Upgrading DataCore SANsymphony

Explore this Page

Overview

This section explains how to upgrade DataCore SANsymphony and related components. It covers preparation, upgrade methods using the Deployment Wizard or manual steps, upgrading cmdlets and management consoles, and post-upgrade tasks.

Upgrading from Previous Versions

Direct upgrades are supported from DataCore SANsymphony PSP19 or Higher. Refer to the System Requirements to know the SANsymphony server operating system compatibility. If you are on a previous version, refer to DataCore FAQ 1660 for more information.

The QLogic service update is applicable to new and upgrade installations. See QLogic Service Update for detailed instructions on the upgrade.

Pre-Upgrade Preparation and Upgrade Notes

This section provides the required preparation steps and important considerations before upgrading DataCore SANsymphony. It includes checks for prerequisites, configuration backups, required services, and key cautions to help ensure a smooth and stable upgrade process.

Pre-Upgrade Steps

The DcsAdmin account and password must be known before proceeding.

  1. Refer to the Known Issues: Third Party Hardware and Software FAQ document before upgrading.
  2. Read and understand the Upgrade Notes and the Installation and Upgrading from Previous DataCore SANsymphony Versions sections.
  3. Ensure that all hardware and software requirements are met before installing or upgrading DataCore SANsymphony. Refer to Software-defined Storage Prerequisites for detailed information.
  4. Ensure all mirrored virtual disks (vDisks) are healthy and all replication streams are fully initialized before performing the upgrade.
  5. Ensure that the "Windows Modules Installer" service is not disabled. By default, this service should be set to "Manual", and will be automatically started and stopped as required.
  6. Back up the configuration. Refer to Backing Up and Restoring Configuration Files in the DataCore SANsymphony Help for directions that includes stopping the DataCore Server before doing the backup. A backup folder will be created automatically if the location has not been previously set in the DataCore Server Details > Settings Tab.
  7. If DataCore Technical Support has previously requested that the DataCore.Executive.CorePMFdll.config file be customized because of a specific hardware configuration, copy this file to a safe location, as it must be restored after the upgrade, replacing the newly installed file.
  8. Close all DataCore windows on all DataCore Servers being upgraded before proceeding with the upgrade instructions below.
  9. Enable firewall rules on all servers. In Server Manager > Configuration > Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, select Inbound Rules, and enable the following:
    • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI-In)
    • Windows Management Instrumentation (ASync-In)
    • Windows Management Instrumentation (DCOM-In)
    • Remote Volume Management (RPC-EPMAP)
    • Remote Volume Management - Virtual Disk Service (RPC)
    • Remote Volume Management - Virtual Disk Service Loader (RPC)
    • File and Printer Sharing (Echo Request - ICMPv4-In)
  10. Next, select Outbound Rules and enable the following: Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI Out).
  11. Open local TCP port 445 (File Sharing/RPC) for incoming connections from remote hosts.

