NEC Server 320Fc User Manual

Express5800/320Fc:  
Active UpgradeUser’s Guide  
NEC Corporation of America  
456-01720-000  
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Contents  
Preface  
vii  
1. Overview  
1-1  
1-1  
1-2  
1-6  
1-8  
Features  
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
Aborting the Active Upgrade Process  
Active Upgrade State Model  
2. Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process  
Software Upgrade Support  
2-1  
2-1  
2-2  
2-5  
2-6  
2-7  
2-9  
System Prerequisites  
Recommendations  
Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process  
Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
Installing the Active Upgrade Software  
Configuring Windows Firewall for the Active Upgrade Process  
2-10  
Configuring a UPS-Protected System for the Active  
Upgrade Process  
Installing Java Runtime Environment  
Gathering Information  
2-11  
2-13  
2-15  
2-18  
2-18  
2-21  
2-22  
2-22  
2-23  
2-26  
2-27  
Copying Software Installation Packages to the System  
Configuring Windows Automatic Updates  
Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console  
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
Title Bar  
Navigation Bar  
Main Window  
Status Bar  
3. Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
3-1  
3-1  
Creating and Managing Configuration Files  
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Contents  
Creating a Configuration File  
Loading a Configuration File  
3-2  
3-3  
Editing an Existing Configuration File  
Performing an Upgrade with No Configuration File  
Saving a Configuration File  
3-4  
3-4  
3-5  
Selecting Disks to Upgrade  
3-5  
Selecting Other Configurations to Include  
Selecting Application Services to Control  
Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up  
Configuring Custom Actions  
3-7  
3-9  
3-10  
3-12  
3-15  
3-15  
3-16  
3-17  
3-17  
Programming Notes for Custom Actions  
Starting and Stopping Applications  
Using Active Upgrade Environment Variables  
Generating Exit Values  
Viewing Standard Output and Error Stream  
Executing Visual Basic Scripts and Other Types of Execut-  
able Files  
3-18  
3-19  
3-19  
Providing a Description for a Configuration File  
Displaying the Upgrade Summary  
4. Performing the Upgrade  
4-1  
4-1  
Performing a Readiness Check  
Splitting the System  
4-3  
Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side  
Connecting to the Desktop on the Upgrade Side  
Running Software Installation Programs  
Restarting the Upgrade Side  
Managing Your Applications on the Production Side  
Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Merging the System  
Merging the System  
4-5  
4-6  
4-10  
4-12  
4-14  
4-15  
4-15  
Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Committing the Upgrade  
4-17  
Committing the Upgrade  
Aborting the Upgrade  
Finishing the Upgrade  
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
Activity Log  
4-18  
4-19  
4-20  
4-21  
4-21  
4-25  
Status Bar  
5. Troubleshooting  
5-1  
5-1  
5-2  
Saving the Activity Log to a File  
Verifying the Status of Application Services  
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Contents  
Verifying the Status of Installed Software  
Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing  
General Problems and Solutions  
5-3  
5-5  
5-6  
Glossary  
Glossary-1  
Index-1  
Index  
Contents  
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Figures  
Figures  
Figure 1-1. Duplexed System  
Figure 1-2. Splitting the System  
1-3  
1-3  
Figure 1-3. Merged System  
1-5  
Figure 1-4. Committing the Upgrade  
Figure 1-5. Aborting the Upgrade  
1-6  
1-7  
Figure 1-6. Active Upgrade State Model  
Figure 2-1. Windows Firewall Exceptions  
Figure 2-2. Automatic Updates Control Panel  
Figure 2-3. Automatic Updates Icon in System Tray  
Figure 2-4. Active Upgrade console  
Figure 2-5. Navigation Bar: Configuration  
Figure 2-6. Navigation Bar: Active Upgrade  
Figure 2-7. Navigation Bar: Links  
Figure 2-8. Main Window: Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Figure 2-9. Main Window: Activity Log  
Figure 2-10. Status Bar  
Figure 4-1. Links for Connecting to Upgrade Side  
Figure 4-2. Remote Desktop Title Bar  
Figure 4-3. Automatic Updates Icon in System Tray  
Figure 4-4. Activity Log (in Active Upgrade Console)  
Figure 4-5. Remote Activity Log  
1-8  
2-11  
2-17  
2-18  
2-20  
2-21  
2-22  
2-23  
2-24  
2-25  
2-26  
4-7  
4-9  
4-10  
4-22  
4-22  
4-24  
4-25  
5-3  
Figure 4-6. Activity Log Detail  
Figure 4-7. Status Bar  
Figure 5-1. Service Control Manager  
Figure 5-2. Add or Remove Programs Control Panel  
5-4  
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Tables  
Table 2-1. Active Upgrade Process Worksheet  
Table 3-1. Hard Disk Color Coding  
2-14  
3-6  
3-10  
3-13  
3-14  
3-16  
4-2  
Table 3-2. Selection of Application Services  
Table 3-3. Control Types for Custom Actions  
Table 3-4. Timing for the Advanced Control Type  
Table 3-5. Environment Variables for Custom Actions  
Table 4-1. Activity Log Entries  
Table 4-2. Activity Log Entries  
Table 4-3. Status: Hardware State  
Table 4-4. Status: Upgrade State  
Table 4-5. Status: Operational State  
4-23  
4-25  
4-26  
4-26  
4-27  
5-6  
Table 4-6. Status: Partner State  
Table 5-1. Troubleshooting: Readiness Check  
Table 5-2. Troubleshooting: Custom Actions  
Table 5-3. Troubleshooting: Miscellaneous Problems  
5-8  
5-8  
Tables  
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Tables  
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Preface  
Purpose of This Manual  
The Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide describes the Active  
Upgrade process, which allows you to upgrade system software and applications on  
an Express5800/320Fc system while its critical applications remain online and  
accessible to users.  
The manual provides an overview of the Active Upgrade process, specifies the  
requirements and procedures necessary to prepare the system for the upgrade  
process, and explains how to configure and execute the upgrade process using the  
Active Upgrade console. It also provides information about troubleshooting the Active  
Upgrade process if a problem occurs.  
N O T E S  
1. The information in this manual is also contained in the  
Active Upgrade Help file, which is available in the  
Active Upgrade console and in the Start menu of your  
system in the Express5800/320Fc folder (after you  
install the Active Upgrade software).  
2. For the latest information about Active Upgrade  
technology, including any issues that were discovered  
after this release, see the Express5800/320Fc:  
Active Upgrade User’s Guide online at  
http://support.necam.com/servers/ft  
Audience  
This manual is intended for system administrators who will prepare for and execute an  
Active Upgrade on an Express5800/320Fc system. It assumes that you are familiar  
with administering Express5800/320Fc systems.  
Notation Conventions  
This document uses the notation conventions described in this section.  
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes  
Warnings, cautions, and notes provide special information and have the following  
meanings:  
Preface vii  
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Preface  
W A R N I N G  
!
!
A warning indicates a situation where failure to take  
or avoid a specified action could cause bodily harm or  
loss of life.  
C A U T I O N  
A caution indicates a situation where failure to take or  
avoid a specified action could damage a hardware device,  
program, system, or data.  
N O T E  
A note provides important information about the operation  
of a system.  
Typographical Conventions  
The following typographical conventions are used in Express5800/320Fc system  
documents:  
The bold font emphasizes words in text or indicates text that you type, the name of  
a screen object, or the name of a programming element. For example:  
Before handling or replacing system components, make sure that you are  
properly grounded by using a grounded wrist strap.  
In the System Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab.  
Call the RegisterDeviceNotification function.  
The italic font introduces new terms and indicates programming and command-line  
arguments that the user defines. For example:  
Many hardware components are customer-replaceable units (CRUs), which  
can be replaced on-site by system administrators with minimal training or tools.  
copy filename1 filename2  
Pass a pointer for the NotificationFilter parameter  
The monospace font indicates sample program code and output, including  
message text. For example:  
#include <iostream.h>  
The operation completed successfully.  
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Preface  
Getting Help  
If you have a technical question about Express5800/320Fc hardware or software, try  
these online resources first:  
Online support from NEC Technical Support. You can find the latest technical  
information about an Express5800/320Fc through online product support at the  
NEC Technical Support Web site:  
http://support.necam.com/servers/ft  
®
Online product support for Microsoft products. Your primary source for  
support is the computer manufacturer who provided your software, or an  
authorized Microsoft Support Provider. You can also find the latest technical  
®
information about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products through online  
product support at the Microsoft Help and Support Web site:  
http://support.microsoft.com/  
If you are unable to resolve your questions with the help available at these online sites,  
and the Express5800/320Fc system is covered by a service agreement, please  
contact NEC Technical Support (866-269-1239).  
Notices  
All regulatory notices are provided in the site planning guide for your system.  
Preface  
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Preface  
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Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide  
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Chapter 1  
Overview  
1-  
Active Upgrade™ technology allows you to upgrade system and application software  
on an Express5800/320Fc system with minimal downtime.  
Instead of taking your system offline to run upgrade procedures, you can use Active  
Upgrade technology to split the system into two independently running systems, one  
side of which you upgrade while the other side continues to run your applications  
without interruption.  
To learn more about Active Upgrade technology, see the following topics:  
“Features”  
“Overview of the Active Upgrade Process” on page 1-2  
“Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-9  
N O T E  
For the latest information about Active Upgrade  
technology, including any issues that were discovered  
after this release, see the Express5800/320Fc: Active  
Upgrade User’s Guide online at  
http://support.necam.com/servers/ft  
Features  
Active Upgrade technology allows you to do the following:  
Install software updates with minimal disruption to your critical applications.  
Your business-critical applications continue to run on one side of the system while  
you install software on, and even restart, the other side. There is only a brief  
disruption when you are finished installing updates, as your critical applications are  
restarted on the upgraded software.  
Overview 1-1  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
Test the latest software updates in your environment before making the updates  
permanent.  
After your critical applications are restarted on the upgraded software, you can  
verify the success of your software updates in a production environment, with real  
users and system load. If you want to keep the changes, there is no additional  
downtime. Otherwise, as quickly as your system can restart, you can abort the  
upgrade to go back to the original version of your software.  
Abort the upgrade process at any point, until you commit the changes.  
If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with an upgrade, you can abort the upgrade  
session to return the system to its original state. Nothing is permanent until you  
choose to commit the changes. (Also, if you abort the upgrade early enough in the  
process, before testing the software in your production environment, your critical  
applications are not disrupted.)  
Related Topics  
“Overview of the Active Upgrade Process”  
“Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
The Active Upgrade process involves the following basic steps:  
1. You prepare your system to ensure it meets the prerequisites of the upgrade  
process.  
2. You use the Active Upgrade console to select the disks that are affected by the  
software upgrade and to provide information about any applications or services  
that require special handling during the upgrade process.  
3. You run a readiness check in the Active Upgrade console to confirm that your  
system meets the prerequisites for the upgrade process.  
4. You start the upgrade process by initiating split mode, which divides the  
fault-tolerant, duplexed system (Figure 1-1) into two independent, simplexed  
systems (Figure 1-2) — a Production Side, which continues to run your  
applications, and an Upgrade Side, on which you can run software installation  
packages.  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
Figure 1-1. Duplexed System  
Internal Storage  
System  
Data  
Console  
Duplexed System  
Mirror  
System  
Data  
Network  
External  
Storage  
duet001  
Figure 1-2. Splitting the System  
Console  
Internal Storage  
Production Side (Live)  
System  
Data  
VTM  
Duplexed System  
External  
Storage  
Network  
Mirror  
Disabled  
Remote  
Connection  
No  
Connection  
Upgrade Side (Isolated)  
VTM  
System  
Software  
Installation  
duet002  
Overview 1-3  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
As shown in Figure 1-2, when you split the system, the Active Upgrade console  
disables any Rapid Disk Resync (RDR) mirroring between the internal disks in  
each CPU-IO enclosure and isolates the Upgrade Side from system resources  
such as the network, any user-specified application data disks, and any external  
PCI resources. It also disables user-specified applications and services on the  
Upgrade Side so they cannot restart if you restart the Upgrade Side.  
Meanwhile, the Production Side retains access to system resources and continues  
to run your applications uninterrupted.  
5. After the system successfully enters split mode, you establish a remote connection  
to the Upgrade Side of the system through the private network that exists between  
the VTM adapters in each CPU-IO enclosure. Using this remote connection, you  
can perform any of the following upgrade tasks on the Upgrade Side:  
Run software installation programs (see “Software Upgrade Support” on  
page 2-1 for restrictions).  
Restart the operating system, if necessary.  
Perform limited testing of the installed updates. (The Upgrade Side has no  
access to the network or application data disks during this stage.)  
You can also completely abort the upgrade from the Active Upgrade console, if  
necessary.  
6. When you are finished installing software on the Upgrade Side, you disconnect the  
remote connection to the Upgrade Side and initiate the merge process.  
When you merge the system, the Active Upgrade console stops your applications  
on the Production Side and unmounts any application data disks to ensure that  
pending disk updates are flushed to disk. It then merges system resources so that  
the network and application data disks become available to the whole system  
again. With the exception of the internal disks, all critical system resources return  
to duplex mode (Figure 1-3).  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
Figure 1-3. Merged System  
Internal Storage  
Data  
Console  
Duplexed System  
(Old System) (Current Data)  
Mirror  
Disabled  
System  
Network  
External  
Storage  
(Old Data)  
(Upgraded)  
duet003  
Finally, the system restarts your applications, including the Active Upgrade  
console, from the Upgrade Side system disk. Depending on the complexity of your  
applications and the upgrade you performed, your applications may be back up and  
running in under a minute.  
7. After the system is successfully merged, you can test your applications and verify  
the success of your upgrades with full access to the system’s resources. If you  
discover a problem, you can still abort the upgrade process and restore the system  
to its previous state, because the original copy of your system disk (on the  
Production Side) has not been overwritten yet.  
8. When you are certain that the upgrades were successful, you can commit the  
changes to make them permanent.  
When you commit the changes, the Active Upgrade console resynchronizes the  
RDR disks in your system by overwriting the original Production Side system disk  
and stale Upgrade Side data disks with their partner disks, which are up-to-date  
(Figure 1-4).  
N O T E  
Because the original version of your system disk is erased  
during the commit process, you cannot abort an upgrade  
session after initiating the commit process.  
Overview 1-5  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
Figure 1-4. Committing the Upgrade  
Internal Storage  
Data  
Console  
Duplexed System  
(Old System) (Current Data)  
Remirror  
with RDR  
System  
Network  
External  
Storage  
(Old Data)  
(Upgraded)  
duet004  
When the RDR disk resychronization is finished, all critical system resources are  
running in duplex mode, and the Active Upgrade process is complete. You do not  
need to restart the system, and, because your application is already running on the  
upgraded software, there is no additional downtime.  
Related Topics  
“Aborting the Active Upgrade Process”  
“Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
Aborting the Active Upgrade Process  
Aborting the Active Upgrade process stops the current upgrade session and returns  
your system to its original state. If necessary, you can abort an upgrade session at any  
point up until you commit the upgrade.  
If you abort the upgrade session while the system is in split mode, no downtime is  
incurred. Your applications continue to run on the Production Side while the Active  
Upgrade console restores the system to duplex mode.  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
If you abort the upgrade session while the system is in merge mode, a short period of  
downtime is incurred while the Active Upgrade console initiates a system restart. The  
Active Upgrade console shuts down the Upgrade Side and restarts the system from the  
Production Side, which automatically restarts your applications from the Production  
Side. The period of downtime is only as long as it takes your system and applications  
to restart.  
In either case, the abort process uses RDR resynchronization to restore the internal  
disks to their original state by overwriting the unwanted Upgrade Side system disk and  
stale Upgrade Side data disks with their original partner disks (Figure 1-4).  
Figure 1-5. Aborting the Upgrade  
Internal Storage  
System  
Data  
Console  
Duplexed System  
(Old System) (Current Data)  
Remirror  
with RDR  
Network  
External  
Storage  
(Old Data)  
(Upgraded)  
duet006  
After you abort the upgrade process, you can start another upgrade session as soon  
as the RDR disk resynchronization is complete.  
Related Topics  
“Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8  
“Overview of the Active Upgrade Process” on page 1-2  
“Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
Overview 1-7  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
Active Upgrade State Model  
The state model in Figure 1-6 shows all of the possible Active Upgrade states, and the  
order in which they occur during the Active Upgrade process.  
Figure 1-6. Active Upgrade State Model  
Check  
Readiness  
Idle  
Finish  
Finish  
Idle  
Commit  
Finish  
Prepare  
Split  
Commit  
Abort  
Abort  
Abort  
Prepare  
Split  
Merge  
Abort  
Abort  
Execute  
Merge  
Execute  
Split  
Prepare  
Merge  
Split  
Prepare  
Merge  
Split Mode  
duet005a  
The state model helps to demonstrate the sequence of events in the Active Upgrade  
process, as follows:  
1. All upgrade sessions start in the Idle state, where you can run the readiness check  
as many times as necessary to verify that your system meets the prerequisites of  
the upgrade process. The system continues to run normally, and both sides of the  
system continue to be synchronized.  
2. When you start an upgrade session, the Active Upgrade console switches to the  
PrepareSplit state, during which it runs a final readiness check and additional  
background tasks. If the system is ready, the console immediately switches to the  
Split state and proceeds to divide the system into two independently running  
systems.  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
N O T E  
After the upgrade session leaves the Idle state, you must  
complete the full upgrade process in sequence or abort  
the process altogether. You cannot go back to a previous  
state or skip states, and you cannot proceed to the next  
state if the upgrade is in a Broken or Busy operational  
state.  
