Client Management Suite

I am pretty new at running a CMS server and I have a question.  How long does the SP2 install take?  Will it make any major changes?  Should I schedule downtime?

I assume you are as you are talking about scheduling downtime.

Yes, you should schedule downtime, if you've prepared well, half a day should do. Read the release notes carefully first. Use the "Installation package" option in Symantec Installation Manager to cache the install files on your NS. I think you are now confusingly supposed to install the update by using the "Install New Products" option in SIM and not install updates - it's in the release notes.

There aren't any major changes.

Yes we are currently running 7.1 Sp1.  It looked like it would download the updates.  I want to make sure I plan this correctly.  And like I said we have only been running this system for a few months.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC4843

I think primarily you need to use the "Install New Products" option in SIM, not Updates.

I didn't see anytrhing about the clients getting new agents or having to do anything with my site servers.  Should there be any impact?

including Site Servers but not Power Scheme. If you enable the appropriate upgrade policies the Site Servers will upgrade automatically.

You can make new targets for the upgrade policies to stagger the agent rollouts.

There is a KB for upgrade best practices to SP2:
http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH177513

If you use IT Analytics or Arellia, it'll probably break with this upgrade unless they've fixed it.  We've seen multiple customers have issues, and have either been able to repair it in working with them or have open cases with Symantec.

Be sure to install from the 'Install new products' not 'View and install updates' area.

After you do the upgrade, go back into your agent settings and make sure your upgrade policies are still enabled.

It's best policy to make clones of the default upgrade policies - I'm not sure if the upgrade will turn off the clones but we had some weird agent policies turned off (but not all) post upgrade.  

Also, I think it's recommended to update your image with the latest agents as well.  

The Patch install one should not be cloned.

is there a KB or something for that?  I was told by support it's best practice to clone them all.

http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO56242

Section 5.

Ah, found it:

http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH165871

"Cloning the Software Update Plug-in Install and Upgrade Policies will create 3 additional separate policies with the clone...Best practice is to have the Software Update Plug-in deploy through the original Install / Upgrade policies"

I'm not seeing the 3 separate policies, and my clients seem to be updating ok.

The target on my clone looks exactly like the target on the original.

Strange, but thanks for the link/post.

I've never heard this.  Why not use 'view and install updates'?