Upgrade Notes

  • During the upgrade procedure, do not modify the existing configuration until the entire upgrade is complete. This includes making changes to replication when server groups are on different versions of DataCore SANsymphony software. If issues are experienced during the upgrade, such as mirrors not recovering, contact DataCore Technical Support.
  • It is assumed that DataCore Servers always have the most up-to-date “Root Certificates” (used for verifying signed drivers). If DataCore Servers have unknown or expired ca-certificates, download and install the most recent “DigiCert Assured ID Root CA” from External.DigiCert Trusted Root Authority Certificates.
  • After upgrading the first DataCore Server and restarting it, do not open the DataCore Management Console on any other DataCore Servers until they are upgraded. To monitor the upgrade, use the DataCore Management Console on the newly upgraded DataCore Server. Alternatively, for DataCore Servers without the DataCore Management Console component installed, next upgrade the stand-alone DataCore Management Console server to monitor the status during the upgrade.
  • After upgrading a DataCore Server and completing the reboot required by the installer, do not stop that DataCore Server or reboot it again until all other DataCore Servers in the same server group have been upgraded.
  • When upgrading DataCoreDataCore SANsymphony installations on Windows Hyper-V servers where a dependency has been set up between the Hyper-V Virtual Machine Management Properties (VMMS) service and the DataCore Executive Service will require that the VMMS service is manually stopped before the server is upgraded. (refer to System Startup and Shutdown Considerations for SANsymphony) Not doing so will cause the DataCore Executive Service to be unable to be stopped by the installer. The VMMS service may be restarted by other dependencies if there are still cluster resources on the server, so if this is the case, the VMMS service should be stopped and disabled.
  • When upgrading, DataCore Deployment Wizard uses the hostname to connect to the target systems. Hence, DataCore Deployment Wizard validates the hostname of the machine being connected to against the hostname of the machine to which the DataCore Deployment Wizard is connected. An error is displayed if a mismatch is found. In the event, DataCore Deployment Wizard prompts a false mismatch issue, bypass this validation by adding the Wizard-flags.xml file to DataCore Deployment Wizard's installation directory C:\Program Files\DataCore\DataCoreDeployment\SDW.
  • The physical disks with Capacity Optimization enabled will be displayed under the Capacity Optimization option in the DataCore Servers panel of the DataCore Management Console, only after all the servers in the configuration are upgraded to SANsymphony 10.0 PSP19 or later.
  • Prior to SANsymphony 10.0 PSP16, SANsymphony used Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB to store the local performance recordings. Now while upgrading to SANsymphony 10.0 PSP16, Microsoft SQL Server 2022 LocalDB will be installed and configured. However, the previously installed LocalDB version 2012 will not be removed. This will ensure that no other client applications depending on Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB are impacted. To uninstall "Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB" safely, ensure that no other applications are using it.

      • Users must be logged in as local administrator or must be a member of the local Administrators group to uninstall "Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express LocalDB".

  • If any Commvault Agent software is installed on any SANsymphony servers, do not upgrade the servers to DataCore SANsymphony 10.0 PSP17 or higher. Contact DataCore Technical Support for more information.

Upgrading Software Versions Using the Wizard

  1. Log on to Windows using the local Administrator account (with the 'Full Privileges' role) and password to the server where deploying or upgrading the Server Group from (the wizard will remotely install or upgrade other servers, see above). (SDW-1452, SSV-15777 180530-000064, 180605-000054, 180629-000002, 180727-000021)
  2. Save and close all files, programs, and windows. At the end of the installation, it will be necessary to restart the server to finalize the installation process.
  3. Copy or download the self-extracting executable to the first server and run the executable.
  4. Accept the EULA and enter a location where the files are to be extracted.
  5. Select the appropriate software category from the initial panel. Select DataCore SANsymphony to upgrade servers running that software.

    To update DataCore Windows Integration Kit, DataCore VASA Provider, or DataCore Storage Management Provider, select Application and Server Tools.

  6. Next select the appropriate Update option in the next panel, and follow the instructions to complete the update.
  7. As the process begins, the top left panel will provide a high-level overview of the steps the wizard will follow, while the bottom panel will give a detailed list of steps, the status of the installation, and the start and end times for each step. The main panel describes the current operation and allows input for some configuration information when required.
  8. If there are errors or a step fails, the wizard will pause and can be resumed where it left off when the issue has been resolved. Once a step has been completed, changes cannot be made.
  9. In the Select Server Update Order panel, use the up and down blue arrows to the right of the Server List to move the highlighted server up or down in the upgrade order.
  10. Status is also recorded in a text file named log.txt found in the installation folder, and additional troubleshooting information may be found in the DataCore SANsymphony and Windows event logs.
  11. The DataCore Server will be restarted automatically when the upgrade is complete.
  12. Submit the mini support bundles that were created for each server in the server group to DataCore Technical Support. Refer to the Post-Upgrade Steps for more information.

Manually Upgrading DataCore Servers

The automated installation wizard may be bypassed and a manual upgrade performed.

