You need to upgrade from the current version of Cisco Unity Connection to a higher version to use the new features supported with the new version. When you upgrade a server, the new version of Unity Connection is installed in a separate disk partition known as inactive partition. To activate the new version, you need to perform switch version. The following are the two ways to switch to the new version:

• Automatic Switching: Allows you to automatically switch to the new version of Unity Connection as part of the upgrade process.

• Manual Switching: Allows you to manually switch to the new version of Unity Connection after the successful completion of upgrade.

If you need to revert the server to the previous version, you can rollback to the previous version.

Note	You can install or upgrade Unity Connection 10.0(1) and later releases only on virtual machines.

The Unity Connection upgrade files are available as ISO images or COP (Cisco Option Package) files. You can use either of the following interfaces to upgrade Unity Connection:

• Command Line Interface (CLI)

• Cisco Unified OS Administration web interface.

You must save the COP files on a Network Location FTP/SFTP server accessible during upgrade. ISO image can be saved on a local DVD or on a network location. The performance of the upgrades can be monitored through CLI or Cisco Unified Operating System Administration interfaces.

The Table 3-1 explains the upgrade types and supported upgrade paths from one version to another.

Caution

For successful upgrade to Unity Connection 11.5.1 SU 1, make sure to download and install an additional COP file ciscocm.cuc_11.5SU1_pre_upgrade.cop.sgn. To install the COP file, you must follow the instructions given in the ReadMe of the COP file available at http://www.cisco.com/web/software/282204704/18582/CUC_CSCvb02774_ReadMe.docx.

Note

After the upgrade, you may need to reinstall the locale depending on the source and the target version. If the target version is compatible with the existing locales, then you need not install any new locales. However, if the target version requires to install new locales, then remove the existing set of locales after the completion of upgrade process, and install the new set of available locales. To check the existing locales, use show cuc locales CLI command. If you are upgrading Unity Connection to 11.5(1) Service Update 8 and later, then after completion of successful upgrade, you must reinstall the set of available locales that are compatible with the upgraded version.

Note	The procedure for upgrading Unity Connection to any Service Update (SU), is similar to RU and L2 upgrade.

When a Unity Connection cluster is upgraded, the publisher server is completely disabled for the entire duration of upgrade but the subscriber server continues to provide services to users and callers. However, the performance of the cluster is affected in the following ways:

• If the phone system is routing calls to the subscriber server, outside callers and Unity Connection users can leave voice messages but the messages are not immediately delivered to user mailboxes. During switch version on the subscriber server in a cluster, messages that were left on the subscriber server are copied to the publisher server and delivered to user mailboxes.

• Unity Connection users can use the telephone user interface (TUI) to play messages recorded before the upgrade starts but cannot play the messages recorded during the upgrade.

• Unity Connection may not retain the status of messages. For example, if a user plays a message during the upgrade, the message may be marked as new again after the upgrade. Likewise, if a user deletes a message during the upgrade, the message may reappear after the upgrade.

• User can access Unity Connection using clients such as, ViewMail for Outlook, Web Inbox and Jabber during upgrade. However, during switch version, user cannot access these clients. In case of RU, these clients are not accessible during complete upgrade..

• Administrator users can make configuration changes using any of the administration applications, such as Cisco Unity Connection Administration and Cisco Unified Operating System Administration during upgrade. However, Unity Connection does not allow provisioning and configuration changes through administration applications or VMREST during the switch version. In case of RU, provisioning and configuration are not allowed in complete upgrade duration.

• Intrasite, intersite or HTTPS networking with other servers is disabled for the duration of the switch version. Directory changes made on the other servers in the network are not replicated to the server or cluster until the switch version is complete.

Under ideal network conditions, an upgrade process takes approximately two hours to complete on each server. Therefore, a Unity Connection cluster takes four hours to upgrade to a higher version. Depending on the data size of the server, the switch version process might take some more time.

If you are upgrading in a slow network condition, the upgrade process may take longer time than expected. It is always recommended to upgrade Unity Connection during off-peak hours or during a maintenance window to avoid service interruptions.

Tip	You can reduce the duration of upgrade process by asking users to permanently delete items in the deleted items folder before starting the upgrade. This saves time as deleted items are not copied.

Before beginning the upgrade process, you must consider the following points for a successful upgrade:

• Ensure that you have a good network connection to avoid service interruptions during upgrade.

• You must have a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) or File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server in place when upgrading from a network location.

• Check the current version and determine the version to which you want to upgrade. See the release notes of the new version for more information. Release notes are available at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/unified-communications/unity-connection/products-release-notes-list.html.

