[Info-vax] Multi-site OpenVMS field upgrade options?

[gezelter at rlgsc.com]

On Friday, April 12, 2019 at 8:57:31 AM UTC-4, Rod Regier wrote:
> I’m investigating to see if I have missed out on a practical technical  alternative.
> 
> Background:
> I have a North American multi-site installed base of Alpha and Integrity servers
> running HPE OpenVMS to support the application package my organization supplies
> for those customers.  The OpenVMS systems are supplied on a turnkey basis,
> so my organization is responsible for providing remote OpenVMS first-tier support
> from a central location.  The sites are usually provisioned with IT technical staff
> who can provide limited hardware support.  My organization is responsible
> for the rest of the hardware support.
> 
> One of the options I’m considering is upgrading all of those systems
> from HPE to VSI OpenVMS.
> 
> Question:
> 
> Is there an approach I have missed in the following list to accomplish that goal:
> 
> “Consultant approach”
> Fly in a consultant to perform an onsite upgrade at each separate site
> Comments:
> Very long outage
> Very expensive in consulting hours and travel, lodging, meals charges
> 
> “Pseudo hardware upgrade approach”
> Ship a second similar architecture system to the site
> -	w/loaded and patches OS
> -	w/networking client configuration preloaded
> -	Migrate applications and client-specific data over LAN
> Comments:
> Shortest outage
> Shipping costs
> Needs float machine hardware pool for several different models
> 
> 
> “Drycleaner laundry approach”
> Make a backup of the client-specific data and applications.
> Freeze client operations
> Transfer over Internet to central support site
> Create OS image at central site
> Network configure the image to client site details
> Load client-specific data into the image
> Create bootable media with build system
> Priority ship media to customer site
> Walk client thru image load overwriting existing OS+data
> Comments:
> Lowest consulting costs
> minimal shipping costs
> intermediate outage
> No float hardware required
> Highest risk for unforeseen extended outage

Rod,

There are some other options possible.

Are the field deployed systems using shadowed system disks? What does the configuration look like? Are the OS files separated from the application files (different disk and/or directory)? What does the mass storage environment look like?

What I have done in a variety of situations is to create what is, in effect, a clone of the system disk offline, then do a reboot using the system disk clone. Then one continues operation using the new system disk (with the updated OS). 

There are more details to be sorted out, but it does generally avoid the need for someone to be physically present. It also minimizes downtime.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com