  1. Log in as the local administrator on one of the DataCore Servers to be upgraded, copy or download the self-extracting executable to this server and run the executable.
  2. Accept the EULA and click OK to begin the extraction. The DataCoreServer.exe file will be extracted to the C:\Program Files\DataCore\DataCoreDeployment\SANsymphony folder.
  3. Exit the wizard by clicking Exit and navigating to the folder specified above.
  4. Stop the DataCore Server from the DataCore Servers panel and wait for the status to change from "running" to "stopped"; then set the DataCore Executive Service to Manual start. Do not stop the DataCore Executive Service.
  5. Click the DataCoreServer.exe executable.
  6. If prompted, enter the login credentials for the DcsAdmin account. This information should match the original credentials entered for the previous version and must be identical on all DataCore Servers and DataCore Management Consoles in the server group.
  7. If the DataCore.Executive.CorePMFdll.config was modified, restore the saved version.
  8. Restart the DataCore Server when prompted.
  9. On the newly upgraded DataCore Server, open a command prompt and run ‘net start dcsx’ and then open the DataCore Management Console.
  10. Perform a rescan by right-clicking the DataCore Server in the left pane and selecting Rescan Ports from the actions menu.
  11. Start the DataCore Server from the DataCore Servers panel and wait for the status to change from 'stopped' to 'running'.
  12. In the Microsoft Windows Services panel, reset the DataCore Executive Service to Automatic start.
  13. Wait until all mirrored virtual disks (vDisks) have recovered and are marked 'on-line'. If recoveries remain to be completed, rescan ports. Check that all running hosts see the path to this DataCore Server before proceeding with the pre-upgrade instructions on the next DataCore Server, and then continue the upgrade of that server. Repeat for all servers in the configuration.
  14. Create mini support bundles for each server in the server group and submit to DataCore Technical Support (see the Post-Upgrade Steps instructions).

Upgrading Cmdlets and DataCore Management Consoles

Upgrading Cmdlets

Upgrading stand-alone DataCore Cmdlets may be performed before or after an upgrade of DataCore SANsymphony, but a matching version of the cmdlets should be used when connecting the DataCore SANsymphony environment being managed by the cmdlets.

If installing only the DataCore Cmdlets component or upgrading on a system that only has the DataCore Cmdlets, use the Management Console Deployment Scenario in the DataCore SANsymphony section of the DataCore Deployment Wizard.

Upgrading DataCore Management Consoles

Upgrading stand-alone DataCore Management Consoles may be performed at any time, however, if there are DataCore Servers without the DataCore Management Console component in the configuration, the DataCore Management Console must be upgraded first to the monitor status during the upgrade.

If installing only the DataCore Management Console component or upgrading on a system that only has the DataCore Management Console installed, use the Management Console Deployment Scenario in the DataCore SANsymphony section of the DataCore Deployment Wizard.

Upgrading Asynchronous Replication

For configurations where one source server replicates all of the virtual disks (vDisks), use the upgrade procedure provided in this section.

The automated installation wizard should not be used when upgrading the destination server of a replication configuration. The destination server must be upgraded manually first. The installation tool may then be used to upgrade the source side.

For bi-directional replication relationships, either server group may be upgraded first, but all servers must be manually upgraded. Replication transfer will be stopped in one direction until the update is complete on all groups. (See Manually Upgrading DataCore Servers for instructions). The upgraded server group may show as 'Unavailable' until all groups are upgraded.

All replications must be initialized and healthy at the time of upgrade. If it's necessary to perform the upgrade before all replications have been initialized, DataCore recommends force-splitting the replications and re-creating them after the upgrade is complete. Checksum initializations will take care to avoid unnecessary data transfer.

To upgrade a configuration where one source server replicates all vDisks:

  1. Upgrade the destination server.
  2. When the server is back up and running, wait for the file transfer to resume. Then upgrade the server in the source group that replicates the vDisks to the destination.
  3. After the server is back up and running, wait for the mirror recoveries to complete. Then upgrade the other server in the group.
  4. In the case of more than two servers, continue with server upgrades (step 3) until all servers are running DataCore SANsymphony10.0 PSP21.

All servers in all groups involved in asynchronous replication should be on DataCore SANsymphony10.0 PSP21 to operate properly.

Post-Upgrade Steps

  • Reactivate all license keys for the server group after the upgrade has been completed. See the Activating the License section.
  • Open a new incident by sending an email to support@datacore.com and include "<Your Customer name> - Mini Bundle" in the Subject line. (Do not attach the support bundles to this email.)
  • An automatic response explaining the next steps will be sent. The data included in the support bundles may be used as a baseline for future troubleshooting if needed.

Learn More