3. When you are done installing software on the Upgrade Side and you start the  
merge process, the Active Upgrade console switches to the PrepareMerge state,  
during which it runs additional readiness tests and background tasks. If the system  
is ready, the console immediately switches to the Merge state and restarts your  
applications on the Upgrade Side.  
4. When you are satisfied that everything is working correctly and you start the  
commit process, the Active Upgrade console switches to the Commit state, during  
which it starts the resynchronization of your RDR disks. You can subsequently start  
the finish process, during which the Active Upgrade console switches to the Finish  
state, cleans up system resources, and then returns the system to the Idle state.  
The upgrade session is complete.  
If necessary, you can abort the upgrade process from the PrepareSplit, Split,  
PrepareMerge, and Merge states. When you abort an upgrade session, the Active  
Upgrade console switches to the Abort state, during which it restores your system to  
its original configuration and starts the resynchronization of your RDR disks. You can  
subsequently initiate the finish process, as you would after committing an upgrade.  
Alternatively, you can retry any of the Active Upgrade states to recover the system from  
a transient failure and move on to the next states without aborting the entire upgrade  
session.  
All of these Active Upgrade states are reported in the activity log and status bar of the  
Active Upgrade console during the upgrade process. See “Understanding the Active  
Upgrade Console Interface” on page 2-20 for more information.  
Related Topics  
“Overview of the Active Upgrade Process” on page 1-2  
“Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-9  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
Overview 1-9  
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Overview of the Active Upgrade Process  
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Chapter 2  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade  
Process  
2-  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade process involves the following tasks:  
Learning about the types of upgrades that the Active Upgrade process supports.  
Learning about the prerequisites and recommendations for your  
Express5800/320Fc system.  
Learning how the Active Upgrade console can control your critical applications.  
Performing pre-upgrade tasks on your system, such as:  
Installing the Active Upgrade console.  
Configuring Windows Firewall for the Active Upgrade process.  
Configuring a UPS-protected system for the Active Upgrade process.  
Gathering information about your system.  
Copying any software installation packages to the system before the upgrade  
starts.  
Configuring Microsoft Windows Automatic Updates.  
Starting the Active Upgrade console.  
Understanding the Active Upgrade console.  
Software Upgrade Support  
Active Upgrade technology currently supports the installation of high-priority updates  
(also known as hotfixes) for the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system. It  
also supports the installation or upgrade of application software that meets the  
following criteria:  
The application’s executable files, configuration files, and temporary files (for  
example, cache files) reside on internal system disks that are mirrored with RDR.  
The application’s persistent data files reside on separate data disks, either internal  
or external. (Data volumes that reside on the same physical disk as a system  
volume are not supported.)  
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System Prerequisites  
The application’s installation or upgrade utility does not involve changes to files or  
databases on the data disks while the system is in split mode. (For example, the  
utility cannot create new databases or convert existing data records to be  
compatible with the new version of the application). The Upgrade Side has no  
access to the data disks while the system is split.  
Active Upgrade technology does not support the following types of upgrades:  
Any upgrade that requires network connectivity during the upgrade process.  
For example, you cannot use an installation program that downloads its installation  
files from the Internet as the upgrade progresses. If possible, you must download  
the complete installation package to the system prior to initiating split mode.  
BIOS, BMC, or VTM firmware updates, which you can already perform while the  
system is duplexed and online. See the Express5800/320Fc: User Guide  
for more information.  
Related Topics  
Overview  
“System Prerequisites”  
“Recommendations” on page 2-5  
“Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
System Prerequisites  
Active Upgrade technology is supported only on Express5800/320Fc  
systems that:  
Are running in duplex mode prior to starting the upgrade process.  
The CPU-IO enclosures must be duplexed, and all critical resources in the  
enclosures must be duplexed.  
A critical resource is a device (such as a CPU, hard disk, or host bus adapter) that  
is necessary to maintain fault tolerance. Non-fault-tolerant resources (such as tape  
drives) connected to the system do not affect the Active Upgrade process.  
Contain teamed embedded Ethernet PCI adapters.  
All embedded Ethernet PCI adapters must be teamed with the Intel PROSet utility,  
and each Ethernet team must contain at least one Ethernet PCI adapter from each  
CPU-IO enclosure. Furthermore, at least one team of embedded Ethernet PCI  
adapters must have an active network link in each CPU-IO enclosure.  
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All ports on any dual-port adapter must be either teamed or not teamed. You cannot  
have only one port on an adapter teamed.  
You do not need to team non-embedded Ethernet PCI adapters for the Active  
Upgrade process, but it is best to do so to ensure that the network connectivity  
provided by these adapters continues to be available throughout the upgrade  
process. The readiness check in Active Upgrade console displays a warning for  
each unteamed Ethernet PCI adapter, but the warnings do not prevent you from  
proceeding with the upgrade process.  
N O T E  
If you modify the configuration of your Ethernet PCI  
adapters and Ethernet teams to meet these prerequisites,  
it could impact network connectivity for the system. You  
should schedule this work to minimize impact to your  
critical applications.  
See the Express5800/320Fc: User Guide for more information about  
configuring Ethernet PCI adapters and Ethernet teams.  
Contain Virtual Technician Modules (VTMs).  
The VTMs provide the connection between the Production Side and Upgrade Side  
during the Active Upgrade process. Both VTMs must be configured properly and  
connected to the same subnetwork, preferably on a dedicated maintenance  
network.  
Can tolerate running in simplex mode for a brief period during the upgrade.  
Because each side of the system runs in simplex mode during the upgrade, an  
interruption on the side that is actively running your critical applications can result  
in downtime.  
C A U T I O N  
!
You cannot restart the operating system on the Production  
Side during an upgrade (though you can restart the  
Upgrade Side as many times as necessary.) Also, it is  
unsafe to pull an enclosure from a split-mode, simplexed  
system because doing so terminates all processes  
running on that enclosure.  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-3  
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System Prerequisites  
Can tolerate a potential decrease in performance during the upgrade.  
For example, if your system contains teamed network adapters that are configured  
for load balancing or link aggregation, there might be a decrease in network  
performance when the system is split because the network adapters on the  
Upgrade Side lose access to the network.  
Are running Express5800/320Fc System Software Release 5.0 or higher.  
Have been updated with the latest firmware to support Active Upgrade technology,  
including required BMC and VTM updates.  
Furthermore, the Active Upgrade process has the following storage requirements:  
All internal hard disks must be configured with RDR and must be duplexed  
(synchronized) before the upgrade process starts.  
The operating system boot volume and all active Windows operating system  
components must be located on internal RDR disks. This includes any volumes  
that contain paging (virtual memory) files for the operating system.  
Any disk that contains software you want to upgrade cannot contain persistent  
data files for your business-critical applications (those applications that continue to  
run during the upgrade process). You must store your data files on separate data  
disks, either internal or external. (Data volumes that reside on the same physical  
disk as a system or paging volume are also not supported.)  
External storage devices are always considered data disks. You cannot upgrade  
software on external storage devices, as these devices not available to the  
Upgrade Side of the system while the system is in split mode.  
Also see “Recommendations” on page 2-5 for more information.  
Related Topics  
Overview  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“Recommendations” on page 2-5  
“Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
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Recommendations  
Recommendations  
When preparing your system for the Active Upgrade process, also consider the  
following recommendations:  
If possible, assign static IP addresses for embedded Ethernet teams and VTM  
adapters.  
If your system is protected by Windows Firewall, enable the exceptions for Active  
Upgrade console and Remote Desktop as shown in “Configuring Windows Firewall  
for the Active Upgrade Process” on page 2-10.  
If Windows Firewall is running, and these exceptions are not enabled,  
communication between the Production Side and Upgrade Side might fail during  
the upgrade process.  
If your system is protected by an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), ensure that  
the CPU-IO enclosure with A-side power (CPU enclosure 0, I/O enclosure 10) is  
marked as the Primary enclosure in ESMPro before starting the upgrade process.  
This configuration provides better protection for your system should power fail  
during an upgrade. See “Configuring a UPS-Protected System for the Active  
Upgrade Process” on page 2-11 for more information.  
Use caution when applying hotfixes from any source. Applying updates  
indiscriminately may introduce serious problems to your system.  
You should install all Microsoft Security hotfixes (identified by the prefix MS).  
Do not install other types of hotfixes, such as Microsoft patches that fix a  
particular problem, before obtaining validation from NEC Corporation of  
America.  
Please refer to NEC Corporation of America's support website for infromation  
pertaining to the application of Microsoft Windows patches, hotfixes, and  
service packs. http://support.necam.com/servers/ft  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-5  
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Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process  
Related Topics  
Overview  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
“Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process  
The Active Upgrade console allows you to specify how business-critical applications  
are started and stopped during the Active Upgrade process.  
If your system runs business-critical applications, such as Microsoft Exchange Server  
or SQL Server, these applications can run on only one side of the system—the  
Production Side—when you split the system. They must be stopped on the other side—  
the Upgrade Side—to prevent resource conflicts and to allow you to proceed with  
upgrade tasks. Furthermore, when you merge the system, the same applications must  
be stopped on the Production Side and restarted on the Upgrade Side, so you can test  
the applications with the newly-upgraded system disk, and possibly commit the  
upgrade.  
Typically, critical applications are started and stopped automatically by the operating  
system. For example, your application might be configured to start as a service in the  
Services Control Manager, or as a startup item in the system registry. But these  
resources control your applications only when the operating system itself is started or  
stopped. In most cases, to minimize downtime, the Active Upgrade console executes  
upgrade operations, like split and merge, without restarting the operating system.  
Therefore, if you want your applications to start and stop at the appropriate times during  
the upgrade process, you must configure the Active Upgrade console itself to control  
the applications  
Active Upgrade console provides two methods for controlling your critical applications  
during the upgrade process. The method you use for each application depends on the  
type of application you want to control:  
Application services  
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If your application runs as a standard service that already accounts for  
interdependencies (with other services) and requires no special handling, you can  
specify it on the Application Services page of the Active Upgrade console during  
the configuration process. On the Application Services page, you can select each  
service you want to manage from the list of services on your system, and, when  
you start the upgrade process, the Active Upgrade console automatically starts and  
stops these services at the appropriate times. See “Selecting Application Services  
to Control” on page 3-9 for more information.  
Custom actions  
If you have a custom application or integrated applications from several different  
software vendors, and you have special executable files that start and stop these  
applications, you can specify the executable files on the Custom Actions page of  
the Active Upgrade console during the configuration process. Using the controls on  
the Custom Actions page, you can specify when your executable files will run  
during the upgrade process, and, if you have several files, you can specify the order  
in which they will run. See “Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12 for more  
information.  
Related Topics  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“Selecting Application Services to Control” on page 3-9  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
To prepare for upgrading the system, do the following:  
1. Ensure that your system meets the requirements and recommendations discussed  
in “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1, “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2,  
and “Recommendations” on page 2-5.  
2. If necessary, plan for the brief downtime associated with restarting your critical  
applications while merging the system.  
3. Run backups of the system.  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-7  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
4. Verify the integrity of all RDR disks, as follows:  
a. In the RDR Utility click Logical Disk Information.  
b. Right-click an RDR virtual disk.  
c. Select Verify RDR Virtual Disk. A message appears stating that the operation  
completed successfully, meaning that the command has been executed.  
d. Repeat for each RDR disk.  
5. If necessary, upgrade the BMC and VTM firmware to support Active Upgrade  
technology.  
6. If necessary, create a user account for yourself in the local Administrators group on  
the system.  
To install and run the Active Upgrade console, your user account must be in the  
Administrators group. Furthermore, because the Upgrade Side of the system has  
no access to the network while the system is in split mode, your administrator  
account must be a local system account, not a domain account.  
7. Install Java Runtime Environment as described in “Installing Java Runtime  
Environment” on page 2. -13  
8. Install the Active Upgrade console as described in “Installing the Active Upgrade  
Software” on page 2-9.  
9. If necessary, enable access for Remote Desktop connections from the Production  
Side to the Upgrade Side of the system while the system is in split mode, as follows:  
a. Open the System control panel.  
b. Click the Remote tab to display remote settings.  
c. Under Remote Desktop, click the check box next to Allow users to remotely  
connect to this computer to activate it.  
d. Click OK or Apply to save the setting.  
(You need to use either Remote Desktop or Remote KVM to connect to the  
Upgrade Side to perform upgrade tasks. For more information, see “Connecting to  
the Desktop on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-6.)  
10. If applicable, enable the exceptions for Active Upgrade console and Remote  
Desktop in Windows Firewall properties, as shown in “Configuring Windows  
Firewall for the Active Upgrade Process” on page 2-10.  
11. If applicable, ensure that the CPU-IO enclosure with A-side, UPS-protected  
power (CPU enclosure 0, I/O enclosure 10) is the primary, active enclosure, as  
shown in “Configuring a UPS-Protected System for the Active Upgrade Process”  
on page 2-11.  
12. Gather information about your system using the worksheet in “Gathering  
Information” on page 2-15.  
13. If necessary, copy any required software installation packages to the system, as  
described in “Copying Software Installation Packages to the System” on page 2-18.  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
When you are finished preparing for the upgrade, start the Active Upgrade console.  
Follow the on-screen instructions (and this document) to configure the process, then  
run a Readiness Check to verify if your system is ready to upgrade.  
Related Topics  
“Installing the Active Upgrade Software”  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
“Recommendations” on page 2-5  
Installing the Active Upgrade Software  
N O T E  
Your login account must be in the Administrator group to  
install the Active Upgrade console.  
To install the Active Upgrade console  
1. Insert the Active Upgrade Software CD-ROM into one of the CD/DVD drives. If the  
installation process does not start automatically, do the following:  
a. Open My Computer.  
b. Right-click the appropriate CD/DVD icon, and click Explore in the shortcut  
menu.  
c. In the CD/DVD file listing, double-click install.exe to start the installation utility.  
The Active Upgrade Setup Wizard is displayed.  
2. Click Next to view the end-user license agreement.  
3. If you agree to the terms of the license, click the radio button for I accept... and click  
Next.  
4. Click Install to install the files.  
5. Click Finish to close the wizard.  
The setup process installs the Active Upgrade console and associated files in  
C:\Program Files\Stratus\ActiveUpgrade. It also creates Start menu items under ftSY  
and a shortcut on your desktop for the Active Upgrade console.  
Related Topics  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-9  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
Configuring Windows Firewall for the Active Upgrade Process  
The Active Upgrade console requires network access to:  
Communicate with system components and underlying services in the ftServer  
System Software.  
Allow communication between the Production Side and the Upgrade Side while the  
system is split, so you can perform upgrade tasks.  
If you have enabled Windows Firewall to protect your system, it might prevent you from  
using some of the features of Active Upgrade console; therefore, you should enable the  
exception for the Active Upgrade console in your Windows Firewall settings.  
N O T E S  
1. Install the Active Upgrade software before modifying  
your Windows Firewall settings. If Windows Firewall is  
enabled on your system, the installation process adds  
an entry for the Active Upgrade console to the list of  
Windows Firewall exceptions. This entry is disabled  
by default.  
2. If you enable Windows Firewall after installing the  
Active Upgrade software, you can reinstall the Active  
Upgrade software to add the exception to Windows  
Firewall.  
To configure Windows Firewall  
1. Open the Windows Firewall control panel.  
2. Click the Exceptions tab to display the list of exceptions (Figure 2-1).  
3. Click the check box next to Active Upgrade Software to activate it.  
4. Click the check box next to Remote Desktop to activate it. (This allows you to  
connect to the Upgrade Side with Remote Desktop while the system is in split  
mode. See “Connecting to the Desktop on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-6 for more  
information.)  
5. Click OK to enable this exception and close the control panel.  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
Figure 2-1. Windows Firewall Exceptions  
Related Topics  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Configuring a UPS-Protected System for the Active Upgrade Process  
If your system is protected by a UPS, and you have configured the UPS power  
connections as specified in the Express5800/320Fc: Site Planning Guide, it is best to  
ensure that the CPU-IO enclosure with A-side, UPS-protected power (CPU  
enclosure 0, I/O enclosure 10) are Primary before starting the Active Upgrade  
process.  
When you initiate the upgrade process and split the system, the primary (active)  
CPU-IO enclosure becomes the Production Side of the system. Because the  
Production Side controls the upgrade session for most of the Active Upgrade process,  
and also contains the most current version of your data disks during the upgrade  
process, allowing the Production Side to run on UPS power provides better protection  
for your system should power fail during an upgrade.  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-11  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
To set the enclosure with A-side power as primary.  
Open the ft Server utility.  
1
2. Expand FTServer  
3. Expand CPU Module  
4. Expand CPU Module (ID:1)  
5. Under BringUp/BringDown, click the Down button.  
6. Click Ok in the Confirmation box.  
7. Click Ok in the Information box.  
8. Skip steps 9-13 if the Power Switch is illuminated on the CPU/IO module 0.  
9. Expand PCI Module.  
10. Expand PCI Module (ID:1).  
11. Under BringUp/BringDown, click the Down button.  
12. Click Ok in the Confirmation box.  
13. Click Ok in the Information box.  
14. Expand PCI Module (ID:1).  
15. Verify that the current status is removed.  
16. Under BringUp/BringDown, click the Down button.  
17. Click Ok in the Confirmation box.  
18. Click Ok in the Information box.  
19. Skip steps 20-24 if the Power Switch is illuminated on the CPU/IO module 0.  
20. Expand PCI Module (ID:11).  
21. Verify that the current status is removed.  
22. Under BringUp/BringDown, click the Down button.  
23. Click Ok in the Confirmation box.  
24. Click Ok in the Information box.  
N O T E  
After this procedure, you might need to wait 5-10 minutes  
for the system components to stabilize and return to full  
duplex mode before running a readiness check.  
