2012-10-03: From news on Anthony P. blog an available release MP1 for the SP2. Reviewed 2012-10-26. Re-Reviewed 2012-11-21.
Before upgrading, you must also check this article, can change in the time and obosolete this blog a little:
http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH197966
IT Management Suite 7.1 SP2 MP1 Release Notes
here it is: http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC6052
and the IT Management Suite 7.1 SP2 MP1.1 Release Notes
http://www.symantec.com/docs/DOC5955
Notice: You should install the MP1.1, that is including all MP1 (do not install MP1 for installing MP1.1)
Important: If you already installed version MP1, MP1.1 will install only the fix described in TECH198556.
Notice 2: already Rollup are there also (must ask it to support if required) - Thanks to tell me, and if others :)
SMP 7.1 SP2 MP1 Rollup Version 1 Information Notes
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Created: 2012-10-31 |
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Updated: 2012-11-08 |
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Article URL http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO81832 |
This is a good news, with about 20 pages of fixes, and I find a few we currently know our side, such problems with SP2, we were thinking about requesting a rollup v4 to Symantec support...
Is it my own? Am I alone to feel the "Symantec Quality/stability" is going a little bit down, (all the same I make an abstract of the nice "beta" version 7.0 ITMS, should never deploy in production) ? I hope this MP1+MP1.1 will stronger the Altiris platorm. Perhaps some relation the Altiris development moved from Australia to India+Lituanie in 2011?
Please Symantec: here some suggestions:
- Simplify
- Improve the platform strength: better testing ? better tuning ? Reduce internal complexity !
- Force "other extensions" respecting the standard "interface" and user presentation
(like Mobile Management creating a type "Mobile", but no view "vMobile" ! )
- Organize Symantec support to concentrate all incidents a "same" installation in a single support session,
instead of spreading multiple tickets and support contacts !
- ...
We need being able to rely on SMP: Simplify and tune the base processing, for reliability, strength, performance and ergonomy. It is difficult to build stable solution, on a platform consumming such support time for simply maintaining it operationnal.
Thanks reading this, and answer me your own personal feeling about.
Here the process to install MP1 (or MP1.1)
- backup the full server + dump of the base... In case of!
ALSO: create a "support package" (SIM > [Settings] > [Create a support package]) to collect current versions & logs state... In case of!
- You log on SMP server with the previous installation "service account",
(and with all extended SQL sysadmin righs into the SQL instance (not only the Symantec_CMDB base)
- SIM auto-upgrading to 7.1.238 (http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO80647)
You must go on SIM "Run as Admin" (update the products.pl.xml):
Notice: SIM will auto-upgrade and switch to a new Products List: http://www.solutionsam.com/solutions/pl/symantec_v2.pl.xml.zip
You should see this as an uprade, and you will see:
New option for being able to upgrade the version you'll prefer, that's cool, thanks Symantec.
See more here: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/videos/basic-walk-through-new-sim-upgrade-process-video
Plan a 2-3 hours maintenance, with services stopped. So plan a 8h maintenance in case of "Rollback".
- Stop IIS (as suggested in comment)
- Check step ask for removing ASDK: proceed using the provide link => NOTICE: this is stopping AexSVC NSE processing.
(Don't search how/where to get the new version, it is inside the SMP now: Why removing not integrated? Mystery!)
- Warning Workflow will not be updated
(nothing about in the release note install process. Why upgrade not integrated? Not a mystery, reducing damage risk custom workflows!)
- Can have an Internet Warning about crl.microsoft.com cannot access: can bypass (probably firewall protection blocking, all the same proxy provided) use the link to fix (disabling this check)
- If using HIERARCHY: carefull procced as HOWTO44016 or http://symantec.com/docs/HOWTO21657
(unplug, update childs 1st, update parents, re-plug)
- Check you SQL server not in mode "full" for a "disk overload because of the LOG file growing a big lot", switch in mode simple
(that is not in the best practice KB, this should be added from my point of view. Upgrade crashes because of SQL log disk over space)
- Restart the server, and check the logs and check errors.
ALSO: REcreate a new "support package" (SIM > [Settings] > [Create a support package]) to collect current versions & logs state... In case of!
