license that comes with Unity when you build the new server, test functionality, and finally DIRT Restore. You can then add the license files Cisco sends you. You will also need to add the "upgrade" license file for version 5.X or 7.X.

Hope this helps! Ginger

[jburk]

OK so I installed 4.0(5) on the new box - since I am using the same mail store do I need to backup messages in the DiRT backup or can I leave that unselected? my mail store is huge, like 1TB so I am concerned about backing up inboxes.

[Ginger Dillon]

Hi -

If you are using unified messaging, you don't need to backup voice messages with DiRT. I never have since these messages are covered via our Exchange backups.

Ginger

[Torridon]

Im planning the same upgrade, currently on unity 4.0.4 so I will be using dirt. I thing I want to make sure I understand though. The new server hardware has come preloaded with windows 2003, unity is not yet loaded, the existing server is windows 2000. I know dirt needs the version of unity to be the same, but will it make a difference if the OS is different? Will Unity 4.0.4 load onto a new 7835-I3? After porting unity to the new server I plan on upgrading unity to 7, would this be the most appropiate way to go?

[lindborg]

DiRT does not know or care what the OS rev is - doesn't come into play, it concerns itself only with Unity specific data in SQL, the registry and in the file system.

I'm not entirely sure 4.0(4) is supported on 2003 - been a long time since I worked with a version that old... I'd think it would install and work ok regardless at least long enough for you do do the upgrade at any rate.

[David Hailey]

Just FYI: 4.0(4) is the first 4x version to support Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 install.

Hailey