Related Topics  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
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Installing Java Runtime Environment  
Java Runtime Environment is necessary for running Active Upgrade.  
Install the following Java Runtime Environment:  
Sun Microsystems Java™ Runtime Environment Version 5.0  
Update 8 (1.5.0_08) or later  
Configuring IP address in Virtual Technician Module (VTM)  
IP addresses must be configuredin VTM to run Active Upgrade.  
Configure IP addresses in VTM as described in this section.  
IMPORTANT  
The following IP addresses must be configured in VTM.  
192.168.1.1  
192.168.1.2  
192.168.1.3  
192.168.1.4  
192.168.1.5  
If the address specified in the network adapter and VTM is the same, the active  
Upgrade process does not run properly. If the IP addresses above are the same as  
the ones in the network adapter, be sure to change the IP addresses specified in  
VTM by performint the following “Changing VTM IP Address Information” before  
performing the procedure described in “Configuring IP Address in VTM.”  
Changing VTM IP address  
Log on as an administrator or member of Administrators group, and change the IP  
addresses specified in VTM using the following procedures.  
1. Open C:\Program Files|ftsys|VTM in Windows Explorer, and open the  
VTMNETConfig.vbs file by clicking Edit after right-clicking the  
VTMNetConfig.vbs file.  
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==============================================  
Network Setting  
==============================================  
Const DefaultGateway  
Const VTMOIpAddress  
Const VTM1IpAddress  
Const Host0IpAddress  
Const Host1IpAddress  
Const SubNetMask  
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
“192.168.1.1”  
“192.168.1.2”  
“192.168.1.3”  
“192.168.1.4”  
“192.168.1.5”  
“255.255.255.0”  
“0.0.0.0”  
a
b
c
d
e
Const DnsServerIpAddress  
Const DhcpEnabled  
false  
(1) Figuring default gateway (a)  
To change the setting of the default gateway, edit the IP address  
information in (a).  
(2) Configuring the network for Remote KVM Connection (b,c)  
The IP address in (b) and (c) is used to access the Upgrade Side from the  
Production Side using “Remote KVM” when the system is in split mode.  
Specify one IP address for each module. Edit the IP address information.  
(3) Configuring the network for Remote Desktop Connection (d,e)  
The IP address in (d) and (e) is used to access the Upgrade Side from the  
Production Side using “Remote Desktop Connection” when the system is in  
split mode. Specify one IP address for each module. Edit the IP address  
information.  
3. Save the information edited in step 2.  
Configuring the VTM IP address  
Log on as an administrator or member of Administrators group, and change the IP  
addresses specified in VTM using the following procedure.  
1. Start Command Prompt by clicking Start, All Programs, Accessories and  
Command Prompt.  
2. Run the following command in Command Prompt.  
> CScript//nologo “C:\Program Files\ftsys\VTM\UTMNetConfig.vbs”  
After running the command above, make sure that “Finished!” is displayed  
in Command Prompt before proceeding.  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
Gathering Information  
Before you start configuring the Active Upgrade process on your system, considering  
the following questions:  
After you complete this upgrade, will you ever want to run the same type of upgrade  
again? If so, plan to create a configuration file with the details of your upgrade, so  
you can use it again at a later date.  
Did your support provider give you a configuration file that you could use as a  
template for your specific system and the type of upgrade you are performing? Or,  
do you have settings from other existing configuration files that you want to  
incorporate into your current configuration? (If applicable, you might be able to use  
more than one configuration file at a time by nesting them).  
Which disks in your system contain the software you want to upgrade? Which disks  
cannot or should not be upgraded given the prerequisites of the Active Upgrade  
process? You need to select these disks before splitting the system.  
Which software installation utilities are you going to run during the Active Upgrade  
process? (If you are copying these to the system from a network resource, you  
need to do so before initiating split mode.) Do any of these installation programs  
require access to the network or data disks during the upgrade? (If so, you cannot  
use them with Active Upgrade technology.)  
How do you start and stop critical applications on the system you want to upgrade?  
Are the applications configured as services in the Services snap-in to Microsoft  
Management Console? Or do you need to run custom actions (executable files  
such as .bat, .vbs, .exe) to start your applications, possibly in a particular order?  
You need to identify these services and custom actions during configuration to  
allow the Active Upgrade console to start and stop your applications at the  
appropriate times during the upgrade process. See “Managing Critical Applications  
During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6 for more information.  
Do you want to preserve Event Viewer log entries that are generated on the  
Production Side while the system is running in split mode? These log entries are  
typically lost during the commit process, when the system resynchronizes your  
RDR disks. If you want to save the files, you can configure the Active Upgrade  
console to copy them to a backup directory before it commits the upgrade. You can  
save the standard log files as well as any custom log files you have opened in the  
Event Viewer.  
When you finish answering these questions, you can use the worksheet in Table 2-1 to  
record your configuration information.  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-15  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
Table 2-1. Active Upgrade Process Worksheet  
Item  
Value  
Configuration files to use  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
Disks to upgrade  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
Disks that cannot be upgraded  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
Software installation utilities to run  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
Application services to start/stop  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
Table 2-1. Active Upgrade Process Worksheet (Continued)  
Item  
Value  
Custom actions to run  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
Log files to back up  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
_______________________________________  
Related Topics  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
“Recommendations” on page 2-5  
“Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-17  
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Pre-Upgrade Tasks  
Copying Software Installation Packages to the System  
When the system runs in split mode, the Upgrade Side has no access to the network,  
or internal data disks; therefore, if you need to download or copy any High Priority  
updates (hotfixes), installation packages, or disk images (for example, .msi files) to the  
system, put them on one of the disks you want to upgrade before you split the system.  
You might want to do so even before you run the Active Upgrade console.  
Make note of the location of the installation packages so you can find them later.  
N O T E  
If your installation packages are on CD-ROM, no action is  
necessary. You can access the CD/DVD drive on the  
Upgrade Side while the system is in split mode.  
For more information about downloading updates with the Microsoft Windows  
Automatic Updates utility, see “Configuring Windows Automatic Updates”.  
Related Topics  
“Configuring Windows Automatic Updates”  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Configuring Windows Automatic Updates  
When the system runs in split mode, the Upgrade Side has no access to the network.  
Windows Automatic Updates requires network access to download software updates;  
therefore, if you manage High-Priority updates (hotfixes) with Automatic Updates, you  
must use it to download all of the updates you need to the system before you split the  
system.  
You can optionally configure Automatic Updates to automatically download the  
software updates for you; however, you must be able to install the updates on your own  
schedule, while the system is split.  
To configure Automatic Updates  
1. Open the Automatic Updates control panel (Figure 2-2).  
2. Select Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them.  
3. Click OK to save the configuration.  
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Figure 2-2. Automatic Updates Control Panel  
If your company pushes software updates from an enterprise-wide service, like  
Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), you might need to override the default  
Automatic Update policies for your system.  
Typically, WSUS clients are set to install all critical updates at a time specified by the  
WSUS administrator. The Automatic Update control panel on the client system can be  
locked to enforce this policy. If the control panel on your system is locked, you must  
ask the WSUS administrator for permission to modify your update policies.  
After you configure Automatic Updates, the utility starts downloading updates in the  
background. When it displays an icon indicating that updates are ready to install, you  
can click the icon (Figure 2-3) to see the list of updates that have been downloaded.  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-19  
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Figure 2-3. Automatic Updates Icon in System Tray  
To verify the list of updates  
1. Click the Automatic Updates icon to display the Automatic Updates dialog box.  
2. Select Custom Install (Advanced) and click Next. The next page displays the list  
of the updates you downloaded.  
3. Check the list of updates against the list of updates that have been evaluated by  
NEC Corporation of America for compatibility. Make note of the updates you can  
install during the Active Upgrade process.  
4. Click Cancel to exit the Automatic Updates utility. Do not select or install updates  
at this time.  
N O T E  
You should plan to install all security-related hotfixes, but  
do not install other types of hotfixes, such as Microsoft  
QFE patches that fix a particular problem, before  
obtaining validation from NEC Corporation of America  
See “Recommendations” on page 2-5 and  
http://www.necam.com/support/servers/ft/hotfixes.htm  
for more information.  
After you have verified and recorded the list of updates you need to install, you are  
ready to run the Active Upgrade console. To install your updates, click the Automatic  
Updates icon in the system tray on the Upgrade Side after you have split the  
system. See “Running Software Installation Programs” on page 4-10 for more  
information.  
Related Topics  
“Copying Software Installation Packages to the System” on page 2-16  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
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Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console  
Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console  
N O T E S  
1. Your login account must be in the local Administrators  
group to run the Active Upgrade console. You cannot  
use a domain account.  
2. The Active Upgrade console is not supported over  
remote connections.  
To start the Active Upgrade console, do one of the following:  
Double-click the Active Upgrade console icon on your system’s  
desktop.  
On the Start menu, click All Programs, select the ftSYS folder, and  
click Active Upgrade.  
To exit the Active Upgrade console, click the close button (  
corner of the window.  
) in the upper right-hand  
N O T E S  
1. If you are currently editing a configuration file, save  
the file before exiting the Active Upgrade console.  
2. If you exit the Active Upgrade console by mistake  
during an upgrade task, the program maintains its  
state. For example, if you exit the Active Upgrade  
console while you are in the process of splitting the  
system, the split process continues to run in the  
background. You can safely restart the Active  
Upgrade console to continue where you left off.  
Related Topics  
“Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface”  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks”  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-21  
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Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
The Active Upgrade console window (Figure 2-4) is divided into four major parts: a title  
bar, a navigation bar, a main window, and a status bar.  
Figure 2-4. Active Upgrade console  
1
2
3
4
Title bar  
Navigation bar  
Main window  
Status bar  
Related Topics  
“Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console”  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks”  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Title Bar  
The title bar displays the name of the current page of the Active Upgrade console.  
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Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
The title bar also contains a Help button (  
), which you can click to display the Help  
topic associated with the current page of the Active Upgrade console.  
(You can also access the Help from the Production Side or Upgrade Side by clicking  
Start, All Programs, ft, ftUpgrade.chm to open the Help viewer.)  
Related Topics  
“Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console”  
“Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface”  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks”  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Navigation Bar  
The navigation bar displays your current location in the Active Upgrade console, and,  
in some cases, allows you to control the Active Upgrade process. The navigation bar  
is divided into three sections:  
Configuration  
Active Upgrade  
Links  
The Configuration section of the navigation bar (Figure 2-5) displays entries specific  
to configuring your system for the upgrade process.  
Figure 2-5. Navigation Bar: Configuration  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-23  
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If you are creating or editing a configuration file, you can click any entry in the  
Configuration section to skip directly to the associated configuration page. These  
pages have the following purposes:  
Configuration — Allows you to create or select a configuration file to modify, or to  
start the upgrade process with no configuration file. (When you start the Active  
Upgrade console, it opens on this page.)  
Disk Selection — Allows you to select the disks that contain the software you  
want to upgrade.  
Other Configurations — Allows you to select other configuration files to  
incorporate into the current configuration.  
Application Services — Allows you to select the application services that  
need to be stopped and restarted during the upgrade process.  
Log File Backup — Allows you to select the event log (.evt) files from the  
Production Side that the Active Upgrade console preserves upon merging the  
system. (Otherwise, any event messages generated on the Production Side  
while the system is in split mode are lost when you commit the upgrade).  
Custom Actions — Allows you to specify executable files that the Active  
Upgrade console can use to stop and start your applications (or to perform  
special tasks) during the upgrade process.  
Description — Allows you to specify a title and comments for the current  
configuration file.  
Upgrade Summary — Displays a summary of the current upgrade  
configuration, and allows you to save the current configuration file.  
The Active Upgrade section of the navigation bar (Figure 2-6) contains entries specific  
to the executing the upgrade process.  
Figure 2-6. Navigation Bar: Active Upgrade  
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Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
You can click Active Upgrade to perform a readiness check, and, if you are still  
modifying a configuration file, you can click any page in the Configuration section to  
go back and make additional changes.  
After you initiate an upgrade session (by clicking Split on the Active Upgrade page),  
the navigation bar reverts to a static mode, in which it only indicates where you are in  
the upgrade process and does not allow you to skip between pages. At that point, you  
use the controls in the main window to complete the upgrade process.  
The pages in the Active Upgrade section of the navigation bar have the following  
purposes:  
Active Upgrade — Allows you to perform a readiness test, and if applicable, to  
split the system for an upgrade.  
Split System — Indicates that the system is entering split mode, and allows  
you to merge system resources (or abort the upgrade) after you finish running  
installation packages.  
Merge System — Indicates that the system is entering merge mode, and  
allows you to commit (or abort) the upgrade after you have tested your  
changes.  
Commit Upgrade — Indicates that the system is committing the upgrade, and  
allows you to finish the process by cleaning up system resources.  
Abort Upgrade — Indicates that the upgrade process has been aborted, and  
allows you to finish the process by cleaning up system resources. (You can  
abort the upgrade process at any point prior to committing the upgrade.)  
Finish — Indicates that the upgrade process is complete and allows you to  
save a copy of the activity log to a file, start another upgrade, or exit the Active  
Upgrade console.  
The navigation bar also contains the Links shown in Figure 2-7, which are active only  
while the system is running in split mode.  
Figure 2-7. Navigation Bar: Links  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-25  
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Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
These links have the following purposes:  
Remote KVM — Allows you to establish an Advanced Video Redirection session  
to the Upgrade Side while the system is split to perform upgrade tasks.  
Remote Desktop — Allows you to establish a Remote Desktop Connection  
session to the Upgrade Side while the system is split to perform upgrade tasks.  
(For more information about any of these navigation bar entries, click the name of the  
entry in this Help topic.)  
Related Topics  
“Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console”  
“Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface”  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks”  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Main Window  
The main window contains controls associated with the configuration and execution of  
the Active Upgrade process.  
During the configuration phase, the main window allows you to specify settings for your  
system (Figure 2-8), which you can save to a configuration file.  
Figure 2-8. Main Window: Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
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Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
When you perform a readiness test and begin the upgrade process, the configuration  
settings in the main window are replaced with an activity log (Figure 2-9) that allows  
you to track the progress and success of the upgrade process.  
Figure 2-9. Main Window: Activity Log  
For more information about viewing and interpreting items in the activity log, see  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21.  
Related Topics  
“Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console”  
“Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface”  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks”  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
Status Bar  
The status bar (Figure 2-10), which is located at the bottom of the Active Upgrade  
console window, reports a quick summary of the status of the upgrade.  
Preparing for the Active Upgrade Process 2-27  
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Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface  
Figure 2-10. Status Bar  
1
2
3
Configuration file name  
Hardware State  
4
5
Operational State  
Partner State  
Upgrade State  
For more information about interpreting items in the status bar, see “Viewing Active  
Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21.  
Related Topics  
“Starting and Exiting the Active Upgrade Console”  
“Understanding the Active Upgrade Console Interface”  
“Pre-Upgrade Tasks”  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process  
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Chapter 3  
Configuring the Active Upgrade  
Process  
3-  
Configuring the Active Upgrade process involves the following tasks:  
Creating and managing configuration files  
Selecting disks to upgrade  
Selecting other configuration files to include  
Selecting application services to control  
Selecting event log files to back up  
Configuring custom actions  
Providing a description for a configuration file  
Displaying the upgrade summary  
Creating and Managing Configuration Files  
Configuration files allow you to save upgrade configurations that you can use  
immediately or in the future.  
If you frequently perform upgrades to your system, you can create a configuration file  
to preserve your settings so you can perform similar upgrades as often as necessary.  
If applicable, you can create multiple configuration files, each with different system  
settings, to prepare the system for a particular type of system or application software  
upgrade.  
In addition, you can call one or more existing configuration files from the configuration  
file you are currently editing, so that the settings from the called files will also apply to  
the file you are editing. This is called nesting.  
The default location for Active Upgrade configuration files is  
\Program Files\ftsys\ActiveUpgrade\User Configurations, but you can save a  
configuration file in any directory. If you specify a different directory when saving or  
opening files, the Active Upgrade console uses the same user-specified directory (on  
a per-user basis) the next time you open the file browser.  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-1  
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Creating and Managing Configuration Files  
N O T E  
You can save a configuration file to any disk — system or  
data, internal or external. The Active Upgrade console  
automatically copies configuration files to a staging area  
before beginning the upgrade to ensure that they are  
available throughout the upgrade process.  
Related Topics  
“Creating a Configuration File”  
“Loading a Configuration File” on page 3-3  
“Editing an Existing Configuration File” on page 3-4  
“Performing an Upgrade with No Configuration File” on page 3-4  
“Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5  
“Selecting Other Configurations to Include” on page 3-7  
“Providing a Description for a Configuration File” on page 3-19  
Creating a Configuration File  
Creating a configuration file allows you to generate a configuration file that you can  
save and use immediately or at a later time.  
To create a configuration file  
1. On the Configuration page, click Create Configuration File.  
2. In the Create Configuration File dialog box, specify a file name for the new file.  
(When you save the file, a .Config extension is automatically appended to the file  
name.)  
3. Next to Save in, select the directory in which to save the configuration file.  
You can specify any directory on the system. The default location is  
\Program Files\ftsys\ActiveUpgrade\User Configurations; however, if you  
choose a new configuration directory, the Active Upgrade console uses the new  
directory the next time you create or open a file.  
