connections migrations the easy way soccnx10

Toronto, June 6-7 2016

Connections Migrationthe easy way

Sharon Bellamy JamesRock Team

Who am I?

Sharon Bellamy James• Rock Team

• IBM WebSphere since 1999

• IBM Connections since version 2 / 2008

• Many years of experience in:

• Migrations

• Administration and installs

• Integration/Customization

• DOCUMENTATION

• Tiny bit of a Starwars and Disney fan

• Charity fundraising Cosplayer/Costumer

Agenda

• Plan• Gather your requirements

• Check system reqs

• Get the right software

• Test system first• If you don’t have one – build

one

• Side by side where

possible

• Backup your data

• Keep it simple

• Upgrade first

• Test

• Add additional components

• Test again

• Do not use all or nothing

• Can cause issues

• Difficult to debug

• Troubleshooting

But remember ……

What do you need to know?

• Essentially its like installing a new Connections system

• There is no magical upgrade button

• Most components need updating or are new versions

• Sometimes the instructions for configuring have completely changed

• Know what to back up

• Read the migration guide

• Backup the shared data, customizations and Data Bases before you start

• DO NOT just copy the customizations over

• Often jsps or config has changed. Once new version is installed –reapply the changes in the new file versions

• READ THE DOCUMENTATION – before you do anything


Gather requirements & get the

right software

PLAN

Gather requirements

• Regularly check requirement documents

• All versions are listed here:

• http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27012786

• Check all notes, Download PDF

• Be careful with installation documents

• Sometimes wrong dependencies mentioned

• Supported statement does not mean

it’s licensed

Connections 5.0 CR3

Connections 5.5

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27012786

Download the right software

• Check the system requirements

• Make a list

• Get the correct versions

• WAS is mutli os, as are the

fixes

• Connections– os versions

• TDI – os versions

• DB2 – os versions (win 2012

requires 10.5 fp 5 or above)

• Other DBs – use supported

versions – or you may hit

issues

• Install a DB Client

• Install 64 bit where possible

• Install an LDAP browser

• *Real* text editor – notepad

is useless

• Fiddler for support & its

useful

• If Windows use a tool like

baretail for watching logs


Test system first:

Not got one? Build one!

TEST

No Test System? Build One

• ALWAYS test a migration – did I mention ALWAYS!!

• A test or dev system is always a good idea

• Useful for migrations, fix packs, customization and config

changes

• Doesn’t have to be a mirror of live – can be a single node system

• VM or spare machine under a desk – it will do

• Same OS, DB, LDAP and HTTP server a must for sensible

testing

• Ensure your boss, project manager etc. knows how

important a test system is

• Add a test system to the requirements


Pros and Cons:

Side by Side vs In Place



Side by Side• Completely separate environment –

live system can stay up whilst migration testing / system building occurs

• Allows for full testing before go-live

• Any changes can be made to the new system with little pressure as the live is still functioning

• An actual live migration can be run when the system has planned downtime (weekend, maintenance window etc) – can take as little as 4 hours (depending on amount of data)

• If issues with live migration – existing system is still available to roll back to in seconds

• Less risk, less pressure, easier to debug

In Place• There is NO TEST – all or nothing

• Once you have started there is no real roll back

• System is down when the migration takes place – users are off for however long it takes

• Much pressure if there is a problem

• Avoid where possible

• If there HAS to be an in place migration ensure sufficient offline backups and snapshots have been taken to allow a restore

• Have a plan to roll back, where possible migrate when system has down time (weekend, maintenance window etc)

Side by Side vs In Place – install/test

Side by Side• Stop the Connections system –

back up everything

• If a test migration - Restart and let your users carry on

• Install a fresh Connections system elsewhere and configure it up as per normal – apply fixes, customizations etc.

