Assumptions and Challenges
1. This document assumes the person performing the migration of the SWS Servers from 6.x to 7.6.x is familiar with the SWS Server and its configuration. This document is not targeted for novice users of SWS.
2. The Server OS is not to upgraded or patched during this process and should remain the same version.
3. SQL Server 2005 à SQL Server 2008 DB Migration is to be performed. SQL 2005 DB Backup will be restored in SQL 2008 server and SQL 2005 will be taken offline.
NOTE: Adding few more challenges, the same settings that were configured for SWS on Win2008/20012 should be retained. Eg: Same packages, User and Group Provisions, Reports, etc configuration settings. Users will be impacted with new agent versions that can be deployed through ITMS, GPOs or through the streaming portal.
Warning:
This document has been prepared under limited test conditions. Please ensure that the actual steps mentioned in this document are tried in test environment before proceeding with the production environment.
Taking Backup:
It is very much essential to take backup of the existing environment before migrating to different servers.
Note:
When taking back up of SWS servers and its components DO NOT CUT and PASTE. Use only Copy contents. Before taking any backup, ensure SWS components are stopped in the services. Also after taking the backup, make sure the system is offline or network disconnected.
Backup Up the Existing Environment
1. Before taking any backup stop the services of SWS in the Back End and in the Front End Servers.
2. It is enough that the files listed below, DB and package repository are taken as back up.
3. The following files are essential and should not be modified in any circumstances.
4. Copy the Provision.XML, da.conf, ste.conf from the BE machine to a different location.
5. In case if there are any issues in taking separate files as back up, copy the C:\program files\symantec\Workspace Streaming\Server and its subfolders to a different safe location. In both BE and FE. DO NOT CUT and PASTE.
6. Take the backup of the AppStream database. Please refer the following article before taking the backup.
How to migrate Symantec Workspace Streaming database (AppStream DB) from SQL 2005 box to SQL 2008 http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO85025.
Also Right click on “asuser” under security in the SQL server management console and generate SQL script for asuser. Save this script file in a common location. This will be needed when restoring DB in a different machine. Ensure the same asuser password is being used or else DB connectivity will not happen. Asuser password which was used during the installation of SWS on Win2008/2012 server should be used.
7. Take the backup of the following from Backend server & Front End Server:
· Folder- C:\program files\symantec\Workspace Streaming\Server\streamletEngine\da\conf
· Copy of the Packages currently uploaded. DO NOT CUT and PASTE package folder. Use only Copy
· folder.The default location for backend server is
· C:\program files\symantec\Workspace Streaming\Server\packageRepo
· For Front End server:
· C:\program files\symantec\Workspace Streaming\Server\launchserv\pkgRepo
Upgrade from 6.x to 7.6
When upgrading from 6.x you should be aware that there is not a direct upgrade path from 6.x to 7.6. You will have to upgrade to 7.5 SP1 HF(x) before upgrading to 7.6. This also includes the backend infrastructure and the agents. It may be easier to do a rip and replace with the agents then doing two upgrade deployments in an environment. See the DOC8517 page 34
If you are using 6.x version, then you cannot directly upgrade to 7.6 version. In these scenarios, you must first upgrade your environment to 7.5.0.493 version, and then upgrade to 7.6 version.
Agents
ITMS
An ITMS policy can be created to upgrade the 6.x agents to 7.5 and then a second policy can be deployed to upgrade the agents to 7.5 to 7.6. It is possible to make the 7.6 upgrade policy dependent on the 7.5 upgrade policy so that the 7.6 won’t start till the 7.5 upgrade is completed.
How to Deploy the Symantec Workspace Virtualization Agent using Symantec Management Platform 7.x Managed Software Delivery HOWTO107267
How To Deploy Workspace Streaming Agents Via Managed Software Delivery Policy HOWTO124242
GPOs
Creating GPOs to do the upgrade must follow the same process as in the ITMS process. The Agents must be upgraded to 7.5 first and then upgraded to 7.6
Streaming Environment
If the end users have admin rights they will be able to complete the upgrade prompt, then next time they are notified when streaming a layer. This would require upgrading the backend first to 7.5 and then have all the agents upgraded to 7.5 and then upgrading the backend to 7.6 to allow for end users to get the latest 7.6 agent.
NOTE: It may be easier to do a rip and replace the agents then allowing the streaming environment to do the upgrade process from 6.x to 7.5 to 7.6.x
Backend Components
The backend components need to follow the same process as the agent upgrade process. The upgrade to 7.5 first and then upgrade the new 7.5 components to 7.6.
Backend
When upgrading the backend component (STE) it will follow the same process as the Agent upgrades. Upgrading the backend from 6.x to 7.5. See the DOC8517 page 34
If you are using 6.x version, then you cannot directly upgrade to 7.6 version. In these scenarios, you must first upgrade your environment to 7.5.0.493 version, and then upgrade to 7.6 version.
Frontend and DA
Upgrade
When upgrading the FE and DA running the installer will detect that the component is installed and will attempt to upgrade the component and the new version will be detected after the install is completed in the Streaming Console.
Rip and replace
Removing the Components in the Streaming Console will allow going from 6.x to 7.6 HF(x) without any conflicts.