4. Click Save to start editing the configuration.  
After you create a configuration file, the configuration process opens on the Disk  
Selection page.  
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Creating and Managing Configuration Files  
Related Topics  
“Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1  
“Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5  
“Providing a Description for a Configuration File” on page 3-19  
“Selecting Disks to Upgrade” on page 3-5  
Loading a Configuration File  
Loading a configuration file allows you to open an existing configuration file for use.  
After you load a configuration file, you can view the Upgrade Summary, and, if  
applicable, proceed with the upgrade as configured, but you cannot modify the  
configuration.  
N O T E  
To modify a configuration file, use the Edit Configuration  
File option.  
To load a configuration file  
1. On the Configuration page, click Load Configuration File.  
2. Do one of the following to select the configuration file:  
In the Locate Configuration File dialog box, type the full path name and file  
name for the configuration file next to Configuration File. (You must include  
the .Config file extension.)  
Click Browse to locate the file using a file browser. (The browser displays only  
files with the .Config extension.) Click the file in the file browser, then click  
Open to select the file.  
3. In the Locate Configuration File dialog box, click Load to open the configuration  
file.  
(You can also drag a configuration file onto the Configuration page of the Active  
Upgrade console window to load it.)  
When you load a configuration file, the file opens on the Upgrade Summary page.  
Related Topics  
“Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Performing the Upgrade  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-3  
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Creating and Managing Configuration Files  
Editing an Existing Configuration File  
Editing a configuration file allows you to open and edit a configuration file that you have  
previously saved. After you edit the configuration file, you can view the Upgrade  
Summary, and, if applicable, proceed with the upgrade as configured.  
To edit a configuration file  
1. On the Configuration page, click Edit Configuration File.  
2. Do one of the following to open the file:  
In the Locate Configuration File dialog box, type the full path name and file  
name for the configuration file next to Configuration File.  
Click Browse to locate the file using a file browser. (The browser displays only  
files with the .Config extension.) Click the file in the file browser, then click  
Open to select the file.  
3. In the Locate Configuration File dialog box, click Load to open the configuration  
file.  
When you edit a configuration file, the file opens on the Disk Selection page.  
Related Topics  
“Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1  
“Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5  
“Selecting Disks to Upgrade” on page 3-5  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Performing an Upgrade with No Configuration File  
If the upgrade you want to perform does not require any special settings, you can  
proceed without a configuration file.  
For example, if you have only one system disk, and you just want to split the system  
briefly to test how a hotfix would affect the operating system without committing the  
changes, you might not need a configuration file.  
To proceed without a configuration file, click No Configuration File on the  
Configuration page. The Active Upgrade console immediately displays the Active  
Upgrade page and runs a readiness check. If your system meets the prerequisites for  
the Active Upgrade process, you can split the system at this time.  
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Selecting Disks to Upgrade  
Related Topics  
“Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1  
Performing the Upgrade  
Saving a Configuration File  
The Active Upgrade console automatically prompts you to save your configuration file  
if you leave the Configuration section of the application, or exit the application. (To save  
the configuration file, click Yes, otherwise click No or Cancel.)  
You can also optionally click Save or Save As on the Upgrade Summary page, as  
described in the following procedure.  
To save the current configuration file  
1. Click Upgrade Summary in the navigation bar.  
2. On the Upgrade Summary page, do one of the following:  
Click Save to save the configuration file with the file name and path name you  
previously specified. Your file is saved.  
Click Save As to save the configuration file with a new file name or path name.  
Continue with step 3.  
3. In the Save Configuration File dialog box, specify a name for the new file. (When  
you save the file, a .Config extension is automatically appended to the file name.)  
4. Next to Save in, select the directory in which to save the configuration file.  
5. Click Save to save the file. Your file is saved.  
Related Topics  
“Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Selecting Disks to Upgrade  
Use the Disk Selection page to select the disks that contain the software you want to  
upgrade with the Active Upgrade process. By marking these disks in your upgrade  
configuration, you ensure that they will be available to the Upgrade Side of the system  
when the system is in split mode.  
When you open the Disk Selection page, the Active Upgrade console scans for and  
displays the disks in your system. Only internal disks mirrored with RDR are  
displayed, because these are the only disks that can be configured.  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-5  
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Selecting Disks to Upgrade  
You can mark each disk as a system disk or a data disk:  
System disk  
A disk that contains the system or application software you want to upgrade. Only  
disks marked as System are available to the Upgrade Side while the system is  
split.  
The Active Upgrade console automatically marks some disks as system disks.  
These mandatory system disks contain either boot files or paging files (virtual  
memory files) that are currently in use by the running operating system. (For more  
details, see the mandatory system disk glossary entry.) You cannot change a  
mandatory system disk to a data disk.  
C A U T I O N  
!
You cannot use a system disk for storing persistent data  
(for example, database files) related to your critical  
applications. Any new data written to the original system  
disk by the Production Side while the system is in split  
mode is overwritten when you commit the upgrade. (See  
the Overview for information about the steps of the Active  
Upgrade process.)  
Data disk  
A disk that contains persistent data for your critical applications. Any disk marked  
as Data is available only to the Production Side while the system is split. You  
cannot upgrade software on a data disk.  
(See the prerequisites for the Active Upgrade process for additional restrictions.)  
Volumes on the Disk Selection page are color-coded as described in Table 3-1.  
Table 3-1. Hard Disk Color Coding  
Color  
Description  
Black  
Unassigned disk space  
Data disk  
Blue  
Light Green  
Dark Green  
Red  
System disk  
Mandatory system disk  
Disk is currently simplexed because it is being resynchronized with  
RDR  
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Selecting Other Configurations to Include  
For more information about any volume, move your cursor over the volume to display  
ToolTip help.  
To select system and data disks  
For any disk you want to mark as a system disk, click System. (This automatically  
marks any volume that the disk contains as a System volume.)  
For any disk you want to mark as a data disk, click Data.  
N O T E  
Volumes can span multiple physical disks, and physical  
disks can contain multiple volumes. If a volume spans two  
or more disks, and you mark one of the disks that contains  
that volume as a system disk, any disk that contains a part  
of that volume automatically becomes a system disk.  
When you are finished selecting disks, you can click Next to proceed with the next  
configuration step.  
Related Topics  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Selecting Other Configurations to Include  
Use the Other Configurations page to optionally call one or more existing  
configuration files into the configuration file you are currently editing, so that the  
settings from the called files will also apply to the file you are editing. This is known as  
nesting files, or creating nested files.  
The configuration files that you call into the current configuration file are child  
configurations, and the file from which you call the child configurations is the parent  
configuration.  
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Selecting Other Configurations to Include  
Potential uses for nested files include:  
Your support provider creates a configuration file that you can call into an existing  
configuration file for your system.  
You create separate configuration files, each for upgrading a different application,  
which you can enable or disable at will in your parent configuration.  
You create a configuration file for an application that runs on several of your  
systems and call that file into a parent configuration file that is specific to each  
system.  
The following restrictions apply to nested files:  
Child configuration files must be located in the same directory as the files in which  
they are called. When you select configuration files in the Active Upgrade console,  
only files in the present working directory are displayed.  
If you call a configuration file, and that file itself has one or more child configuration  
files, those child configuration files also become part of your configuration.  
If a setting in a child configuration conflicts with a setting in the parent configuration,  
the Active Upgrade console uses the setting in the parent configuration. Also, the  
parent configuration always ignores disk selections from child configurations.  
If you call a configuration that you created on a different system, configuration  
items (for example, application services and custom actions) must be present and  
applicable on the current system, otherwise the parent configuration fails the  
readiness check.  
To call a child configuration file into the current file  
1. On the Other Configurations page, select the check box next to the configuration  
files you want to call into the current file.  
2. In the file window, verify that you have selected the correct configuration files. Also,  
if any of the files contain additional child configurations, ensure that you are  
including only the configurations that apply to the current parent file.  
3. When you are finished editing the current configuration, save the configuration file.  
To remove a child configuration file from the current configuration, clear the check box  
next to that configuration file. (If you need to remove a child configuration from another  
configuration file, you must edit that configuration file separately.)  
When you have finished specifying child configuration files, you can click Next to  
proceed with the next configuration step.  
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Selecting Application Services to Control  
Related Topics  
“Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1  
“Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Selecting Application Services to Control  
Use the Application Services page to select the critical application services you want  
the Active Upgrade console to automatically stop and restart during the upgrade  
process.  
If you select a service on the Application Services page, the Active Upgrade console  
controls the service as follows:  
When the system is split, the console saves the current Startup Type for the  
service, changes the Startup Type to Disabled on the Upgrade Side, and then  
stops the service on the Upgrade Side.  
When the system is merged, the console stops the service on the Production Side,  
restores the previous Startup Type for the service on the Upgrade Side, and starts  
the service on the Upgrade Side. This ensures continuous availability of the  
service, allows for comprehensive testing on the Upgrade Side, and prevents any  
conflicts associated with two instances of a service running at the same time.  
When an upgrade is aborted, if the system is in merge mode, the console shuts  
down the Upgrade Side (which automatically stops the service) and restarts the  
Production Side (which automatically starts the service based on its default  
Startup Type). This returns the system to its previous, fault-tolerant state.  
N O T E S  
1. Standard operating system services do not require  
control during the Active Upgrade process. Select  
only services that pertain to your critical applications  
(for example, Exchange, SQL, and IIS).  
2. The Active Upgrade console never changes the  
default Startup Type for a service on the Production  
Side. Maintaining the default Startup Type on the  
Production Side ensures that a service is always able  
to restart on the Production Side if the upgrade  
process is aborted or fails.  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-9  
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Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up  
Each service on the Application Services page has a three-state check box, as  
described in Table 3-2.  
Table 3-2. Selection of Application Services  
Check Box  
State  
Description  
Cleared  
Checked  
Not selected.  
Selected in the current configuration file.  
Checked  
(Gray)  
Selected in a child configuration file. If applicable, you can click the  
check box to explicitly select the service in the current configuration  
file, but you cannot deselect it without editing the child configuration.  
To select a service for the Active Upgrade console to control  
1. On the Application Services page, find a service you want to stop and start.  
2. Click the check box to the left of the service name.  
3. Repeat these steps for each service you want to stop and restart.  
To deselect a service, clear the check box to the left of the service name.  
(By default, the services on the Application Services page are listed alphabetically. If  
you prefer to sort them by other criteria, click one of the column headings. For example,  
if you want to group services by those you have selected and not selected, click the  
heading above the check boxes.)  
When you have finished selecting services to control, or if you have no services to  
control, you can click Next to proceed with the next configuration step.  
Related Topics  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
“Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up  
Use the Log File Backup page to optionally preserve Windows Event Viewer log files  
from the Production Side of your system during the Active Upgrade process.  
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Selecting Event Log Files to Back Up  
When you commit an upgrade, the system reestablishes the RDR mirrors of any  
system disks by overwriting the Production Side disks (which contain the old version of  
your software) with the newer Upgrade Side disks (which contain your newly-upgraded  
software). Because the event log files on the Production Side are lost during this  
process, you might want to preserve them for future reference. These log files contain  
the only record of log messages your live applications generated while the system was  
split.  
The Log File Backup page allows you to select from all event logs available in the  
Windows Event Viewer, including user-created logs.  
N O T E S  
1. For information about creating a Custom Action that  
preserves other files from the Production Side system  
disk, see “Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12.  
2. You must save the log files to an internal data disk or  
an external disk. Do not save the files to a system  
disk or network share.  
3. There is no default directory. You must specify a  
directory, otherwise, the Active Upgrade console  
displays a warning message.  
To preserve event log files  
1. Specify a directory in which to save the files by doing one of the following:  
In the Staging Directory dialog box, type the full path name of the directory.  
Click Browse to locate a folder using the Browse for Folder dialog box. Click  
a folder and click OK to select it.  
2. For each log you want to save, click the log name to highlight it, then click the check  
box to the left of the log name to preserve the file.  
When you have finished selecting event log files to preserve, you can click Next to  
proceed with the next configuration step.  
Related Topics  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-11  
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Configuring Custom Actions  
Configuring Custom Actions  
Use the Custom Actions page to customize the way that the Active Upgrade process  
runs in your environment. You can create custom actions to perform the following types  
of tasks:  
Specify how a critical application is stopped and started during the upgrade  
process.  
For example, if you use special executable files to start and stop your applications,  
you can use the controls on the Custom Actions page to specify when these  
executable files will run during the upgrade process, and, if you have several files,  
you can specify the order in which they will run.  
Check if a certain condition exists before starting the upgrade process.  
For example, you can write a program to verify that a critical backup has completed,  
if the load on the system is acceptable, or if it is a certain time of day before starting  
the upgrade process.  
Back up files during the upgrade process.  
Any files that are modified on the Production Side system disks while the system  
is in split mode are lost during the commit process, when the RDR mirrors are  
resynchronized. If applicable, you can write a program to save copies of important  
files before you commit an upgrade. For example, you can save a copy of an  
application-specific log file that does not appear in the system Event Viewer. (For  
information about saving Event Viewer logs, see “Selecting Event Log Files to Back  
Up” on page 3-10.)  
By default, the Custom Actions page supports executable files that are batch files  
(.bat), application files (.exe), or Visual Basic scripts (.vbs). For other types of  
executable files, see “Executing Visual Basic Scripts and Other Types of Executable  
Files” on page 3-18.  
N O T E S  
1. Custom actions run consecutively when called. If one  
action fails to terminate, it might prevent the next  
action from executing, and, ultimately, prevent the  
upgrade process from continuing. When you specify  
an executable file for a custom action, verify that it  
runs successfully outside of the Active Upgrade  
process, and ensure that it completes in a timely  
manner.  
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Configuring Custom Actions  
2. Executable files for custom actions must be located  
on a system disk. If a executable file is located on an  
external or network disk, the Upgrade Side loses  
access to the file while the system is in split mode.  
3. For information about writing your own programs for  
custom actions, see “Programming Notes for Custom  
Actions” on page 3-15.  
To configure a custom action  
1. On the Custom Actions page, do one of the following:  
Next to File, type the full path name and file name of the executable file you  
want to run. (The file must already exist on the system.) For example:  
C:\bin\mybatchfile.bat  
Click Browse to locate the executable file using a file browser. Click the file  
name in the file browser, then click Open to select the file.  
2. Next to Arguments, type any arguments that you need to run with your executable  
file.  
No arguments are required; however, see “Programming Notes for Custom  
Actions” on page 3-15 for information about optionally passing Active Upgrade  
environment variables to your executable file.  
3. In the drop-down list for Control type, select the option that best describes when  
the Active Upgrade console should execute your custom action, as described in  
Table 3-3.  
Table 3-3. Control Types for Custom Actions  
Control Type  
Purpose  
Start Application  
Executes the custom action whenever the Active Upgrade console  
needs to start applications. For example, the console needs to restart  
applications on the Upgrade Side when you merge the system.  
Stop Application  
Readiness Check  
Executes the custom action whenever the Active Upgrade console  
needs to stop applications. For example, the console needs to stop  
applications on the Upgrade Side when you split the system. It also  
stops applications on the Production Side when you merge the  
system.  
Executes the custom action once during the readiness check, before  
you initiate the Active Upgrade process. This control type allows you  
to build your own verifications into the readiness check.  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-13  
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Configuring Custom Actions  
Table 3-3. Control Types for Custom Actions (Continued)  
Control Type  
Purpose  
Advanced  
Executes the custom action during every step of the Active Upgrade  
process, including interim steps such as PrepareSplit and  
PrepareMerge, which occur prior to the Split and Merge operations.  
This control type allows you to have more precise control over a  
custom action. Your executable file runs each time the upgrade  
process switches states, but you can write a program with conditional  
statements based on Active Upgrade environment variables to specify  
exactly when and where particular tasks should be executed. For  
example, you can write a conditional statement that triggers only on  
the Upgrade Side if the system is in merge mode. See “Using Active  
Upgrade Environment Variables” on page 3-16 for more information.  
If you have more than one custom action, the Advanced control type  
also allows you to control the order in which the custom actions are  
executed (step 4).  
Backup  
Executes the custom action when the system is merged, allowing you  
to back up files that were modified on the Production Side system disk  
while the system was in split mode (before these files are lost during  
the commit process).  
4. If you selected the Advanced control type, optionally select an item from the  
Timing drop-down list which best describes the order in which you want this  
custom action to run with your other custom actions. Table 3-4 describes the timing  
options. If the timing does not matter, keep the Default setting.  
N O T E  
Timing does not affect the order in which custom actions  
run with other Active Upgrade tasks. Use this option only  
if you want to ensure that one custom action runs before  
or after another custom action.  
Table 3-4. Timing for the Advanced Control Type  
Timing  
Default  
Early  
Purpose  
Executes the custom action in the default, consecutive order.  
Executes the custom action early in the list of custom actions, before  
items marked as Default or Late.  
Late  
Executes the custom action late in the list of custom actions, after  
items marked as Early or Default.  
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Configuring Custom Actions  
Custom actions run consecutively according to their timing options. Subsequent  
custom actions do not start until the current custom action terminates.  
5. Click Add to accept the custom action. (If the Add button is inactive, ensure that  
you typed the File path name and file name correctly. The executable file must exist  
to be added.)  
You can view the custom actions you have created at the bottom of the Custom  
Actions page. If you want to remove a custom action from the list, select it and click  
Remove.  
When you have finished specifying custom actions to run, or if you have no custom  
actions to specify, you can click Next to proceed with the next configuration step.  