• Test the clean system to ensure it works as expected – then BACK IT UP

• Migrate the data – File system (Connections data shared)

• Migrate the DB’s – either with the DBT or drop, restore and update

• Test

In Place – there is no test• Stop EVERYTHING – your system

will be completely offline whilst the update takes place

• Back it up : DBs and File System

• Uninstall Connections

• Ensure WAS profiles are clean (no apps or config), update WebSphere, recreate and configure (as per install)

• Install connections and configure

• Drop new Connections DBS, restore and update existing

• Configure connections, apply fixes, any customizations

• Test


Back up the correct data

Back up

Backing up for Migration

• Shared File System

• Back up the whole of the shared content store

• We can restore a subsetshared_content_store/audit

shared_content_store/activities/content

shared_content_store/activities/statistics

shared_content_store/blogs/upload

shared_content_store/communities/statistics

shared_content_store/customization*

shared_content_store/dogear/favorite

shared_content_store/files/upload

shared_content_store/forums/content

shared_content_store/profiles/statistics

shared_content_store/wikis/upload

• Data bases

• ALL OF THEM!!

• Even if you are using the Database transfer tool (DBT)

* We refer to this not restore the whole folder


Migration – Keep it simple

The Migration

Keeping the migration simple

• NEVER (seriously NEVER) do an in place migration

• Side by Side allows to test a clean system before running the data migration

• Use the same DB type (i.e DB2 to DB2)

• Install with example.com for mail notifications

• Run at least one test data migration

• Test all customisations with migrated data

• Document everything – record for go live and subsequent upgrades

• If an issue occurs fix it – don’t plough on regardless

• If you have to do an in place DB migration make sure DBA understands the steps and order things need to be run

• Firewalls / DNS / Network – get these

sorted before you start.

• Dedicated *Admin* user for install

• Simpler to implement phases to

minimise risk – allows testing at each

stage

• Test without proxies – add once

working – Keep it simple to install


Don’t fall for all or nothing

Keep It Simple Stupid – PHASED Migration

Phase migration and additional builds

• Build new system & configure

it as live - TEST

• Migrate Data - TEST

• Add Customizations – TEST

• Cognos Metrics/Kudos – TEST

• Connections Content Manager

(CCM) – TEST

• IBM Docs / File Viewer – TEST

• Additional integration - TEST

• Testing each phase is simpler

to debug and resolve issues –

Support will thank you for it

• PLAN!! Gather the system

requirements then phase out

where possible

• All or Nothing can cause

stress, downtime, many PMRs

if there are multiple issues

• Explain to the project manager

the reasoning behind phased -

it may looks like it will take

longer to deploy – often

doesn’t


• All or Nothing

• What happens when you

try to do too much at the

same time

• Issues with Cognos, Issues

with CCM, Issues with

Docs, Issues with data

migration

• Issues were fixed,

something else broke

• Hard to debug as too much

going on at any one time.No quick wins, customer loses focus, many

PMRS opened, hard to resolve issues as

multiple products with problems.


• Phased• Connections upgrade from 4

to 5

• Deployed FIB for surveys, add

the additional customization

• Deployed Cognos / Kudos for

metrics

• Connections Content Manager

• Then last but not least IBM

Docs

Quick wins, customer has working V5 system,

easy to debug any issues as only with one of the

components.


Post migration and troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

Post migration steps & trouble shooting

• DO NOT SKIP

• Read the knowledgebase

tasks

• Clear task schedulers

• Rebuild search index

• Synchronize files shared

with communities

• Change the emoticon

URLS (new for 5.5)

• Profile types and policies

(new for 5.5)

• Troubleshooting• Start with clear logs & clear

<profile>/temp * wstemp

• Know where the logs are

• WAS, HTTP, Plugin, DB2,

Cognos, CCM, Docs etc.

• Start with Systemout and

work backwards

• Test against WAS (no

HTTP) if HTTP issues

Troubleshooting cont.

• Troubleshooting• If clustered run only 1 node

up at a time

• Include all admins (LDAP,

DBAs, Network etc)

• Switch logs to English (if

not already)

• Remove proxies / firewalls

for a test (where possible)

• Install fiddler (Support will

ask for traces)

Thank you & Any Questions?

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