Cisco WebEx Meetings Server Administration Guide Release 2.6

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Book Title

Cisco WebEx Meetings Server Administration Guide Release 2.6

Chapter Title

Upgrading Your System

Results

Updated:
April 16, 2019

Chapter: Upgrading Your System

Upgrading Your System

Supported Upgrade Paths

This release of Cisco WebEx Meetings Server supports upgrades from release 1.x to 2.6. The following points apply:

  • An upgrade is defined as a replacement of the system to deploy major modifications that we made to the system.

  • An update is defined as an incremental modification of the system. Updates deploy fixes and minor improvements.

  • An update retains all data from the original system. An upgrade retains all data from the original system, except for the logs.

  • When upgrading, you cannot skip a major version of the software and go directly to a companion maintenance release (MR).

    For example, to upgrade from 1.5MR5 to a 2.6MR, upgrade from 1.5MR5 to 2.6 and then update to the 2.6MR.


Note

All updates require downtime. For Multi-data centers, you update both data centers simultaneously.


Caution

Do not click Restart for one data center until the update for the other is complete, and both display the Restart button. When you update from Release 2.5MR6 or later to 2.7, restarting one data center before the update is complete for the other breaks replication.

Use the following table to determine your upgrade path to Cisco WebEx Meetings Server Release 2.6.

Installed Release

2.6 Release

Path

1.0 to 1.1

2.6

  1. Update to 1.5

  2. Update to 1.5MR5

  3. Upgrade to 2.6

1.5 to 1.5MR4

2.6

  1. Update to 1.5MR5

  2. Upgrade to 2.6

1.5 MR5 and later

2.6

Upgrade to 2.6

2.0 to 2.0MR8

2.6

  1. Update to 2.0MR9

  2. Update to 2.6

2.0MR9 or later

2.6

Update to 2.6

2.5 or any 2.5MR

Single-data Center (SDC)

2.6

Update to 2.6

2.5 or any 2.5MR

Multidata Center (MDC)

2.6

Update to 2.6

2.6 or any 2.6MR

Single-data Center (SDC)

Any 2.6MR

Update to the 2.6MR

2.6 or any 2.6MR

Multidata Center (MDC)

Any 2.6MR

Update to the 2.6MR

Important

You cannot change the audio encryption type during an upgrade or during an update. The only way to change a system from one type of audio encryption to the other is to deploy a new system.

For more information, see the following documents:

Configuring Your High-Availability System

When you update a high-availability system, you reboot the system. After the reboot process appears to be complete, we recommend that you wait an extra 15 minutes before you begin your add high-availability system procedure.


Important

Before you deploy a data center, choose between Audio Encrypted -AE or Audio Unencrypted -AU. After deployment, you cannot convert from one type to the other. Data archived or backed up from one type of system cannot be uploaded to the other type of system. You cannot change the audio encryption type during an upgrade or during an update. The only way to change a system from one type of audio encryption to the other is to deploy a new system.

Before You Begin an Upgrade

In preparation to upgrade a system, either automatically or manually, complete the following tasks:

  • Obtain the OVA file required for the upgrade.


    Note

    Upgrading from an unencrypted version to an encrypted version or upgrading from an encrypted version to an unencrypted version is not supported. Obtain the OVA based on your existing system deployment.

  • Remove all VMware snapshots of the original (existing) system. Do not take any snapshots during the upgrade process. To remove snapshots, see Removing a Snapshot.

  • Create a backup for each virtual machine in your original (existing) system. (See Creating a Backup by Using VMware vCenter.)

  • Plan a maintenance outage. During the upgrade process, the original system is placed into maintenance mode and requires exclusive access to the system. During this time, users cannot access the system for meetings. Schedule this portion of the upgrade for a time that is the least disruptive to your users.

  • Plan for the increased size of the data stores. The original system and the upgraded system share data stores until testing of the upgraded system is complete and you remove the original system.

  • Verify that the original system hostnames and IP addresses are reused in the upgraded system. Also that the internal virtual machines for both systems are on the same subnet. If you have added public access, the Internet Reverse Proxy virtual machines for the original system and the upgraded system must be on the same subnet.

  • Verify that the DNS server can resolve the vCenter hostname. Test the link by pinging the hostname.


Note

After an upgrade, CWMS System is the default name of the data center; it is not translated to any other language.

Upgrading Your System Automatically

This procedure lists the high-level tasks required to complete an automatic upgrade. It includes links to topics that provide more detailed steps necessary to complete some tasks.

Before you begin

Before upgrading a system by using the automatic upgrade process:

  • In a Multi-data Center (MDC) environment, joined data centers cannot be expanded or upgraded. Secondary data centers must be removed from the MDC and expanded or upgraded as Single-data Centers (SDC). After you modify the data centers and verify that the data center sizes and versions match, you can restore the MDC environment.