Related Topics  
“Programming Notes for Custom Actions”  
“Selecting Application Services to Control” on page 3-9  
“Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Programming Notes for Custom Actions  
The following topics describe some of the features available for programming and  
monitoring custom actions:  
“Starting and Stopping Applications”  
“Using Active Upgrade Environment Variables” on page 3-16  
“Generating Exit Values” on page 3-17  
“Viewing Standard Output and Error Stream” on page 3-17  
“Executing Visual Basic Scripts and Other Types of Executable Files” on page 3-18  
Starting and Stopping Applications  
If you write a program to control a critical application during the upgrade process,  
ensure that your program not only stops and starts the application at the appropriate  
times, but also disables and enables the default startup mechanism for the application  
(for example, the default Startup Type setting in the Services Control Manager or a  
startup item in the system registry). If you do not disable the default startup type for an  
application, it might interfere with or override your custom action.  
See “Selecting Application Services to Control” on page 3-9 for information about how  
the Active Upgrade console changes the Startup Type for application services.  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-15  
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Configuring Custom Actions  
Related Topics  
“Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
Using Active Upgrade Environment Variables  
You can optionally use the environment variables specified in Table 3-5 in any program  
that you write for a custom action. These environment variables are useful if you want  
to write a conditional statement in your program that, for example, runs only on a  
particular side of the system or only during a particular stage of the Active Upgrade  
process.  
Table 3-5. Environment Variables for Custom Actions  
Environment Variable  
Description  
ACTIVE_UPGRADE_SIDE  
Describes the side of the system on which the program  
is running.  
Values: Production, Upgrade  
ACTIVE_UPGRADE_STATE  
Describes the current upgrade state.  
Values: Idle, PrepareSplit, Split, PrepareMerge, Merge,  
Commit, Abort  
ACTIVE_UPGRADE_REQUEST  
Describes the current task that the Active Upgrade  
console is executing.  
Values: Idle, CheckReadiness, PrepareSplit,  
ExecuteSplit, PrepareMerge, ExecuteMerge, Commit,  
Abort, Start, Stop, Backup  
ACTIVE_UPGRADE_HW_SPLIT Describes whether or not the system is running in split  
mode.  
Values: Yes, No  
By default, these environment variables are available to any child process of the Active  
Upgrade console, including executable files for custom actions. However, if necessary,  
you can also pass the environment variables to your executable files as arguments.  
For example, to pass only the ACTIVE_UPGRADE_SIDE variable to an executable  
file, append the following string to the Arguments for the custom action on the Custom  
Actions page:  
%ACTIVE_UPGRADE_SIDE%  
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Configuring Custom Actions  
To pass multiple variables, add a space between each variable, as follows:  
%ACTIVE_UPGRADE_SIDE% %ACTIVE_UPGRADE_REQUEST%  
Related Topics  
“Active Upgrade State Model” on page 1-8  
“Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
Generating Exit Values  
An exit value of 0 indicates that the executable file exited normally. Any other exit value  
indicates that there was an error, which prevents the Active Upgrade process from  
continuing with the current upgrade request. If this happens, you must correct the  
problem and click Retry in the Active Upgrade console to retry the current upgrade  
request (which also runs the custom action again). The Active Upgrade process does  
not continue until the executable file for your custom action runs successfully.  
Related Topics  
“Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
Viewing Standard Output and Error Stream  
After your program executes, you can view standard output and error output from the  
program in the Active Upgrade console, as follows:  
1. In the activity log, expand an Execute custom actions node.  
(There can be more than one Execute custom actions node, depending on the  
types of custom actions you have created. Find the node for the upgrade stage in  
which your custom action was set to run.)  
2. Double-click a specific custom action to display more information about it.  
3. In the detail window, view the output for your program under Status. If necessary,  
scroll down in the Status box to see the full output. Or move your cursor over the  
Status box to view the output as ToolTip help.  
If you save the activity log to a file, you can also view the output in that file. See “Saving  
the Activity Log to a File” on page 5-1 for more information.  
Related Topics  
“Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-17  
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Configuring Custom Actions  
Executing Visual Basic Scripts and Other Types of Executable Files  
By default, the File field on the Custom Actions page accepts only batch files (.bat),  
application files (.exe), and Visual Basic scripts (.vbs). However, if necessary, you  
might be able to run another type of executable file (such as a Perl script) by  
implementing the command-line script host for the file.  
You can also optionally run the command-line script host for Visual Basic scripts  
(cscript.exe) if you need to enable options that are available only in that environment.  
For example, to run your Visual Basic script in a command-line script host, do the  
following when performing the procedure in “Configuring Custom Actions” on  
page 3-12:  
Next to File, type the full path and file name of the command-line script host:  
%SystemRoot%\system32\cscript.exe  
(%SystemRoot% is an environment variable that automatically inserts your system  
root directory, typically C:\WINNT.)  
Next to Arguments, type the full path name and file name of your executable file.  
For example:  
C:\bin\myvbscript.vbs  
If applicable, you can type additional arguments that are specific to your script file or  
options that are specific to the session. For example, for a cscript session, you might  
want to specify the //T option to control the maximum amount of time your program is  
allowed to run:  
C:\bin\myvbscript.vbs //T:30  
The preceding example would terminate the program and cscript session after 30  
seconds. Setting this type of time limit is a useful way of ensuring that your executable  
file cannot delay the upgrade process.  
For more information about the cscript command, open a Command Prompt session  
and enter cscript /?.  
Related Topics  
“Programming Notes for Custom Actions” on page 3-15  
“Configuring Custom Actions” on page 3-12  
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Providing a Description for a Configuration File  
Providing a Description for a Configuration File  
Use the Description page to specify a title and comments for your configuration file.  
These items appear on the Other Configurations page, the Upgrade Summary  
page, and in the Locate Configuration File dialog box when you are selecting a  
configuration file to load or edit.  
Type a brief summary next to Title, and type additional details next to Comments.  
For Comments, you might want to include information such as:  
Purpose of the configuration file (type of upgrade)  
Systems to which the file applies  
Special settings required before using the file for an upgrade  
Your name and contact information (or contact information for a support provider)  
Date you created or updated the file  
When you have finished providing a description for the configuration file, you can click  
Next to proceed with the next configuration step.  
Related Topics  
“Creating and Managing Configuration Files” on page 3-1  
“Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5  
“Displaying the Upgrade Summary” on page 3-19  
Displaying the Upgrade Summary  
When you finish creating a new configuration file, or when you load or edit an existing  
configuration file, you can display a summary of the upgrade configuration that the file  
contains.  
To display the upgrade summary, click Upgrade Summary in the navigation bar of the  
Active Upgrade console. The summary window displays information including:  
Configuration file name, title, and description  
Disks you selected for the upgrade  
Other configuration files called by the current file  
Application services to start and stop  
Custom actions to run  
Event log files to back up  
Configuring the Active Upgrade Process 3-19  
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Displaying the Upgrade Summary  
If applicable, you can also save the current configuration file from the Upgrade  
Summary page.  
When you are finished viewing the Upgrade Summary, and, if necessary, saving the  
configuration file, you can click Next to proceed with the Active Upgrade process.  
If you have changed your configuration file since you last saved it, the Active Upgrade  
console displays a message indicating that you should save the file. To save the file,  
click Yes, otherwise click No or Cancel.  
In the next step, the Active Upgrade console runs a readiness check to verify that your  
system meets the prerequisites for an online upgrade. If necessary, you can abort the  
process before you split the system (or at any point up until you commit the upgrade).  
Related Topics  
“Saving a Configuration File” on page 3-5  
“Performing a Readiness Check” on page 4-1  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
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Chapter 4  
Performing the Upgrade  
4-  
Performing the Active Upgrade process can involve the following tasks:  
Performing a readiness check  
Splitting the system  
Merging the System  
Committing the upgrade  
Aborting the upgrade (if necessary)  
Finishing the upgrade  
Viewing Active Upgrade process status  
Performing a Readiness Check  
Before you can initiate split mode on a system, the system must pass a readiness  
check. The readiness check verifies that your system meets the prerequisites for the  
Active Upgrade process. For example, the readiness check ensures that:  
The system is currently running in duplex mode.  
The disks you selected as system disks are present and are mirrored with RDR.  
The system contains two properly configured VTM adapters.  
The embedded Ethernet PCI adapters in your system are configured into Ethernet  
teams, and each team contains at least one adapter from each physical enclosure.  
The application services you specified for control are currently running, and can be  
stopped when necessary.  
The executable file for any custom action is present on the system and ready to run.  
To perform a readiness test, do one of the following:  
Click Next on the Upgrade Summary page (if you are using a configuration file).  
Click Active Upgrade on the navigation bar (the readiness test starts automatically  
if you have recently opened or changed your configuration).  
Click Retry on the Active Upgrade page.  
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Performing a Readiness Check  
The activity log reports the overall results of the readiness check as well as the results  
for each individual test. Table 4-1 describes the general meaning of the activity log  
entries.  
Table 4-1. Activity Log Entries  
Icon  
Text Color  
Green  
Black  
Severity  
Success  
Pending  
Description  
Task completed without error  
Task is in progress  
Black  
Information Task information, no action necessary  
Black  
Warning  
A problem that should be addressed, but will not  
block an upgrade  
Red  
Error  
A problem that must be corrected before continuing  
with upgrade  
The status bar at the bottom of the window indicates one of the following states for the  
current operation:  
Busy  
A readiness check is in progress. Allow time for the task to complete.  
Ready  
The system meets the prerequisites for the Active Upgrade process. You can  
proceed with the upgrade process by splitting the system.  
Broken  
One or more components in the system does not meet the prerequisites for the  
Active Upgrade process. You must resolve the problem before you can continue  
with the upgrade.  
(For more information about interpreting Active Upgrade status, see “Viewing Active  
Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21.)  
If the check is successful, you can click Split to proceed with splitting the system. See  
“Splitting the System”.  
If one of the readiness tests fails, you must resolve the problem, then click Retry to run  
the readiness test again. When the problem is resolved, you can click Split to proceed  
with splitting the system.  
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Splitting the System  
Related Topics  
“System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
“Splitting the System”  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Saving the Activity Log to a File” on page 5-1  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Splitting the System  
Splitting an Express5800/320Fc system divides it into two independently-functioning  
systems: the Production Side, which continues to run your applications, and the  
Upgrade Side, which you can safely upgrade.  
Splitting the system:  
Disables RDR mirroring between the internal disks in each CPU-IO enclosure.  
Isolates the Upgrade Side from system resources such as the network, any  
user-specified application data disks, and any external PCI resources.  
Disables any user-specified applications and services on the Upgrade Side so they  
cannot restart if you restart the operating system on the Upgrade Side.  
Queues any ActiveService Network alerts generated on the Upgrade Side until the  
system is merged.  
You can split a system only if it meets the prerequisites for the Active Upgrade process  
and has passed the readiness check.  
N O T E S  
1. When in split mode, the Upgrade Side has no access  
to the network. If you need a network resource to  
obtain any software installation packages you intend  
to run, transfer the software to the system before you  
initiate split mode. Furthermore, put the software on  
one of the system disks, because these are the only  
disks you can access on the Upgrade Side while the  
system is in split mode.  
Performing the Upgrade 4-3  
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Splitting the System  
2. Split the system only when you are sitting at the console for your  
Express5800/ft series system. The Active Upgrade console  
is not supported over remote connections.  
C A U T I O N  
!
Do not perform any hardware maintenance, including the  
removal of either CPU-IO enclosure, after you have  
initiated the Active Upgrade process (by clicking Split).  
To split the system  
1. Ensure that you have addressed any critical errors or warnings that were indicated  
by the readiness check.  
2. Exit any non-essential applications.  
3. Click Split on the Active Upgrade page.  
When the system successfully enters split mode:  
The Active Upgrade console continues to run on the Production Side of the  
system.  
The Active Upgrade console switches to the Split System page.  
The upgrade state, reported in the status bar, is Production Side | Split | Ready,  
indicating that the system is currently split (and ready to be merged after your  
software installation).  
Splitting the system should take only a few minutes. The process will time out if it takes  
longer than 5 minutes.  
N O T E S  
1. Throughout the upgrade process, icons appear and  
disappear in the system tray as PCI devices, such as  
Ethernet PCI adapters, are reconfigured or disabled  
for the current upgrade operation. This is normal. Do  
not attempt to enable or reconfigure any of these PCI  
devices while the upgrade session is in progress.  
®
®
2. If your system is running EMC PowerPath software  
for an external storage system, you might experience  
a brief delay (10-15 seconds) when the system splits,  
as PowerPath reroutes storage operations through  
the Production Side.  
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Splitting the System  
If the split process fails the first time, you can click Retry to try again. If the problem  
persists, you can click Abort to abort the upgrade process, or see Troubleshooting for  
information about resolving the problem.  
When the system is split, you can:  
Manage upgrade tasks on the Upgrade Side.  
Manage your applications on the Production Side.  
Verify the Upgrade Side before merging the system.  
(To perform upgrade tasks, you must establish a remote connection to the Upgrade  
Side, as explained in “Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-5.)  
N O T E  
After you establish a connection to the Upgrade Side, you  
can optionally check the status of your application  
services on the Upgrade Side, to verify that they have  
been stopped by the Active Upgrade console. See  
“Verifying the Status of Application Services” on page 5-2.  
Related Topics  
“Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side”  
“Managing Your Applications on the Production Side” on page 4-14  
“Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side  
While the system is in split mode, you can perform any of the following upgrade tasks  
on the Upgrade Side:  
Run software installation programs (see “Running Software Installation Programs”  
on page 4-10, and “Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1 for restrictions).  
Restart the operating system, if necessary (see “Restarting the Upgrade Side” on  
page 4-12).  
Perform limited testing of the installed updates (see “Verifying the Upgrade Side  
Before Merging the System” on page 4-15).  
Performing the Upgrade 4-5  
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Splitting the System  
If necessary, you can also completely abort the upgrade process from the Active  
Upgrade console on the Production Side.  
Because the Active Upgrade console itself runs on the Production Side of the system,  
you need to establish a remote connection to the desktop on the Upgrade Side before  
you can complete any of these upgrade tasks, as explained in “Connecting to the  
Desktop on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-6.  
Related Topics  
“Connecting to the Desktop on the Upgrade Side”  
“Running Software Installation Programs” on page 4-10  
“Restarting the Upgrade Side” on page 4-12  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Connecting to the Desktop on the Upgrade Side  
While the system is in split mode, the Active Upgrade console runs on the Production  
Side of the system. To perform upgrade tasks, you must establish a remote connection  
to the Upgrade Side.  
You can access the Upgrade Side using one of two methods:  
Remote KVM  
Allows you to control the keyboard, video, and mouse of the Upgrade Side using  
the Advanced Video Redirection (AVR) feature of the VTM console. You might  
prefer this option if you require access to the BIOS settings and troubleshooting  
information that are available in the VTM console.  
Remote Desktop  
Allows you to control the keyboard, video and mouse of the Upgrade Side through  
the Windows Remote Desktop component. You might prefer this option if you are  
more familiar with it, or if it runs faster in your environment.  
To use either connection method, click the associated link (Figure 4-1) in the navigation  
bar of the Active Upgrade console. For more information, see Related Topics.  
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Splitting the System  
Figure 4-1. Links for Connecting to Upgrade Side  
Related Topics  
“Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote KVM”  
“Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote Desktop” on page 4-8  
Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote KVM  
Remote KVM allows you to control the keyboard, video, and mouse of the Upgrade  
Side using the Advanced Video Redirection (AVR) feature of the VTM console.  
To initiate a Remote KVM session with the Upgrade Side  
1. Click Remote KVM in the navigation bar of the Active Upgrade console on the  
Production Side. The system opens a Web browser window to load the VTM  
console, which runs as a Java applet.  
2. If the browser displays a warning indicating that the Web site is being blocked, click  
Add to display the Trusted Sites dialog box. Click Add to add the site to your  
Trusted Sites zone, then click Close to dismiss the dialog box.  
3. If the browser displays additional warning messages about running Web-based  
content, click Close or OK to dismiss these messages.  
4. If the browser displays a message asking you to trust the signed applet distributed  
by NEC Corporation of America, click Yes to continue. When the Java applet is  
finished loading, the Upgrade Side desktop is displayed.  
After you initiate the remote session, see Related Topics for more information about  
what you can do on the Upgrade Side and how you can merge the system after you  
have finished performing upgrade tasks  
N O T E  
If you want to refer to the Active Upgrade Help file while  
you are using the Upgrade Side desktop, click Start on the  
Upgrade Side desktop, then click All Programs, ftSYS,  
and Active Upgrade Help to open the Help viewer.  
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Splitting the System  
For more information about managing an AVR session, see the Express5800/320Fc  
Virtual Technician Module User’s Guide.  
To terminate a Remote KVM session with the Upgrade Side  
1. Verify that any installation processes are complete, and that you have exited from  
any installation programs.  
2. Optionally, click Log Off in the Start menu of your remote session. In the Log Off  
Windows dialog box, click Log Off.  
N O T E  
If you are about to merge the system, you can remain  
logged on to maintain the current desktop session. After  
the merge, you will be using the Upgrade Side desktop.  
3. Close the browser window that contains the VTM console.  
Related Topics  
“Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote Desktop”  
“Running Software Installation Programs” on page 4-10  
“Restarting the Upgrade Side” on page 4-12  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote Desktop  
Remote Desktop allows you to control the keyboard, video and mouse of the Upgrade  
Side through the Windows Remote Desktop component.  