• Determine if you need COP files depending on the upgrade process. Download the COP and ISO image files from: http://software.cisco.com/download/navigator.html?mdfid=280082558&i=rm

• Backup all the existing data. For more information on backup and restore, see the Backing Up and Restoring Cisco Unity Connection Components chapter.

• If you are upgrading from Unity Connection 9.1(2) or earlier versions to Unity Connection 11.x, update the following virtual machine settings on both publisher and subscriber server through VMware vSphere client:
  1. Change the Guest Operating System version to match the requirements of the Unity Connection 11.x.
  2. Modify the network adapter to use the VMXNET 3 Adapter type.

  Note	For more information on changing the Guest Operating System and network adapter, see the corresponding Readme of the OVA template at https://software.cisco.com/download/release.html?mdfid=283062758&flowid=45673&softwareid=282074348&release=OVA-11.0&relind=AVAILABLE&rellifecycle=&reltype=latest.

• Confirm that the status of both publisher and subscriber servers is active and they can answer calls. Follow the given steps to confirm the server status in a cluster:

  Sign in to Cisco Unity Connection Serviceability.

  Expand Tools and select Cluster Management.

  Check the server status in a cluster.

  In addition to this, confirm the running state of database replication using the CLI command show cuc cluster status.

  Note	After confirming the status of publisher server as Primary and subscriber server as Secondary, start the upgrade process first on publisher server and then on subscriber server.

• Before upgrading to the release 11.x, rename the notification templates if created with the below mentioned names.

  Default_Missed_Call

  Default_Missed_Call_With_Summary

  Default_Scheduled_Summary

  Default_Voice_Message_With_Summary

  Default_Dynamic_Icons

  Default_Actionable_Links_Only

  If not renamed the mentioned notification templates gets replaced with default notification templates of release 11.x.

• Before upgrading to the release 11.x, make sure the display name of default notification devices is not changed for any of the user. If changed then update notification devices to the default name.

  To check the users whose default notification device name is changed, execute below query:

  run cuc dbquery unitydirdb SELECT COUNT(*) AS num_sys_notdevices, USR.alias, ND.subscriberobjectid FROM tbl_notificationdevice AS ND INNER JOIN vw_user USR ON ND.subscriberobjectid = USR.objectid WHERE ((ND.devicename IN ('Home Phone', 'Work Phone', 'Mobile Phone', 'Pager', 'SMTP') AND ND.displayname = ND.devicename) OR (ND.devicename='HTML' AND ND.displayname IN ('HTML', 'HTML Missed Call', 'HTML Scheduled Summary'))) GROUP BY ND.subscriberobjectid, USR.alias HAVING COUNT(*) != 8

• Initiate a pre upgrade test before starting the upgrade process using the CLI command

  run cuc preupgrade test

• If you are upgrading from Unity Connection 8.6 or earlier, you must install all the applicable licenses before you upgrade to Unity Connection release 9.x and later. This is because the installed license information considered as legacy license data is required to migrate licenses. After you upgrade to Unity Connection 9.x and later releases, you can not apply legacy licenses using the Prime License Manager. For more information see the Migrating Licenses from Unity Connection 8.6 and Earlier Releases section.

Do the following tasks to upgrade an Unity Connection server:

1. If you are running the current version of Unity Connection on a physical server then you must replace it with a virtual server. See the Migrating a Physical Server to a Virtual Machine.

   If you are already running the current version on a virtual server, make sure it is compatible with the upgraded version. See the Cisco Unity Connection 11.x Supported Platform List at https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/connection/11x/supported_platforms/b_11xcucspl.html.

   Note

   If you are performing an L2 upgrade, make sure that the Platform SOAP services are running on both the Unity Connection servers to successfully upgrade using Prime Collaboration Deployment. SOAP services can be enabled on both the servers using Cisco Unified Serviceability page. For more information on PCD, see the Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment Administration Guide at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/unified-communications/unified-communications-manager-callmanager/products-maintenance-guides-list.html.

2. If you are upgrading during non business hours, run the following command on the standalone server or the publisher server to speed up the upgrade process:

   utils iothrottle disable

   If you are upgrading during a maintenance window, you can speed up the upgrade by disabling the throttling. This decreases the time required to complete the upgrade but affects Unity Connection performance.

   Caution

   You cannot disable throttling during the upgrade process. If you want to disable the throttling process, you must first stop upgrade, disable throttle, and restart the Unity Connection server. Once the server is active again, begin the upgrade process.

3. (Unity Connection 8.6 only) Install the licenses on the existing Unity Connection 8.6 servers before you upgrade to Unity Connection 11.x server. While upgrade, the legacy license information is uploaded in Unity Connection database. For more information, see the Migrating Licenses from Unity Connection 8.6 and Earlier Releases.