  • Inform other system administrators. Access or changes to the original system during the upgrade can cause unpredictable results.

  • Provide and configure one extra IP address and hostname for temporary use by the administration virtual machine on the upgraded system. This can be any available IP address in the VLAN. The hostname can be anything you want; this IP address and hostname are replaced at the end of the upgrade process.

    The original system and the upgraded system are both powered up during this process. The temporary IP address and hostname prevents IP conflicts during this part of the procedure. After the data is transferred from the original system to the modified system, the original system is powered down. At the end of the process, the modified system is taken out of maintenance mode and reboots.

    During the reboot, the temporary IP address and hostname are released and the modified system uses the original administration virtual machine IP address and hostname.

    If there is a firewall between the administration virtual machines and the IRP virtual machines, the temporary IP address must be allowed through the firewall.

  • Verify that vSwitch is not used on ESXi hosts as a distributed switch. Automatic processes do not support vSwitch Distributed Switch on CWMS ESXi hosts. Change to a standard switch or use a manual process.

  • Do not manually turn on or shut down either system.

Procedure

Step 1

Clear your browser cache.

Static resources are cached to enhance the performance of web pages; however, the data cached can be incorrect. Therefore, we recommend that you clear your browser cache.

Step 2

On the original system, click System > View more > Manage Licenses.

License manager opens in a new tab.
Step 3

Click Generate License Request.

A pop-up appears with the license request text. Copy the text and save it in a convenient location. This is a precaution, in case you need to reclaim your licenses. This information can also help Cisco to find your licenses.
Step 4

Using the vSphere client, deploy the Admin virtual machine.

Use the temporary IP address for the upgraded system by selecting the configuration with the Auto-upgrade suffix. For example, 250 Users Admin Auto-upgrade. Use the same host as the original system Admin virtual machine.

Step 5

Verify that the upgraded Administration virtual machine can reach the original system disks.

The Administration virtual machines are on the same ESXi host and have access to the same data stores, so they can access both sets of disks. The datastore used by the Administration virtual machine datastore (vmdk) files is visible through the vCenter (by using the same vCenter credentials used by the automatic upgrade process).

Step 6

Turn on the Administration virtual machine for the upgraded system and write down the deployment URL displayed on the virtual machine console.

Step 7

Enter the deployment URL into a web browser URL field.

Step 8

Enter the Administration and vCenter URLs and credentials, so that we can deploy the virtual machines for you.

See Providing VMware vCenter Credentials.

Step 9

To deploy any additional virtual machines, select Continue.

Hosts can hold meetings until you place the original system in maintenance mode. However, administrator access or changes to the original system during the upgrade can cause unpredictable results.

Step 10

Note the names of the automatically-created virtual machines listed in vCenter.

The format for virtual machine names is CWMS_hostname_MMDDHHmm where mm=minute

When the upgrade is complete, the virtual machines do not appear. To find the virtual machines that were created as part of the CWMS upgrade, you can search based on this format.

The progress of the upgrade appears on the deployment URL of the upgraded system and on the VMware console connected to the primary system Admin virtual machine. The VMware console provides the deployment URL to use in case the browser window inadvertently closes during the upgrade process.

Step 11

To automatically put the system in maintenance mode and begin the setup of the upgraded system, select Continue.

A message appears when Maintenance Mode is enabled, which might take up to 30 minutes.
Step 12

To launch the upgraded Cisco Webex Administration site, select Sign In to Administration Site and sign in.

Step 13

Wait for the system to come to a good state, then turn off maintenance mode on the upgraded system and select Continue.

It can take a few minutes for the meeting service to become available. Your system is ready for hosts to start meetings, when all the virtual machines listed on the System Properties page display a status of Good (green). See Turning Maintenance Mode On or Off.

The system reboots.
Step 14

Test the upgraded system.

See About System Testing.

After your upgraded system is running satisfactorily, you can delete your original system to free the original system resources. Keep the upgraded system running while deleting the original system to prevent the accidental removal of the Hard disk 4 base VMDK file.

If the upgrade is unsuccessful, power off the upgraded system, power on the original system, and contact Cisco TAC.

Step 15

Re-host and update the license version as appropriate for the upgraded system.

See Rehosting Licenses After a Major System Modification.

Within 180 days, the license-free grace period expires. If the original system had valid licenses, those licenses must be re-hosted within the 180 day period. If the original system was operating in the license-free grace period, re-hosting transfers the remaining unexpired days to the upgraded system.