To establish a Remote Desktop Connection to the Upgrade Side  
1. Click Remote Desktop in the navigation bar of the Active Upgrade console on the  
Production Side. The system opens a Remote Desktop Connection window.  
2. When the window displays the login screen for the remote system, enter your  
administrative username and password and click OK. (Remember, you can use  
only an account in the local Administrators group, not a domain account.) The  
Upgrade Side desktop is displayed.  
After you initiate the remote connection, see Related Topics for more information about  
what you can do on the Upgrade Side and how you can merge the system after you  
have finished performing upgrade tasks.  
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Splitting the System  
N O T E S  
1. If you want to refer to the Active Upgrade Help file  
while you are using the Upgrade Side desktop, click  
Start on the Upgrade Side desktop, then click All  
Programs, ftSYS, and Active Upgrade Help to  
open the Help viewer.  
2. If you maximize the Remote Desktop connection  
window, its title bar (Figure 4-2) might disappear from  
view (autohide). Only the Upgrade Side desktop is  
visible, as if it is your local desktop. If you want to  
redisplay the title bar to access its controls, push the  
mouse pointer to the top of the screen.  
3. The Remote Desktop title bar is a helpful reminder  
that you are using the Upgrade Side desktop. If you  
have maximized the window for Remote Desktop and  
you want the title bar to be displayed for the duration  
of your connection, click the pin button (pushpin) on  
the left side of the title bar. (The pin button is displayed  
only when the window is maximized.)  
Figure 4-2. Remote Desktop Title Bar  
For more information about managing a Remote Desktop session, see the Windows  
online Help.  
To terminate a Remote Desktop Connection to the Upgrade Side  
1. Verify that any installation processes are complete, and that you have exited any  
installation programs.  
2. Click Log Off in the Start menu of your remote session.  
3. In the Log Off Windows dialog box, click Log Off.  
N O T E  
If you are about to merge the system, you can remain  
logged on to maintain the current desktop session. After  
the merge, you will be using the Upgrade Side desktop.  
Performing the Upgrade 4-9  
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Splitting the System  
Related Topics  
“Connecting to the Upgrade Side with Remote KVM” on page 4-7  
“Running Software Installation Programs” on page 4-10  
“Restarting the Upgrade Side” on page 4-12  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Running Software Installation Programs  
The following topics describe how to run software installation programs on the Upgrade  
Side while the system is split:  
“Windows Automatic Updates”  
“Other Installation Packages” on page 4-12  
(To review the types of upgrades that Active Upgrade technology supports, see  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1.)  
Windows Automatic Updates  
If you are using Windows Automatic Updates, and you previously downloaded all of the  
required software updates, the Automatic Updates icon should be present in the  
system tray, and it should report that updates are ready for your computer (Figure 4-3).  
If so, you are ready to apply the updates.  
Figure 4-3. Automatic Updates Icon in System Tray  
N O T E  
You should install all security-related hotfixes, but do not  
install other types of hotfixes, such as Microsoft QFE  
patches that fix a particular problem, before obtaining  
validation from NEC Corporation of America. See  
“Recommendations” on page 2-5 for more information.  
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Splitting the System  
N O T E  
Before installing any software, ensure that you are  
working on the Upgrade Side desktop (through a  
remote connection). Do not install software on the  
Production Side.  
To apply the downloaded updates  
1. Click the Automatic Updates icon in the Upgrade Side system tray to display the  
Automatic Updates dialog box.  
2. Select Custom Install and click Next.  
The next page displays a list of the updates you downloaded and allows you to  
select which ones to install at this time.  
3. Select only the updates that you previously checked for compatibility with your  
Express5800/320Fc system, then click Install.  
During the installation process, the Automatic Updates dialog box minimizes to the  
system tray. When the installation is complete, you can display the dialog box again. It  
should report that all updates were successfully installed.  
Some updates might require you to restart the operating system on the Upgrade Side.  
You can click Restart Now to allow Automatic Updates to restart the Upgrade Side  
automatically, or you can manually restart later. You can restart the Upgrade Side as  
many times as necessary to complete the installation.  
See “Restarting the Upgrade Side” on page 4-12 for information about reconnecting to  
the Upgrade Side after you restart it.  
Related Topics  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-5  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Performing the Upgrade 4-11  
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Splitting the System  
Other Installation Packages  
If you previously downloaded individual installation packages to a system disk, open  
the Upgrade Side folder that contains the installation packages. Run each installation  
program, one at a time.  
N O T E  
Before installing any software, ensure that you are  
working on the Upgrade Side desktop (through a  
remote connection). Do not install software on the  
Production Side.  
Some installation programs might require you to restart the operating system on the  
Upgrade Side. You can allow these installation programs to restart the Upgrade Side  
automatically, or you can manually restart later. You can restart the Upgrade Side as  
many times as necessary to complete the installation; however, you might want to  
avoid restarting until you have run additional installation programs to reduce the total  
number of times you need to restart.  
See “Restarting the Upgrade Side” on page 4-12 for information about reconnecting to  
the Upgrade Side after you restart it.  
Related Topics  
“Software Upgrade Support” on page 2-1  
“Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-5  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Restarting the Upgrade Side  
When the system is running in split mode, if necessary, you can restart the operating  
system on the Upgrade Side at any time. You can either allow an installation program  
to restart the system automatically or you can perform the following procedure to restart  
the system manually.  
C A U T I O N  
!
Before you restart the system, ensure that you are  
working on the Upgrade Side desktop (through a  
remote connection). Do not restart the Production Side.  
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Splitting the System  
C A U T I O N  
!
Do not shut down the Upgrade Side, otherwise, the  
Upgrade Side will not come back online, and you must  
abort the upgrade process to recover. If this happens, any  
changes you made on the Upgrade Side are lost.  
To manually restart the Upgrade Side  
1. On the Upgrade Side, click Shut Down in the Start menu.  
2. In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, select Restart from the drop-down menu  
and click OK.  
If you are using Remote KVM, the AVR session remains connected while the Upgrade  
Side is restarting; however, you must log on again when the Upgrade Side is finished  
restarting. (To send the Ctrl-Alt-Del key sequence necessary for login, select  
Ctrl-Alt-Del from the drop-down menu at the bottom of the window, then click Send  
Key Sequence.)  
If you are using Remote Desktop Connection, the connection to the Upgrade Side is  
terminated, and the Production Side desktop is displayed. While the Upgrade Side is  
restarting, you can view its status in the activity log and the status bar of the Active  
Upgrade console. When the console displays the message Partner: OS Up, you can  
click Remote Desktop to log on to the Upgrade Side again.  
N O T E  
Though the Active Upgrade console reports that the  
Upgrade Side operating system is up, it might take  
another minute or two for all services to finish loading and  
for login to be possible.  
Related Topics  
“Running Software Installation Programs” on page 4-10  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Performing the Upgrade 4-13  
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Splitting the System  
Managing Your Applications on the Production Side  
While the system is split, you can continue to access and use your applications on the  
Production Side; however, you must avoid doing any of the following on the  
Production Side desktop:  
Installing or upgrading software.  
Creating or modifying any files on the system disk, including the system registry.  
Restarting the operating system.  
C A U T I O N  
!
Any changes you make to files on the Production Side  
system disks are lost during the commit process, because  
the system overwrites these system disks (which contain  
the old version of your software) with the newer Upgrade  
Side disks to complete the upgrade. If you need to  
preserve files from the original system disks, you can save  
them to a data disk.  
N O T E  
Be careful when switching between the Production Side  
desktop and the remote connection to the Upgrade Side  
desktop. When you resume software installation or restart  
the system, always ensure that you are on the Upgrade  
Side.  
Related Topics  
“Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-5  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
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Merging the System  
Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Merging the System  
After you have upgraded or installed software on the Upgrade Side, you can perform  
limited testing on the Upgrade Side system disks, as long as your activities do not  
require access to the following resources, which are currently unavailable:  
Network  
Internal data disks  
Application data disks  
For example, you might want to perform the following tasks before you merge the  
system:  
Verify the presence and version number of each software package (see “Verifying  
the Status of Installed Software” on page 5-3).  
If possible, verify that you can start the applications you installed or upgraded.  
If possible, configure the settings for any applications you installed or upgraded.  
If you are satisfied that everything is working correctly, you can merge the system to  
stop your applications on the Production Side and restart them on the Upgrade Side for  
final verification.  
If there are any problems, you can abort the upgrade to return the system to its original  
state. Aborting the upgrade while the system is in split mode does not incur downtime,  
because your critical applications are still running on the Production Side.  
Related Topics  
“Managing Upgrade Tasks on the Upgrade Side” on page 4-5  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Merging the System” on page 4-15  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Merging the System  
After you are finished performing upgrade tasks on the Upgrade Side of the system,  
you can merge the system to verify your changes before you permanently commit  
them.  
Performing the Upgrade 4-15  
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Merging the System  
Merging the system:  
Stops your applications and services on the Production Side.  
Merges system resources so that the network and application data disks become  
available to the Upgrade Side.  
Restarts your applications (including the Active Upgrade console) from the  
Upgrade Side.  
To merge the system  
1. Verify that all installation processes are complete, and that you have exited any  
installation programs.  
2. Optionally, terminate any Remote KVM or Remote Desktop sessions.  
N O T E  
You can remain logged on to the Upgrade Side if you want  
to maintain the current desktop session. After the merge,  
you will be using the Upgrade Side desktop.  
3. Verify that the upgrade state, as reported in the status bar, is  
Production Side | Split | Ready.  
If the status is Busy, you must wait for the current task to complete. If it is Broken,  
you might need to abort the upgrade.  
4. Click Merge.  
N O T E  
Your screen might flicker and you might briefly lose control  
of your keyboard and mouse as the system is merged.  
Depending on the complexity of your applications and the upgrade you performed, your  
applications should be back up and running in under a minute.  
After the merge process completes, the upgrade state is  
Fault Tolerant | Merge | Ready, indicating that the system is currently merged and the  
upgrade is ready to be committed. You can test your applications to verify that the  
upgrade was successful.  
If the merge process fails the first time, you can click Retry to try again. If the problem  
persists, you can click Abort to abort the upgrade process, or see Troubleshooting for  
information about resolving the problem.  
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Merging the System  
Related Topics  
“Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Committing the Upgrade”  
“Committing the Upgrade” on page 4-18  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Verifying the Upgrade Side Before Committing the Upgrade  
After you have merged the system, your critical applications (including the Active  
Upgrade console) are running from the software on the Upgrade Side system disks. At  
this point, you can test the software you installed and verify the general health of the  
system with full access to the system’s resources, including:  
Network resources  
External storage  
Application data disks  
For example, you might want to perform the following tasks before you commit the  
upgrade:  
Verify that all of your critical applications have restarted on the Upgrade Side (see  
“Verifying the Status of Application Services” on page 5-2).  
Verify that you have access to your network and application data disks.  
Verify that client systems can reach all of the services that your system provides.  
Verify the presence and version number of each software package (see “Verifying  
the Status of Installed Software” on page 5-3).  
Verify that you can start and run any applications that you have installed or  
upgraded (if they are not already running).  
Check the configuration settings for your applications and the operating system,  
which could have been altered by software installation.  
If you are satisfied that everything is working correctly, you can commit the upgrade to  
make the changes permanent.  
If there are any problems, you can abort the upgrade to return the system to its original  
state. However, aborting the upgrade while the system is in merge mode incurs  
downtime, because the Active Upgrade console must stop your critical applications on  
the Upgrade Side before it can restart them on the Production Side.  
Related Topics  
“Committing the Upgrade”  
Performing the Upgrade 4-17  
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Committing the Upgrade  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Aborting the Upgrade” on page 4-19  
Troubleshooting  
Committing the Upgrade  
When you are finished testing your applications on the merged system, and you are  
satisfied that everything is working correctly, you can commit the upgrade to make it  
permanent.  
Committing the upgrade:  
Reestablishes the mirror of any internal RDR system disk by overwriting the  
original partner disk with its newer, upgraded partner disk.  
Reestablishes the mirror of any internal RDR data disk by overwriting the stale  
partner disk with its newer, live partner disk (the disk to which your applications  
have been writing data throughout the upgrade process).  
Does not restart your applications, as they are already running on the upgraded  
system. There is no additional downtime.  
C A U T I O N  
!
You cannot abort the upgrade process after you  
commit an upgrade because the original state of the  
system is lost (overwritten) as a result of completing the  
upgrade process. Ensure that your system is working as  
expected before clicking Commit.  
To commit the upgrade  
1. Close all non-essential applications.  
2. Verify that the upgrade state, as reported in the status bar, is  
Fault Tolerant | Merge | Ready.  
3. Click Commit.  
N O T E  
Your screen might flicker and you might briefly lose control  
of your keyboard and mouse as the system commits the  
upgrade.  
The commit process should take only a few minutes. After it completes, the upgrade  
state is Fault Tolerant | Commit | Ready. You can click Finish to clean up system  
resources, as described in “Finishing the Upgrade” on page 4-20.  
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Aborting the Upgrade  
If the commit process fails the first time, you can click Retry to try again. If the problem  
persists, see Troubleshooting for information about resolving the problem.  
Related Topics  
“Finishing the Upgrade” on page 4-20  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing” on page 5-5  
Troubleshooting  
Aborting the Upgrade  
If necessary, you can abort the Active Upgrade process and restore the system to its  
original state at any point of the upgrade process prior to committing the upgrade.  
C A U T I O N  
!
You cannot abort the upgrade process after you commit  
an upgrade because the original state of the system is lost  
(overwritten) as a result of completing the upgrade  
process.  
When you abort an upgrade, the Active Upgrade console:  
Cancels the current Active Upgrade operation.  
If applicable (if your system is in the merge state), initiates a system restart. It shuts  
down the Upgrade Side and restarts the system from the Production Side, which  
automatically restarts your applications from your original Production Side system  
disks.  
If applicable, reestablishes the mirror of any internal RDR system disk by  
overwriting the upgraded partner disk with the original partner disk.  
If applicable, reestablishes the mirror of any internal RDR data disk by overwriting  
the stale partner disk with its newer, live partner disk (the disk to which your  
applications have been writing data throughout the upgrade process).  
If applicable, brings the Upgrade Side online to enable fault-tolerant, duplex mode.  
To abort an upgrade, click the Abort button on the Active Upgrade page, the Split  
System page, or the Merge System page.  
Performing the Upgrade 4-19  
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Finishing the Upgrade  
N O T E S  
1. Your screen might flicker and you might briefly lose  
control of your keyboard and mouse as the system  
recovers its original state.  
The abort process should take only a few minutes. When the process completes, the  
upgrade state is Fault Tolerant | Abort | Ready. You can click Finish to clean up  
system resources, as described in “Finishing the Upgrade”.  
If the abort process fails the first time, you can click Retry to try again. If the problem  
persists, see Troubleshooting for information about resolving the problem.  
Related Topics  
“Finishing the Upgrade”  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing” on page 5-5  
Troubleshooting  
Finishing the Upgrade  
To complete the Active Upgrade process and clean up system resources after  
committing or aborting an upgrade, click Finish on the Commit Upgrade page or  
Abort Upgrade page.  
The finish process should take only a few minutes. When the process completes, the  
upgrade state is Fault Tolerant | Idle | Ready.  
If the finish process fails the first time, you can click Retry to try again. If the problem  
persists, see Troubleshooting for information about resolving the problem.  
On the Finish page, upon successful completion of the Active Upgrade process, you  
can:  
Click Exit to close the Active Upgrade console.  
Click Save Log to save the activity log to a file.  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
Click Active Upgrade in the navigation bar to initiate another readiness test and  
upgrade with the same configuration.  
Click Configuration in the navigation bar to create, edit, or load another  
configuration file.  
N O T E  
Though the Active Upgrade process is complete, your  
RDR disks continue to resynchronize in the background.  
If you intend to initiate another upgrade process, you must  
wait for the resynchronization to complete before you do  
so. See “Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing” on  
page 5-5 for more information.  
Related Topics  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
“Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing” on page 5-5  
Troubleshooting  
Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
You can view the status of the Active Upgrade process at any point during the upgrade.  
The Active Upgrade console indicates status in two ways:  
“Activity Log”  
“Status Bar” on page 4-25  
Activity Log  
The activity log (Table 4-4), which reports details about each upgrade operation, is  
displayed in the main window of the Active Upgrade console after you have initiated a  
readiness test or upgrade session.  
Performing the Upgrade 4-21  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
Figure 4-4. Activity Log (in Active Upgrade Console)  
If you want to check the status of the upgrade process when you are logged on to the  
Upgrade Side of the system (while in split mode), you can also double-click the Active  
Upgrade icon (  
) in the system tray to open the remote activity log (Figure 4-5).  
Figure 4-5. Remote Activity Log  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
N O T E  
You can only view status in the remote activity log. To  
control the remaining steps of the Active Upgrade  
process, you must minimize or close the connection to the  
Upgrade Side and use the Active Upgrade console on the  
Production Side.  
Table 4-2 describes the general meaning of activity log entries that appear in the local  
and remote activity logs.  
Table 4-2. Activity Log Entries  
Icon  
Text Color  
Green  
Black  
Severity  
Success  
Pending  
Description  
Task completed without error  
Task is in progress  
Black  
Information Task information, no action necessary  
Black  
Warning  
A problem that should be addressed, but will not  
block an upgrade  
Red  
Error  
A problem that must be corrected before continuing  
with upgrade  
Some upgrade items are collapsed into a single line. To display all of the associated  
items, click the expand (+) button to the left of the item. To collapse them again, click  
the collapse (-) button to the left of the item.  