4. (Unity Connection 7.x only) Unity Connection version 7.0(1) and 7.1(2) cannot be directly upgraded to Unity Connection 11.x and higher versions. If you are currently running versions earlier than Unity Connection 7.1(3), you first need to upgrade to an intermediate version of Unity Connection 7.1(3). For information on supported upgrades, see the "Supported Cisco Unified Communications Manager Upgrades" section of Cisco Unified Communications Manager Software Compatibility Matrix.

5. Confirm if you require COP file for the upgrade process and download file from https://software.cisco.com/download/navigator.html?mdfid=280082558&i=rm

6. Apply the COP file using the steps listed in the Applying COP file from a Network Location.
7. Follow the upgrade process on the standalone server:
   • (RU upgrades only) Upgrade the server by performing the steps mentioned in the Upgrading the Unity Connection section. The server automatically switches to the new version after completing the upgrade.
   • ( L2 upgrades only) Upgrade the server using the steps mentioned in the Upgrading the Unity Connection section. Switch to the upgraded software to complete the upgrade process following the steps mentioned in the Switching to the Upgraded Version of Unity Connection Software section.
8. Follow the upgrade process on the Unity Connection cluster:
   • (RU upgrades only) Upgrade the publisher server following the steps mentioned in the Upgrading the Unity Connection Server section. The server automatically switches to the new version after completing the upgrade.

     Upgrade the subscriber server following the steps mentioned in the Upgrading the Unity Connection Server section. The server automatically switches to the new version after completing the upgrade.

   • ( L2 upgrades only) Upgrade the publisher server using the steps mentioned in the Upgrading the Unity Connection Server section.

   Caution

   In case of L2 upgrade of a cluster, do not restart or perform switch version on the publisher server before completing the upgrade on subscriber server otherwise cluster does not function properly.

   Upgrade the subscriber server following the steps mentioned in the Upgrading the Unity Connection Server section.

   Switch to the upgraded software first on the publisher server and then on the subscriber server following the steps mentioned in the Switching to the Upgraded Version of Unity Connection Software section.

9. Confirm that publisher server has Primary status and subscriber server has Secondary status.

10. If you are performing an upgrade from a FIPS enabled Unity Connection release to Unity Connection 11.x, make sure to follow the steps for regenerating certificates before using any pre-existing telephony integrations. To learn how to regenerate certificates, see the Regenerating Certificates for FIPS section of the "FIPS Compliance in Cisco Unity Connection" chapter of the Security Guide for Cisco Unity Connection Release 11.x at https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/connection/11x/security/b_11xcucsecx.html

11. From Cisco Unity Connection Release 11.5(1) SU10 and later, the time zone database (DST) is updated to 2021a. As part of this update, US/Pacific-New time zone has been removed. Please make sure to change the time zone if the system is currently configured with US/Pacific-New time zone for successful upgrade to Unity Connection 11.5(1) SU10.

After upgrading the Unity Connection version, you can rollback to the software version that was running before the upgrade by switching to the software version on inactive partition.

Caution

If you revert to the version on the inactive partition, you cannot later switch to the newest version. Instead, you must reinstall the upgrade as documented in this guide.

Important Considerations for Rollback

1. Do not make any configuration changes during the rollback because the changes are lost after the rollback.
2. In an cluster setup, do not switch versions on both the first and second servers at the same time. Perform switch version on the second server only after you have switched versions on the first server.
3. Users and mailbox stores that were added after the upgrade, no longer exist after you rollback to the version on inactive partition. The new users and mailbox stores are deleted.
4. All messages are preserved but for the users that were added after upgrade, their messages are orphaned as the users no longer exist after rollback. These messages are moved to the undeliverable messages folder.
5. If you moved mailboxes from one mailbox store to another after upgrading, those mailboxes are moved back to the mailbox stores they were in before the upgrade.
6. A future delivery folder is created for users to mark messages for future delivery. If you revert to a version that supports future delivery but the future delivery folder has not been created for the user as yet, the messages in the future delivery folder for the new version are moved to the undeliverable messages folder.
7. (Unity Connection 8.5 and earlier only) If a user rollbacks to Unity Connection version 8.5 or earlier from a current version that is 8.6 and higher, then following limitations are faced:
   • No voice messages are left after the rollback.
   • No administrator settings are preserved after the rollback.
8. No administrator settings are preserved after the rollback.
   1. Revert to the Guest Operating System version as earlier (before upgrade).
   2. Modify the network adapter to the adapter type as earlier (if you changed after upgrade).