What to do next

If the Cisco Webex Meetings Application or Webex Productivity Tools requires updating, and the upgrade is not blocked, an upgrade warning dialog box appears. You might have to push the Cisco Webex Meetings Application or Productivity Tools to the users. See the Cisco Webex Meetings Application and Productivity Tools Compatibility Matrix section of the Cisco Webex Meetings Server Planning Guide and System Requirements, found at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/conferencing/webex-meetings-server/products-installation-and-configuration-guides-list.html.

Upgrading Your System Manually

This procedure lists the high-level tasks needed to complete a manual upgrade. It includes links to topics that provide more detailed steps necessary to complete some tasks.

Before you begin

In a Multi-data Center (MDC) environment, joined data centers cannot be expanded or upgraded. Secondary data centers must be removed from the MDC and expanded or upgraded as Single-data Centers (SDC). After you modify the data centers and verify that the data center sizes and versions match, you can restore the MDC environment.

Verify that the upgraded system can access the disks for the original system Admin virtual machine. (Hard disk 4 is copied from the original system to the upgraded system.)

Do not turn on and run both systems at the same time, because the hostnames and IP addresses from the original virtual machines are used in the upgraded system.

Procedure

Step 1

Clear your browser cache.

Static resources are cached to enhance the performance of web pages; however, the data cached can be incorrect. Therefore, we recommend that you clear your browser cache.

Step 2

On the original system, click System > View more > Manage Licenses.

License manager opens in a new tab.
Step 3

Click Generate License Request.

A pop-up appears with the license request text. Copy the text and save it in a convenient location. This is a precaution, in case you need to reclaim your licenses. This information can also help Cisco to find your licenses.
Step 4

Log in to the Administration site of the original system.

Step 5

Go to the System tab and select Upgrade.

Step 6

Select Major Upgrade.

Step 7

Select Continue to archive the original system data and put the system into maintenance mode.

Step 8

Use the VMware vSphere client, to shut down the virtual machines for the original system.

For each virtual machine, click Power > Shut Down Guest.

Step 9

Deploy all of the upgraded system virtual machines, including the high availability (HA) and Internet Reverse Proxy (IRP) virtual machines.

If you are deploying a Multi-data Center (MDC), do not deploy a HA machine; MDC does not support HA.

Important 

During deployment there is an option to Power on VM after deployment. Verify that this option is not checked. Also ensure that the VMs are not turned on manually, before the next step is complete. This precaution is to prevent creating a new deployment instead of migrating the data. If the VMs are turned on, you must delete and redeploy them before proceeding.

Step 10

Copy the data from your original system to the Admin virtual machine for the upgraded system.

See Attaching an Existing VMDK File to a New Virtual Machine.

Step 11

Power on the upgraded Admin virtual machine and write down the deployment URL that appears on the virtual machine console.

If the system includes HA, do not set up the HA virtual machines from HA Admin Deployment; allow the upgrade script to discover the HA virtual machines.

Step 12

Power on the other upgraded virtual machines.

Step 13

Enter the deployment URL into a web browser.

Step 14

Click Continue to start the system setup.

The progress of the upgrade appears on the deployment URL of the upgraded system and on the VMware console connected to the primary system Admin virtual machine.

The VMware console provides the deployment URL to use in case the browser window inadvertently closes during the upgrade process.

Step 15

Wait for the system to come to a good state, then turn off maintenance mode and click Continue.

It can take a few minutes for the meeting service to become available. Your system is ready for hosts to start meetings, when all the virtual machines listed on the System Properties page display a status of Good (green). See Turning Maintenance Mode On or Off.

Step 16

Test the upgraded system.

See About System Testing.

After your upgraded system is running satisfactorily, you can delete your original system to free the original system resources. Keep the upgraded system running while deleting the original system to prevent the accidental removal of the Hard disk 4 base VMDK file.

If the upgrade is unsuccessful, power off the upgraded system, power on the original system, and contact Cisco TAC.

Step 17

Rehost and update the license version as appropriate for the upgraded system.

See Rehosting Licenses After a Major System Modification.

Within 180 days, the license-free grace period expires. If the original system had valid licenses, those licenses must be re-hosted within the 180 day period. If the original system was operating in the license-free grace period, re-hosting transfers the remaining unexpired days to the upgraded system.

What to do next

If the Cisco Webex Meetings Application or Webex Productivity Tools requires updating, and the upgrade is not blocked, an upgrade warning dialog box appears. You might have to push the Cisco Webex Meetings Application or Productivity Tools to the users. See the "Cisco Webex Meetings Application and Productivity Tools Compatibility Matrix" section of the Cisco Webex Meetings Server Planning Guide and System Requirements for your release.

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