Double-click any item in the activity log to open a detail window with more information  
about that item.  
Performing the Upgrade 4-23  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
Figure 4-6. Activity Log Detail  
In the detail window, you can click the Previous and Next buttons to review other items  
of the same severity. For example, if you are viewing an error, you can click Next to  
see the next error item. To change the severity level of the items you want to review,  
select an option from the Show severity pulldown menu. (A severity type is unavailable  
if there are currently no items of that severity in the activity log).  
If necessary, you can save the items from the activity log in the Active Upgrade console  
to a file. For example, you might need to send this file to NEC Technical Support or your  
authorized service representative for troubleshooting purposes. See “Saving the  
Activity Log to a File” on page 5-1 for more information.  
Related Topics  
“Status Bar”  
“Saving the Activity Log to a File” on page 5-1  
Troubleshooting  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
Status Bar  
The status bar (Figure 4-7), which is located at the bottom of the Active Upgrade  
console window, reports a quick summary of the status of the upgrade.  
Figure 4-7. Status Bar  
1
2
3
4
5
Configuration file name  
Hardware State (Table 4-3)  
Upgrade State (Table 4-4)  
Operational State (Table 4-5)  
Partner State (Table 4-6)  
The Hardware State reports whether or not your critical applications are running in  
lockstep. Table 4-4 describes the possible hardware states.  
Table 4-3. Status: Hardware State  
Hardware State  
Fault-tolerant  
Description  
The system is duplexed.  
Production Side  
The system is currently running in split mode, and your  
applications are running from the Production Side (the original  
copy of your software). The Upgrade Side is available for  
installation tasks.  
The Upgrade State reports the stage of the upgrade your system is entering or has  
entered. Table 4-4 describes the possible upgrade states.  
Performing the Upgrade 4-25  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
Table 4-4. Status: Upgrade State  
Upgrade State  
Description  
Idle  
The current upgrade session is idle. The Active Upgrade process  
has just finished, or it has not been initiated yet.  
Prepare Split  
Split  
The Active Upgrade console is preparing to split the system by  
running a final readiness check and additional background tasks.  
If the operational state is Ready, the system is running in split  
mode. Otherwise, the Active Upgrade console is in the process of  
initiating split mode.  
Prepare Merge  
Merge  
The Active Upgrade console is preparing to merge the system by  
running additional readiness tests and background tasks.  
If the operational state is Ready, the system is merged.  
Otherwise, the Active Upgrade console is in the process of  
merging the system.  
Commit  
Abort  
The Active Upgrade console is in the process of committing your  
changes (making them permanent).  
The upgrade process has been aborted, and the Active Upgrade  
console is in the process of restoring the system to its previous  
state.  
The Operational State reports the status of the last operation that was requested.  
Table 4-5 describes the possible operational states.  
Table 4-5. Status: Operational State  
Operational State  
Description  
Ready  
The previous operation has been completed successfully. The  
Active Upgrade process is ready to enter the next upgrade state.  
Busy  
The current operation is still in progress. Allow time for the  
operation to complete.  
Broken  
The Active Upgrade console could not complete the current  
operation. Check the activity log for errors. You must correct the  
errors and click Retry to complete the operation, or click Abort to  
abort the current upgrade session.  
The Partner State reports the status of the partner system. For example, while the  
system is in split mode, the Active Upgrade console is running on the Production Side,  
and this field reports the health of the Upgrade Side of the system. Table 4-6 describes  
the possible partner states.  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
Table 4-6. Status: Partner State  
Partner State  
Description  
DC On  
The partner operating system is shut down, but system power  
is still on.  
DC Off  
The partner operating system is shut down and system power  
is off (but the system still has housekeeping power).  
BIOS POST  
The partner system is performing a BIOS Power On Self Test  
(POST).  
Hung: BIOS POST  
OS Booting  
The partner system hung in the BIOS POST.  
The partner operating system is booting.  
The partner system hung in the boot process.  
Hung: OS Booting  
OS Up  
The partner operating system is up. (However, the system  
might not be available for use until other system resources  
finish loading.)  
Hung: OS Up  
The partner operating system is hung.  
OS Rebooting  
The partner operating system is rebooting.  
The partner system hung while rebooting.  
The partner operating system is shutting down.  
Hung: OS Rebooting  
OS Shutting Down  
Hung: OS Shutting Down  
The partner system hung while the operating system was  
shutting down.  
State Sensitive Recovery:  
NMI issued  
The partner operating system has crashed.  
State Sensitive Recovery:  
Reset  
The system controller is performing a hard reset of the partner  
system.  
Related Topics  
“Activity Log” on page 4-21  
“Saving the Activity Log to a File” on page 5-1  
Troubleshooting  
Performing the Upgrade 4-27  
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Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status  
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Chapter 5  
Troubleshooting  
5-  
If necessary, you can collect information about the Active Upgrade process and resolve  
problems by:  
Saving the activity log to a file  
Viewing the status of application services  
Viewing the status of installed software  
Verifying If RDR disks are resynchronizing  
Learning about general problems and solutions  
Getting help  
Saving the Activity Log to a File  
If necessary, you can save the contents of the activity log to a file for later viewing.  
To save the activity log to a file  
1. Right-click the activity log, and select Save to File in the shortcut menu.  
2. Next to Save in, select a folder in which to save the file.  
3. Next to File name, type a name for the file. (Activity log files are saved in XML  
format, which you can view in Internet Explorer. The .xml extension is added  
automatically.)  
4. Click Save.  
N O T E  
If you have just completed an upgrade session, you can  
also save the activity log by clicking Save Log on the  
Finish page.  
Related Topics  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
Troubleshooting  
Troubleshooting 5-1  
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Verifying the Status of Application Services  
Verifying the Status of Application Services  
At various stages of the Active Upgrade process, you can optionally verify the status of  
services you specified for control on the Application Services page of the Active  
Upgrade console.  
To verify the status of a service  
1. Right-click My Computer on your desktop (or in the Start menu).  
2. Select Manage from the shortcut menu. Computer Management is displayed.  
3. If necessary, click Services and Applications to expand it.  
4. Click Services to display the Service Control Manager (Figure 5-1) in the right  
pane of the window.  
5. Search for a service in the list and view its current Status and Startup Type in the  
fields next to the service name.  
For example, while the system is in split mode, any service you selected for control by  
the Active Upgrade console should be stopped (blank Status field) and its Startup Type  
should be Disabled on the Upgrade Side of the system, as shown with the  
MSSQLSERVER service in Figure 5-1.  
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Verifying the Status of Installed Software  
Figure 5-1. Service Control Manager  
Related Topics  
“Managing Critical Applications During the Upgrade Process” on page 2-6  
“Selecting Application Services to Control” on page 3-9  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
Troubleshooting  
Verifying the Status of Installed Software  
While you are running in split or merge mode, or after you have finished the Active  
Upgrade process, you might want to verify the status of the software packages that you  
installed.  
If necessary, you can view a list of most of the programs present on your system in the  
Add or Remove Programs control panel (Figure 5-2).  
Troubleshooting 5-3  
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Verifying the Status of Installed Software  
Figure 5-2. Add or Remove Programs Control Panel  
If you installed any Windows updates, select the Show updates check box in the  
control panel to display the updates in the list of programs.  
N O T E  
If your system is in split or merge mode, remember to view  
the Add or Remove Programs control panel on the  
Upgrade Side. The same control panel on the Production  
Side does not list the new software you installed on the  
Upgrade Side.  
Related Topics  
“Running Software Installation Programs” on page 4-10  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
Troubleshooting  
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Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing  
Verifying If RDR Disks Are Resynchronizing  
When you complete or abort the Active Upgrade process, the system reestablishes the  
mirrors between the RDR partner disks in each CPU-IO enclosure. If you intend to  
initiate another upgrade process, you must wait for the full resynchronization to  
complete before you do so.  
You can tell if a disk is resynchronizing by viewing the LEDs on the front panel of the  
disk. For information about interpreting the LEDs, see the operation and maintenance  
guide for your system.  
You can also view the status of your disks using one of the following methods:  
Run a readiness check. On the Active Upgrade page, click Retry. If the disks are  
still resynchronizing, the upgrade state is reported as  
Fault Tolerant | Idle | Broken and the activity log displays errors indicating that  
the disks are not ready.  
View the disks on the Disk Selection page. Any volume that is red is simplexed  
(and, thus, probably still resynchronizing). When a disk volume is only green, it is  
duplexed and you can start another upgrade. (See “Selecting Disks to Upgrade” on  
page 3-5 for more information about disk states on the Disk Selection page.)  
View the disks in ftServer Management Console (ftSMC), using the following  
procedure.  
To view the status of an RDR virtual disk in ftSMC  
1. Open the RDR Utility.  
2. Click Logical Disk Information.  
3. Click one of the RDR Virtual Disk nodes.  
4. Check the value of the Status property, which displays Resync nn% (where nn is  
the percentage completed) while the disk is resynchronizing. When the resync  
process is finished, the value is None.  
Ensure that the value of the Status property for all RDR Virtual Disks is None before  
you retry the Active Upgrade process.  
Related Topics  
“Selecting Disks to Upgrade” on page 3-5  
“Performing a Readiness Check” on page 4-1  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
Troubleshooting  
Troubleshooting 5-5  
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General Problems and Solutions  
General Problems and Solutions  
Table 5-1 describes some common problems that could prevent your system from  
passing the readiness check.  
C A U T I O N  
!
Never perform hardware maintenance, such as removing  
and replacing system components, while the Active  
Upgrade process is running. If you experience a problem  
that prevents the Active Upgrade process from completing  
successfully, you should always be able to abort the  
upgrade session to restore your system to its original  
state. If you cannot abort an upgrade session, contact  
NEC Technical Support or your authorized support  
representative for assistance.  
N O T E  
For the latest troubleshooting information, including any  
issues that were discovered post release, see the  
Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade User’s Guide  
online at http://support.necsam.com/servers/.  
Table 5-1. Troubleshooting: Readiness Check  
Error  
Action  
IO board nn is  
unsafe to pull  
Verify that all critical system resources (including disks,  
Ethernet PCI adapters, and VTMs) are configured correctly  
and duplexed. See “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2 for  
more information.  
RDR disk is not  
duplexed  
If you recently ran an upgrade session, wait for the RDR  
resynchronization process to complete before running  
another upgrade session. See “Verifying If RDR Disks Are  
Resynchronizing” on page 5-5 for more information.  
Embedded NIC not  
teamed  
Use the PROset utility to configure your Ethernet PCI  
adapters into teams. All embedded Ethernet PCI adapters  
must be teamed. See “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2  
and “Recommendations” on page 2-5 for more information  
about configuring Ethernet PCI adapters.  
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General Problems and Solutions  
Table 5-1. Troubleshooting: Readiness Check (Continued)  
Error  
Action  
No IP address on  
Upgrade ready team  
Use the Network Connections control panel to assign an IP  
address (preferably a static IP address) to the Ethernet  
team, or renew your DHCP lease. See “System  
Prerequisites” on page 2-2 and “Recommendations” on  
page 2-5 for more information about configuring Ethernet  
PCI adapters.  
Team does not have  
link on both sides  
Ensure that an embedded Ethernet team has at least one  
adapter in each CPU-IO enclosure with an active network  
link. Verify that the network cables are plugged in on both  
sides, and that the Ethernet team has a valid IP address.  
See “System Prerequisites” on page 2-2 and  
“Recommendations” on page 2-5 for more information about  
configuring Ethernet PCI adapters  
Active Upgrade may  
fail. Check DHCP  
server.  
The Active Upgrade console cannot obtain IP adresses from  
your DHCP server. If possible, assign static IP addresses to  
your Ethernet teams and VTMs to avoid problems during the  
Active Upgrade process.  
Remote Desktop is  
not enabled  
To perform installation tasks while the system is in split  
mode, you need to establish a remote connection from the  
Production Side to the Upgrade Side. If you want to use  
Remote Desktop to connect to the Upgrade Side, you must  
enable access for Remote Desktop connections in the  
System control panel. (Or you can optionally use Remote  
KVM instead of Remote Desktop to connect to the Upgrade  
Side.) See “Pre-Upgrade Tasks” on page 2-7 and  
“Connecting to the Desktop on the Upgrade Side” on  
page 4-6 for more information.  
If you are running Windows Firewall, also ensure that the  
exceptions for Active Upgrade console and Remote Desktop  
are enabled. See “Configuring Windows Firewall for the  
Active Upgrade Process” on page 2-10 for more information.  
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General Problems and Solutions  
Table 5-2 describes some common problems with custom actions.  
Table 5-2. Troubleshooting: Custom Actions  
Error  
Action  
The executable  
filename does not  
exist.  
Ensure that the executable file associated with your custom  
action is located in the directory you specified during the  
configuration process. Also, ensure that the custom action is  
located on a system disk, otherwise the Upgrade Side loses  
access to the executable file while the system is in split  
mode.  
Custom action  
failed with exit  
value n  
Check the output for the custom action for errors. See  
“Viewing Standard Output and Error Stream” on page 3-17  
for more information.  
You must correct the problem and click Retry in the Active  
Upgrade console to retry the current upgrade request (which  
also runs the custom action again). The Active Upgrade  
process cannot continue until the executable file for your  
custom action runs successfully.  
If possible, test and debug the executable file outside of the  
Active Upgrade process. Ensure that it terminates with exit  
value 0 and that it completes in a timely manner.  
Table 5-3 describes miscellaneous problems.  
Table 5-3. Troubleshooting: Miscellaneous Problems  
Error/Problem  
Action  
Active Upgrade console Wait a minute, and try to start Active Upgrade console again.  
fails to start  
If the problem persists, it might mean that the Active  
Upgrade console cannot communicate with related services  
on your local system. If your system is running a network  
firewall solution, check the firewall logs for blocked  
communications and explicitly add these items to your  
trusted zone. For information about configuring Windows  
Firewall, see “Configuring Windows Firewall for the Active  
Upgrade Process” on page 2-10.  
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General Problems and Solutions  
Table 5-3. Troubleshooting: Miscellaneous Problems (Continued)  
Error/Problem  
Action  
Failed to disable  
PCI device: QLogic  
Fibre Channel  
Adapter  
If you have installed QLogic SANsurfer Fibre Channel HBA  
Software to upgrade the BIOS in your host bus adapter, you  
should uninstall this utility when you are done upgrading the  
BIOS. In this case, the Active Upgrade console cannot split  
system resources because it cannot disable the HBA on the  
Upgrade Side. To resolve the problem, you must abort the  
upgrade, uninstall SANsurfer, restart the system (or stop the  
SANsurfer service), and restart the upgrade process.  
The underlying  
connection was  
closed: Unable to  
connect to the  
remote server.  
If your system is running a network firewall solution, check  
the firewall logs for blocked communications and explicitly  
add these items to your trusted zone. For information about  
configuring Windows Firewall, see “Configuring Windows  
Firewall for the Active Upgrade Process” on page 2-10.  
A connection  
attempt failed  
because the  
connected party  
did not properly  
respond...  
Remote KVM browser  
window appears, but  
does not open  
Ensure that Java™ 2 Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed  
and running. Also ensure that you have added the VTM  
console Web address to your Trusted Sites list, and that you  
have allowed blocked Web-based content. See “Connecting  
to the Upgrade Side with Remote KVM” on page 4-7 for  
more information.  
connection  
Remote Desktop  
See Action under “Remote Desktop is not enabled” in  
connection fails with the Table 5-1.  
error, The client  
could not connect  
to the remote  
computer.  
An application fails to If your application does not gracefully handle the loss of the  
be stopped by the network or disks on the Upgrade Side, it might not stop in a  
Active Upgrade console timely manner when the system enters split mode, and the  
during split  
Active Upgrade process will time out in a Broken state. If  
this happens, restart the Upgrade Side before performing  
upgrade tasks to restore the Upgrade Side to an expected  
state. If configured correctly, any applications that the Active  
Upgrade console controls should not restart on the Upgrade  
Side in split mode.  
Troubleshooting 5-9  
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General Problems and Solutions  
Related Topics  
“Viewing Active Upgrade Process Status” on page 4-21  
Troubleshooting  
Getting Help  
If you have a technical question about Express5800/320Fc hardware or software, try  
these online resources first:  
Online support from NEC Technical Support. You can find the latest technical  
information about an Express5800/320Fc through online product support at the  
NEC Technical Support Web site:  
http://support.necam.com/servers/ft  
®
Online product support for Microsoft products. Your primary source for  
support is the computer manufacturer who provided your software, or an  
authorized Microsoft Support Provider. You can also find the latest technical  
®
information about Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft products through online  
product support at the Microsoft Help and Support Web site:  
http://support.microsoft.com/  
If you are unable to resolve your questions with the help available at these online sites,  
and the Express5800/320Fc system is covered by a service agreement, please  
contact NEC Technical Support (866-269-1239).  
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Glossary  
Glossary-  
Active Upgrade technology  
A process that allows you to upgrade system software and applications on an  
Express5800/320Fc system while its critical applications remain online and  
accessible to users. For more information, see the Overview.  
application service  
A program that runs in the background and performs tasks related to other  
programs on the local system or on remote systems. For example, a server may  
run an Exchange service, which can process email for local and remote systems.  
The Active Upgrade console allows you to specify services that are related to your  
applications so that, when necessary, the applications and services may be started  
or stopped simultaneously.  
