Upgrade from CMOD 8.5 (8.5.0.6) to Version 9 (9.0.0.2) - Experience

[mazhan2]

Hi,

We are evaluating CMOD upgrade from 8.5.0.6 to 9.0.0.2. We run CMOD 8.5.0.6 on AIX 6.1. TL7, DB2 9.5 FP 10, TSM Server 5.5.3, TSM CLient 6.2.2.0.

I have seen few posts related to this topic but I couldn't gather much information.

I am looking to find out:
 1. Who has done upgrade to v 9.0
 2. Experience / suggestions regarding this upgrade
 3. Issues encountered during the upgrade

Would appreciate any details regarding the subject.

Thanks, Naveed.

[jeffs42885]

Very interested to see this as we run a similar setup. (Except DB2 9.7)

[Alessandro Perucchi]

Hello mazhan2,

Done it many times.

In fact there is nothing special here. That's quite straight forward.

You need to be aware of the following:

• If you use "arsload.cfg" then you will probably need to switch to the new stash file (command "arsstash")
• When you install CMOD V9, then it will automagically uninstall V8.5, so be sure to do a copy of your old /usr/lpp/ars directory, it will ask for a backup, but only from the config directory. So if you have any user exits, "arslog", "arsprt", "arsrdprt", then be careful here.
• I will strongely advise that you install the GSKit version 8.0.14.32, it will resolve some bugs and slowliness in AIX
• Do not do the "arssyscr -I <Instance> -l" or "arssyscr -I <Instance> -a" if you have old clients (read prior to V9), because it will convert the date of System Log/Load to the new format, meaning that ODWEK and CMOD Client V8.X won't be able to search correctly these 2 folders, because the date won't appear!!! Do the change ONLY when everybody is using V9 client OR if the old client doesn't access the "System %" folders.
• As always the arsdb -uv will show lots of errors that can be normally ignored, but my advice here is just to still read it, and check if the error seems ok... I mean if he wants to create an index, and the index already exists, then it will create an error... normal, but from time to time you might have some strange errors, that doesn't match "normal error"... I've seen that once or twice in something 15 upgrades to V9
• Default directory... with V9, the default directory is now /opt/IBM/ondemand/V9.0 instead of /usr/lpp/ars in AIX, so you need to make sure that all your program/scripts are corrected, or what you could do in the meantime, is to create such a link "ln -s /opt/IBM/ondemand/V9.0 /usr/lpp/ars", of course if you install CMOD in another directory, it is ok, you still can install it in /usr/lpp/ars if you wish!! But then you need to be careful, and set the following Unix variable "export ARS_INSTALL_SERVER_V90_DIR=/usr/lpp/ars" (of course it will work with any other path :-)) The variable is not always needed, but I've seen that sometimes, for some reasons, CMOD will check the ars.ini in /opt/IBM/ondemand/V9.0/config instead of the new directory... and for that, if that happens, then this variable might be your savior!!

So basically the steps are (to be modified/enhanced/simplify for your own needs):

• Stop CMOD
• upgrade binary
• change the scripts/profiles/... with the new PATH of CMOD
• arsdb -uv -I <Instance>
• arsdb -efv -I <Instance>
• arsdb -rv -I <Instance>
• (Optional) arssyscr -I <Instance> -l
• (Optional) arssyscr -I <Instance> -a
• arsdb -mv -I <Instance>
• Start CMOD

Of course the README of CMOD V9.0 is the reference for the upgrade.

AND test it before doing it in Production :-)

Sincerely yours,
Alessandro

[mazhan2]

Hi Alessandro,

Thanks for all your suggestions. This would be very helpful.

Would you know (rough idea) how many / which CMOD users have upgraded to version 9?

Thanks,

Naveed.

[Alessandro Perucchi]

Thanks for all your suggestions. This would be very helpful.

You're welcome 

Would you know (rough idea) how many / which CMOD users have upgraded to version 9?

All my customers are going to V9, a few are still in 8.5, and are planning the upgrade in the next 2 years. Still one customer with CMOD 8.3 and he will do the upgrade next year (finally!!!!!)
In total I've around 10 customers in V9, I'm doing one right now (well this week-end) and another 4-5 in the pipeline until end 2014.

Sincerely yours,
Alessandro

[mazhan2]

Hi Alessandro,

If it is not confidential, would you be able to share few organization names that have moved to V9.

Thanks for the information. Very helpful to me.

Naveed.

[mazhan2]

Hi,

Continuing this thread; has anyone installed CMOD version 9 to a custom directory structure on AIX instead of using new default directory structure /opt/IBM/ondemand/V9.0 & /opt/IBM/odwek/V9.0. i.e. can we still install CMOD v9 under old directory structure /usr/lpp/ars.

If yes, can you please let me know the process.

Thanks,

Naveed.

[Paul]

Here is a good guiding document.

http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21446135

The biggest issue I had was on the arsstash file.  It would only run when I set perms to 777.

[Paul]

Naveed,
It seems to me that by the instructions, you should be able to use the old directory structure.  You just have to have the path in all the config files.