For our current install: CMS + AMS (no SMS) here the update list below:
Symantec Management Platform 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.8400)
Activity Center 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris CMDB Solution 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Asset Management Solution 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Asset Management Suite 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.33)
Symantec Barcode Solution 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.1230)
Altiris IT Analytics Client Server Management Pack 7.1 SP2 (7.1.2060) (already installed)
Altiris Real-Time Console Infrastructure 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
First Time Setup Portal 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Altiris Patch Management Solution 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Patch Management Solution for Windows 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Patch Management Solution for Linux 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Patch Management Solution for Mac 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Altiris Client Management Suite 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.33)
Altiris Event Console 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Altiris Inventory Solution 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Software Catalog Data Provider 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Altiris Inventory for Network Devices 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Altiris Out-of-Band Management 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Altiris Software Management Solution 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Power Scheme Task 7.1 SP2 (7.1.1304) (already installed)
Symantec pcAnywhere Solution 12.6.7 (12.6.8096) (already installed)
Altiris Client Management Suite Portal Page (7.1.1005) (already installed)
Altiris Real-Time System Manager 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Wise Connector 7.1 SP2 (7.1.7580) (already installed)
Symantec Endpoint Protection Integration Component 7.1 SP2 (7.1.1037) (already installed)
Altiris IT Analytics Symantec Endpoint Protection Pack 7.1 SP2 (7.1.2060) (already installed)
Altiris Deployment Solution Complete Suite 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Deployment Solution Linux Support 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Deployment Solution WinPE Support 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Deployment Solution Core 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Altiris Deployment Solution with Winpe Support 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.7858)
Migration 7.1 SP2 MP1 (7.1.8400)
- For the time duration and the download size: Can vary a LOT, about 3 hours in our case, and 2,5 GB !
- I put PCA in bold above, be carefull if you do not apply the latest PCA update, you can be in the previous release, and the crypting is changing. So if you are not already 8096 build, you will have surprise: no backward compatibility, must wait all client updated for remote control back. (keep a PC not updated as a temp helpdesk console, or a VM or a TS)
Post-install process
Review
- Check logs Altiris, review erors, fix or escalate those recurents. (Or keep open in your "known not critical? error list")
- From Windows scheduled task run daily at night (not all a time but in the planning order, 1h, 2h, 3h10): fix or escalate recurents.
- Repeat for weekly task (I don't think existing monthly?)
- Go to CONSOLE web: open each "portal", verify no error display & altiris logs
- CONSOLE: open "Computer" + "tasks" + "Policies" + "Software": and all OK.
- CONSOLE: open all settings, expand all, click on each and verify no error.
- More tricky: see if not any missing item... For the one you well know by heart.
(I ask Support for a check missing or not updated items reports, still wait a solution)
Cleaning
- ZIP install logs, move a safe place, delete.
- empty %temp% system one, and altiris running account one. (ccleaner is nice)
- If physical machine: Defrag, if virtual, some told me useless to defrag... ???
- Perform a database defragment of the Symantec CMDB Database (see HOWTO8589) [no LOG files problem if you follow my 1st recommend]
- For those using DS 7.1 (and not any more DS 6.9, not sure a good Idea): Move FIRM.EXE into the correct location per TECH198111
Workfow updating
- see http://www.symantec.com/docs/HOWTO61681,
- as you are on the server, just look under <YourAltirisNSinstallPath>\Workflow\Web\Agent,
- This is upgrading EXE/DLL (Altiris\Workflow\Tools) from 7.1.1400 to build 7.1.1500 (except ThemeEditor.exe)
Settings & agents/plugins review
Most of the time, install deactivate the upgrade process of plugins, and (re)activate a few undesired policies:
- I do not check for this MP1, as I deactivate my own, before, all plugins upgrade policies.
- Try to avoid upgrading any plugins on a "not upgraded" SMP/NS base agent.
- Check on a pilot part, can be a good Idea before overall... Myself, I deploy all plugins at once, but only on pilot machines (30 computers in PROD).
(I deploy once a time when deploy "new" plugins)
- (RE)DEACTIVATE: The legacies policies: legacy task, and worst legacy Windows package server agent upgrade
(See in advanced Site server settings under Notification server):
If you reinstall a server with a previous NS6 package/task server, all the same "removed" NS6 agent, can have some surprise when your server auto-upgrade as a site server, and replicate all packages local disk. Hope not installed agent on C drive your server, that is a very bad Idea, especialy if C drive not enough space for all packages... And your server the company file server... Your upgrade will have some visible bad results... You can laugh, I do that already, not a pleasure.
... any addition feedback? You are welcome :)