See also custom action.  
advanced video redirection (AVR) session  
See Remote KVM.  
call  
To declare a program, script, or file that will be referenced by the current file. See  
also nesting (for configuration files).  
child configuration  
A configuration file that is called into a parent configuration file in a nested  
configuration.  
commit upgrade  
The stage of the Active Upgrade process during which the system makes the  
upgrade permanent by remirroring the upgraded system disk and the current data  
disk with their older partner disks.  
You cannot abort the Active Upgrade process after you commit the upgrade,  
because the original version of your system is erased as a result of reestablishing  
the RDR mirrors.  
Glossary-1  
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Glossary  
configuration file  
A file that contains all of the settings pertaining to the Active Upgrade process for  
your system. You can create multiple configuration files, each for a different type of  
upgrade that you regularly perform on your system. You can also use nesting to  
incorporate the settings of one configuration file into another configuration file.  
critical system resource  
A system component, such as a hard disk or network adapter, that is required to  
run mission-critical applications.  
custom action  
A mechanism for controlling your critical applications during the Active Upgrade  
process. By specifying executable files and certain parameters in the Active  
Upgrade console, you can ensure that your applications are stopped or restarted  
at the appropriate times when the system is split or merged.  
data disk  
An internal RDR disk that is resynchronized from the Production Side to the  
Upgrade Side upon completion of the Active Upgrade process.  
Data disks are available only on the Production Side while the system is running in  
split mode. They typically contain live data (for example, database files and  
transaction logs) required by your applications.  
A disk that contains active Windows operating system components (boot partition,  
paging file) cannot be a data disk (see system disk).  
duplex mode (duplexed)  
The state of an ftServer system when most or all of its individual components are  
paired with redundant partner components that can keep the system operational if  
a hardware failure occurs.  
It is safe to initiate an Active Upgrade on a duplexed system because redundant  
components continue to run your applications during the upgrade process.  
element  
Redundant segments of an ftServer system that contain components such as  
processors, hard drives, PCI slots, and certain I/O ports.  
Each system comes with a minimum of two CPU elements and two I/O elements,  
usually distributed over two or more enclosures. The elements in an enclosure  
operate with each other, or, if necessary, with elements in another enclosure, to  
emulate a single logical system.  
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Glossary  
enclosure  
A physical container that includes at least one CPU element and at least one I/O  
element. In a system with more than one physical enclosure, you may be able to  
remove or upgrade one enclosure while the other continues to run your  
applications uninterrupted.  
executable file  
A program file, such as a .exe, .bat, or .vbs file, that you can assign to a custom  
action.  
fault-tolerant mode  
Same as duplex mode.  
high priority update (hotfix)  
Critical update that should be installed as soon as it becomes available.  
installation program  
A program file that installs a software package.  
mandatory system disk  
A disk that is automatically marked as a system disk (on the Disk Selection page  
of the Active Upgrade console) and cannot be changed to a data disk. A mandatory  
system disk contains either boot files or paging files (virtual memory files) that are  
currently in use by the running operating system.  
In detail, a disk becomes a mandatory system disk if:  
It contains a volume or part of a volume that the operating system identifies as  
a system volume.  
It contains a volume or part of a volume that contains an operating system  
paging file.  
It contains a volume or a part of a volume that contains a mount point for a  
volume that is either a system volume or contains a paging file.  
Note that volumes can span multiple disks and that disks can contain multiple  
volumes. The operating system defines as a system volume the volume that was  
used to perform the initial low level boot of the system and the volume that contains  
the Windows directory. These are typically the same volume but they need not be.  
Glossary-3  
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Glossary  
merge system  
The stage of the Active Upgrade process during which the system restarts your  
applications on the Upgrade Side.  
When the system is in a merged state, it has access to critical system resources,  
which you can use to test your applications and verify if the upgrade was  
successful.  
nesting (nested configuration files)  
A method of calling one or more existing configuration files from the configuration  
file you are currently editing, so that the settings from the called files will also apply  
to the file you are editing. See also child configuration and parent configuration.  
parent configuration  
A configuration file that calls child configuration files and incorporates their settings  
in a nested configuration.  
persistent data file  
A file that stores permanent records for an application, such as a database file.  
Production Side  
The side of a split-mode system that continues to run your applications and serve  
live users during the upgrade process. See also Upgrade Side.  
Remote Desktop Connection  
A Microsoft Windows component that allows you to control the keyboard, video and  
mouse of a remote system from your local system as though you were sitting at that  
system’s console.  
You can click the Remote Desktop link in the Active Upgrade console to open a  
Remote Desktop Connection to the Upgrade Side of a split system.  
Remote KVM  
A Web browser-based utility that allows you to control the keyboard, video, and  
mouse of a remote system from your local desktop as though you were sitting at  
that system’s console. (Remote KVM employs the Advanced Video Redirection  
(AVR) feature of the VTM console.) Unlike Remote Desktop Connection, Remote  
KVM can control the remote system even when the remote operating system is not  
running.  
You can click the Remote KVM link in the Active Upgrade console to open an AVR  
session to the Upgrade Side of a split system.  
Glossary-4 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide  
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Glossary  
service  
See application service.  
session  
One complete Active Upgrade process, from split mode to finish. Or, a remote  
connection to the upgrade side of the system, as in a Remote KVM (or AVR)  
session.  
simplex mode (simplexed)  
The state of an ftServer system when one or more of its individual components is  
operating without a redundant partner component. If a hardware failure occurs,  
system operations may terminate.  
You cannot initiate an Active Upgrade on a simplexed system because there are  
insufficient system resources to keep the system operational during the upgrade  
process.  
split mode  
The state of an ftServer system when its elements are split into two independent,  
simplexed systems — a Production Side and an Upgrade Side.  
split system  
The stage of the Active Upgrade process during which the system enters split  
mode.  
Also, a system that is running in split mode.  
system disk  
An internal RDR disk that is resynchronized from the Upgrade Side to the  
Production Side upon completion of the Active Upgrade process.  
Only software located on system disks can be upgraded online. System disks are  
available on both sides of the system when it is running in split mode. They typically  
contain binary files (for example, operating system drivers and application  
services) and configuration information (the Windows registry).  
A disk that contains active Windows operating system components (boot partition,  
paging files) is automatically marked as a mandatory system disk, and cannot be  
changed to a data disk. Other disks default to data disks, but can be changed to  
system disks per user configuration if they contain only application binaries and  
configuration data.  
temporary file  
A file that stores data only for a short time, such as a cache file.  
Glossary-5  
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Glossary  
Upgrade Side  
The side of a split-mode system on which you can upgrade software. See also  
Production Side.  
volume  
A fixed amount of storage on a hard disk (or spanning many hard disks) that is  
defined and managed as a single device in the operating system.  
Glossary-6 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide  
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Index  
Index-  
application  
controlling multiple, 3-8  
managing as service, 3-9  
managing during upgrade, 2-6, 4-14  
managing with custom action, 3-12  
application service. See service  
Application Services page, 3-9  
Automatic Updates. See Windows Automatic  
Updates  
A
abort upgrade, 1-6  
collecting dump files, 4-20  
executing, 4-19  
illustrated, 1-7  
Abort Upgrade page, 4-19  
Actions, 3-12  
Active Upgrade console, 2-22  
activity log, 4-21  
installing, 2-9  
main window, 2-26  
B
navigation bar, 2-23  
starting and exiting, 2-21  
status bar, 4-25  
backing up files  
Event Viewer logs, 3-10  
with custom action, 3-12  
batch (BAT) file, 3-12  
title bar, 2-22  
Active Upgrade page, 4-1  
Active Upgrade process, 1-1  
abort upgrade, 1-6, 4-19  
commit upgrade, 1-5, 4-18  
configuring, 3-1  
C
call  
defined, Glossary-1  
child configuration  
defined, Glossary-1  
color coding  
defined, Glossary-1  
finish upgrade, 4-20  
general steps, 1-2  
merge system, 1-4, 4-15  
network connectivity, 2-2, 4-3, 4-16, 4-17  
performance considerations, 2-4  
preparing for, 2-1  
prerequisites, 2-2, 2-5  
release notes, 1-1  
restarting Production Side, 4-14  
restarting Upgrade Side, 4-12  
split system, 1-2, 4-3  
state model, 1-8  
activity log, 4-2, 4-23  
disk selection, 3-6  
commit upgrade, 1-5, 4-18  
defined, Glossary-1  
illustrated, 1-6  
verifying Upgrade Side before, 4-17  
Commit Upgrade page, 4-18  
configuration file, 2-15, 3-1  
controlling multiple applications, 3-8  
creating, 3-2  
default location, 3-1  
defined, Glossary-2  
describing, 3-19  
displaying summary, 3-19  
editing, 3-4  
status, 4-21  
troubleshooting, 5-1  
activity log, 4-21  
interpreting entries, 4-2, 4-23  
saving to file, 5-1  
administrator account, 2-8  
Advanced Video Redirection, 4-7  
loading, 3-3  
managing multiple systems, 3-8  
Index-1  
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Index  
nesting, 3-7  
saving, 3-5  
downloading software to system, 2-18  
dump files, 4-20  
upgrading without, 3-4  
Configuration page, 3-1  
configuring  
duplex mode  
defined, Glossary-2  
requirement for upgrade, 2-2  
administrator account, 2-8  
application services, 3-9  
Automatic Updates, 2-18  
custom actions, 3-12  
disks, 3-5  
E
element  
defined, Glossary-2  
EMC storage system, 4-4  
enclosure  
firewall, 2-10  
log file backup, 3-10  
Remote Desktop, 2-8  
UPS, 2-11  
defined, Glossary-3  
environment variables, 3-16  
error stream, 3-17  
connecting to Upgrade Side, 4-6  
connection failed, 5-8, 5-9  
control type field, 3-13  
critical application. See application  
critical system resource  
defined, Glossary-2  
Ethernet PCI adapter  
performance during upgrade, 2-4  
requirements for upgrade, 2-2, 2-5  
static IP address, 2-5  
Ethernet team. See Ethernet PCI adapter  
event log files, 3-10  
cscript session, 3-18  
custom action  
EXE file, 3-12  
executable file  
control types, 3-13  
defined, Glossary-2  
defined, Glossary-3  
prerequisite for location, 2-1  
exit values, 3-17  
external storage, 1-4  
PowerPath software, 4-4  
requirements for upgrade, 2-4, 2-5  
SANsurfer software, 2-5, 5-9  
managing applications during upgrade, 2-6  
order of execution, 3-12, 3-14  
programming notes, 3-15  
troubleshooting, 5-8  
Custom Actions page, 3-12  
D
F
data disk  
Finish Upgrade page, 4-20  
firewall, 2-10, 5-8, 5-9  
firmware  
requirements for upgrade, 2-4  
upgrades supported, 2-2  
ftServer system  
defined, Glossary-2  
on UPS-protected system, 2-11  
selecting before upgrade, 3-6  
data file  
defined, Glossary-4  
modifying during upgrade, 2-2  
prerequisite for location, 2-1  
Description page, 3-19  
DHCP address, 2-5  
duplex mode, 2-2  
hardware maintenance, 4-4  
merge mode, 1-4, 4-15  
split mode, 1-2, 4-3  
disk drive  
support for hotfixes, 2-5  
system software requirement, 2-4  
systems supported for upgrade, 2-2  
ftSMC  
See also Rapid Disk Resync  
color coding, 3-6  
in child configuration, 3-8  
requirements for upgrade, 2-4  
selecting for upgrade, 3-5  
Disk Selection page, 3-5  
viewing RDR disk status, 5-5  
Index-2 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide  
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Index  
G
M
gathering information, 2-15  
glossary, Glossary-1  
managing  
application during upgrade, 2-6  
configuration files, 3-1  
Production Side, 4-14  
Upgrade Side, 4-5  
H
hardware maintenance, 4-4  
Hardware State, 4-25  
Help button, 2-22  
mandatory system disk  
defined, Glossary-3  
disk selection, 3-6  
merge system, 1-4, 4-15  
defined, Glossary-4  
illustrated, 1-5  
verifying Upgrade Side before, 4-15  
Merge System page, 4-15  
high-priority update  
See hotfix  
host bus adapter (HBA). See external storage  
hotfix, 2-1  
configuring Automatic Updates, 2-18  
configuring WSUS server, 2-19  
defined, Glossary-3  
downloading before split mode, 2-18  
installing with Automatic Updates, 4-10  
recommendations for ftServer system, 2-5  
restarting system after installation, 4-12  
verifying list of updates to install, 2-20  
N
navigation bar, 2-23  
nesting  
defined, Glossary-4  
network  
connectivity during upgrade, 2-2, 4-3,  
4-16, 4-17  
performance during upgrade, 2-4  
requirements for upgrade, 2-2  
non-maskable interrupt (NMI), 4-27  
I
icon  
Active Upgrade console, 2-21  
Help, 2-22  
Windows Automatic Updates, 4-10  
installation program  
O
defined, Glossary-3  
installing software  
Operational State, 4-26  
Other Configurations page, 3-7  
overview, 1-1  
Active Upgrade console, 2-9  
downloading software before  
upgrade, 2-18  
P
hotfixes, 4-10  
parent configuration  
defined, Glossary-4  
Partner State, 4-27  
location of application data files, 2-1  
modifying application data files, 2-2  
network requirements, 2-2, 2-18  
running installation programs, 4-12  
support for upgrades, 2-1  
viewing list of software, 5-3  
performance considerations, 2-4  
performing an upgrade, 4-1  
persistent data file. See data file  
power considerations, 2-11  
PowerPath software, 4-4  
PrepareMerge mode, 1-8  
PrepareSplit mode, 1-8  
preparing for upgrade, 2-1  
prerequisites, 2-2, 2-5, 4-1  
pre-upgrade tasks, 2-7  
problems, 5-6  
L
links, 4-6  
Remote Desktop, 4-8  
Remote KVM, 4-7  
Log File Backup page, 3-10  
Index-3  
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Index  
Production Side  
service  
defined, Glossary-1  
defined, Glossary-4  
managing, 4-14  
programming notes, custom actions, 3-15  
managing during upgrade, 2-6, 3-9  
startup type, 3-9, 3-15  
verifying status of, 5-2  
session  
Q
defined, Glossary-5  
sequence, 1-8  
severity, 4-23, 4-24  
QLogic Fibre Channel adapter. See external  
storage  
simplex mode  
R
defined, Glossary-5  
upgrade fault tolerance, 2-3  
software. See installing software  
solutions, 5-6  
split system, 1-2, 4-3  
defined, Glossary-5  
Rapid Disk Resync  
checking resync progress, 5-5  
data loss on Production Side, 3-11, 3-12  
disabling during split process, 1-4  
prerequisite for upgrade process, 2-1, 2-4,  
3-5  
resyncing during abort process, 1-7, 4-19  
resyncing during commit process, 1-5, 1-6,  
4-18  
illustrated, 1-3  
Split System page, 4-3  
standard output, 3-17  
startup type, 3-9, 3-15  
state model, 1-8  
state-sensitive recovery (SSR), 4-27  
static IP address, 2-5  
status bar, 4-25  
running verify process, 2-8  
RDR. See Rapid Disk Resync  
readiness check, 4-1  
troubleshooting, 5-6  
rebooting. See restarting  
recommendations, 2-5  
Hardware State, 4-25  
Operational State, 4-26  
Partner State, 4-27  
release notes, 1-1  
Upgrade State, 4-26  
summary of upgrade, 3-19  
support for upgrades, 2-1  
system disk  
copying installers to, 2-18  
defined, Glossary-5  
preserving event logs, 3-11  
selecting before upgrade, 3-6  
verifying installed software, 4-17, 5-3  
system resource  
Remote Desktop Connection  
configuring before Upgrade, 2-8  
connecting to Upgrade Side, 4-8  
defined, Glossary-4  
terminating connection, 4-9  
Windows Firewall exception, 2-10  
Remote KVM  
connecting to Upgrade Side, 4-7  
defined, Glossary-4  
terminating connection, 4-8  
requirements, 2-2, 2-5  
defined, Glossary-2  
restarting  
T
applications, 2-6  
Production Side, 4-14  
Upgrade Side, 4-12  
temporary file  
defined, Glossary-5  
prerequisite for location, 2-1  
timing field, 3-14  
S
troubleshooting, 5-1  
SANsurfer software, 2-5, 5-9  
saving  
U
activity log to file, 5-1  
configuration file, 3-5  
uninterruptible power supply (UPS), 2-11  
Index-4 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide  
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Index  
upgrade  
fault tolerance during, 2-3  
session, 1-8, Glossary-5  
status, 4-21  
support, 2-1  
tasks, 4-5  
Upgrade Side  
connecting to, 4-6  
defined, Glossary-6  
managing, 4-5  
verifying before commit, 4-17  
verifying before merge, 4-15  
Upgrade State, 4-26  
Upgrade Summary page, 3-19  
V
verifying  
list of hotfixes, 2-20  
status of installed software, 5-3  
status of services, 5-2  
Upgrade Side before commit, 4-17  
Upgrade Side before merge, 4-15  
Virtual Technician Module  
configuring for upgrade, 2-3  
Remote KVM, 4-7  
static address, 2-5  
upgrading firmware, 2-2, 2-4  
usage during upgrade, 1-4  
Visual Basic script (VBS), 3-12, 3-18  
volume  
defined, Glossary-6  
VTM. See Virtual Technician Module  
W
Windows Automatic Updates  
downloading before upgrade session, 2-18  
installing updates, 4-10  
restarting system for update, 4-12  
Windows Firewall, 2-10  
Windows Server Update Services  
(WSUS), 2-19  
Index-5  
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Index  
Index-6 Express5800/320Fc: Active Upgrade™ User’s Guide  
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