1. Novell BrainShare 2002
Novell Consulting’s Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare® Upgrades
Stuart Proffitt
Novell Consultant
Novell, Inc.
Nancy Hawkins
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

2. Vision…one Net Mission
A world where networks of all types—corporate and public, intranets, extranets, and the Internet—work together as one Net and securely connect employees, customers, suppliers, and partners across organizational boundaries
Mission
To solve complex business and technical challenges with Net business solutions that enable people, processes, and systems to work together and our customers to profit from the opportunities of a networked world

4. Keys to a Successful Upgrade
Novell BrainShare 2002
Keys to a Successful Upgrade
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

5. Communication Define your upgrade team
Novell BrainShare 2002
Communication
Define your upgrade team
Define roles and responsibilities
Schedule standing meetings
Communicate, communicate, communicate
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

6. Develop a Plan Accommodate business and technical needs
Novell BrainShare 2002
Develop a Plan
Accommodate business and technical needs
Accommodate required resources…
Hardware
People
Sites
Set realistic timelines
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

7. Plan for Business Needs
Check with affected business units
End of month/quarter/year
Atypical working hours
Special projects
Check with other teams for potential conflicts
Network upgrades
Other NOS projects
Desktop deployments

8. Plan for Technical Needs
Correct any Novell eDirectory™ issues
Select first NetWare® 5 or 6 server
Install/upgrade LAN and disk drivers
Select personnel to perform upgrades
Determine media distribution method
Upgrade schedule
Create checklists

9. Research Identify potential problems Server configurations
Novell BrainShare 2002
Research
Identify potential problems
Server configurations
Identify applications
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

10. Identify Potential Problems
Novell BrainShare 2002
Identify Potential Problems
eDirectory health check
Stuck obituaries
DS version(s)
eDirectory partition/replica design
Time synchronization
Determine DIB size
IP infrastructure design
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

11. Server Configuration Create a server configuration spreadsheet
Novell BrainShare 2002
Server Configuration
Create a server configuration spreadsheet
Available space on SYS and DOS partition
LAN and disk drivers
Location of specialized services
On certain manufacturers’ servers, check OS setting in BIOS
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

12. Identify Applications
Novell BrainShare 2002
Identify Applications
Server-based *NLMs™
Virus scanners
Messaging systems (GroupWise®, **NIMS™, etc.)
Backup software
Databases (SQL, Oracle, Sybase, etc.)
Auditing software
Btrieve-based applications
*NetWare Loadable Module™
** Novell Internet Messaging System™
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

13. Deployment Steps Requirements assessment Build test lab
Novell BrainShare 2002
Deployment Steps
Requirements assessment
Build test lab
Select first NetWare 5 or 6 server in the tree
Perform pilot
Deploy upgrade source media
Perform the upgrades
Post upgrade cleanup
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

14. In Theory…
“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice—but in practice, there is.”
Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut,
computer scientist

15. Test Lab Duplicate the production environment
Novell BrainShare 2002
Test Lab
Duplicate the production environment
Isolate from the production network (optional)
Deploy typical client workstations
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

16. Test Lab—Equipment At least three servers—more is better
Novell BrainShare 2002
Test Lab—Equipment
At least three servers—more is better
One administrative workstation
Two or more client workstations
Tape drives, FAX cards, serial boards, etc.
Hub or switch
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

17. Test Lab—Server Setup Process
Novell BrainShare 2002
Test Lab—Server Setup Process
Install server into test lab eDirectory tree
Patch server to match production server
Install applications on server
Verify client connection to server
Backup file system trustee assignments
Remove eDirectory from server
Image the server
Reinstall eDirectory on server
Restore file system trustee assignments
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

18. Test Lab—Tasks Build any required upgrade scripts Build checklist
Novell BrainShare 2002
Test Lab—Tasks
Build any required upgrade scripts
Build checklist
Test upgrade process using checklist
Verify that the upgrade worked
Modify and repeat as necessary
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

19. Pre-Upgrade Tasks Check eDirectory health
eDirectory health check
Time synchronization
Stop and remark out all applications on server to be upgraded
Verify after server reboot
Confirm all network connections working

20. The First NetWare 5 or 6 Server
Novell BrainShare 2002
The First NetWare 5 or 6 Server
Must hold a replica of [Root]—R/W or Master
NetWare 5 to 6, the first server upgraded should be the current Certificate Authority
If NetWare 3 or 4, the first server upgraded will become the Certificate Authority
Must not be a temporary server
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

21. Starting the Upgrades Install the first NetWare 5.x or 6.x server
Novell BrainShare 2002
Starting the Upgrades
Install the first NetWare 5.x or 6.x server
Follow steps in NWDEPLOY.EXE
Allow eDirectory to synchronize for a day or more
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

22. Upgrade Pilot Choose low-profile servers
Novell BrainShare 2002
Upgrade Pilot
Choose low-profile servers
Perform upgrades using procedures/scripts from lab
Review results of pilot
Revise process if necessary
Finalize upgrade procedures/scripts
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

23. Deploy Upgrade Source Media
Create and deploy CD-ROMs to remote sites
Review upgrade process with upgrade staff
Review personnel schedule
Review project plan
Review upgrade schedule

24. Post-Upgrade Cleanup Install any additional products with NWDEPLOY.EXE
Novell BrainShare 2002
Post-Upgrade Cleanup
Install any additional products with NWDEPLOY.EXE
Resolve any leftover problems
Remove old DS files
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

25. Common Pitfalls IP infrastructure not in place
Novell BrainShare 2002
Common Pitfalls
IP infrastructure not in place
Failure to allow DS to synchronize
Not cleaning up eDirectory problems
Not enough free space on SYS volume
Running RCONSOLE from the server you are upgrading
Having applications that hold eDirectory open
Failure to communicate plan to team members
Have a human onsite at remote locations
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

26. Considerations
If you are going to do any of these items, do them before you upgrade the server
Change server names
Change server context in eDirectory
Change server IP address

27. Cool Tools Toolbox—support.novell.com JCMD.NLM—www.jrbsoftware.com
Novell BrainShare 2002
Cool Tools
Toolbox—support.novell.com
JCMD.NLM—
MOUNTDOS.NLM—
CPQFM—
UltraEdit—
Server Magic—
Server Image—included with Server Magic
TUT202—Novell Consulting's Best Practices for Planning Successful NetWare Upgrades

28. References Success stories eDirectory Health Check—TID 10012858
eDirectory Health Check—TID
In-place Upgrade Health Check—TID
NetWare 5.x or 6.x
“Overview and Installation Guide”
“Other Installation Options”