[sims] Any Solus 3 gotchas?

[pastymaster]

Ahh, fair enough. I hadn't realised that you'd pushed the agents out the the workstations already. Hopefully you won't have any issues come updates time.

 

I've installed Solus3 on the SIMS server to download updates as necessary and will then configure it to unpack the files into the normal S > SIMS > SETUPS.

 

I'll probably be one of the few doing it this way then, but the method seems to work well currently. I'm sure we'll get forced to roll out the agents at some point in the future anyway.

[pastymaster]

Well hopefully I'm sorted for Solus3 now.

 

All installed on the SIMS Server and it appears to be working properly (from what I can tell!).

 

All I've done in SOLUS3 > Settings > Updates is to set the updates to search every 120 minutes, left 'Auto Download' as unchecked (so that we can control when the updates are going to be available to staff), and finally checked 'Auto Extract' for SIMS and set it to extract to the UNC path of the old SIMS\SETUPS folder.

 

Fingers crossed it'll work for us like good old Solus 2.

 

Hopefully that might help someone out over the coming weeks if they don't want agents all over the place.

[Banjo]

I've got this paragraph in the email that I've received from the LA and was wondering if any of you have carried on using the SIMSLOAD.EXE method?

 

"After installing the SOLUS3 server components the guide takes you through installing agents on all of your workstations, these agents will automatically look for and pull across any updates downloaded to your server. If you do not want to use agents on the workstations for the updates there is a facility that can be set to automatically extract the files into the old Setups folder and the current simsload.exe can continue to be used for updating the workstations. Please be aware that if an agent is installed and is running on a workstation it disables the simsload facility for that workstation."

 

To be honest I'd quite like to stick with using SIMSLOAD as it's always worked well for us.

 

Does anyone still do it this way?

 

 

Yes, we use this way. Solus 3 pulls the downloads from Capita and 'sticks' it in the repository folder and upgrades the server Apps & DB over night. Next day, the workstations when they login to SIMS perform an upgrade using sims load as they used to in Solus 2 days. This does save the hassle of having to install agents on every workstation. You can run in a mixed environment, some workstations running SIMS load, others with Agents.

[kennysarmy]

Yes, we use this way. Solus 3 pulls the downloads from Capita and 'sticks' it in the repository folder and upgrades the server Apps & DB over night. Next day, the workstations when they login to SIMS perform an upgrade using sims load as they used to in Solus 2 days. This does save the hassle of having to install agents on every workstation. You can run in a mixed environment, some workstations running SIMS load, others with Agents.

 

Why is it a hassle to install the agents? All went pretty straightforward here.....

[sparkeh]

Why is it a hassle to install the agents? All went pretty straightforward here.....

Mmm I agree. Then you can upgrade with no disruption to the end user which is what we want isn't it?

[kennysarmy]

I've just upgraded a PC that was reporting as only have .net version 4.

 

I've upgraded it to the latest 4.6.

 

In SOLUS3 -> Environment -> Agents -> Environment it's still showing as 4.0 - how do I make it force a refresh?

[Banjo]

Why is it a hassle to install the agents? All went pretty straightforward here.....

 

Some schools have domains some don't and run peer to peer networks. Some schools we support with their ICT infrastructure, some we don't. Some schools use CC4, some use other vanilla networks. Some networks we have the domain passwords for, some we don't. Some ICT support providers don't like others installing software on 'their' network, others don't mind.......etc etc etc....

 

Add up the number of schools x workstations = thousands of installs...

 

With 'new' network builds or new workstations having SIMS for the first time, then we install the agents. The benefit/costs ratio for installing agents on all existing workstations doesn't make this option all that appealing.

[superfletch]

OK so this is what I still don't understand.

 

When running SOLUS2 the Server get's upgraded and then the clients get auto-upgraded when the users open SIMS.net - nice and simple - rarely goes wrong.

 

How does SOLUS3 work?

 

When an update becomes available and I upgrade the server, does that not mean none of the clients will work until they are also upgraded.

I can see issues where the user machine is off so we can't upgrade it, they then come in and turn the PC on and attempt to use SIMS which fails as they are not running the latest version, so then they have to wait while we push it out to them.

 

Is the idea that we would only do SIMS upgrades out of term time so we can go round ensuring all the PC's are switched on before we push out the upgrade? How is this better?

 

Or have I got things muddled?

 

My understanding - and we have yet to put it to the test - is that provided the devices have the agent on them, when you deploy the update those agents will simply pick that up as and when they come online - so will push it out at that time.

 

 

More or less as follows:

 

One reason for putting the agent on clients is so that SOLUS 3 can distribute upgrade files to workstations prior to you actually deploying the upgrade - thereby meaning when you do choose to deploy the upgrade the workstations should already have a cached copy of the setup files. The agent also talks to the server regularly which means:

 

 

• Machines that are online when you run the upgrade receive the upgrade there and then without the user needing to launch SIMS (additionally if a user is in SIMS it will warn them and then force close it with a countdown).
  nb - if these machines go offline during the upgrade then the locally cached upgrade files are unaffected and the workstation upgrade should finish OK
  
• Machines that are offline when you run/schedule the upgrade will actually do the upgrade as soon as they next turn up in school and the agent checks in with the server (again - it upgrades even if the user doesn't open SIMS).
  
• Also, machines that are offline when you deploy the upgrade should have a locally cached copy of the workstation install files so when they turn up in school (first monday after the holidays) and everyone puts the computer for registration the SIMS server doesn't get hammered by a couple of hundred computers requesting access to the install files on the S Drive.
  

Edited March 22, 2016 by superfletch

[kennysarmy]

More or less as follows:

 

One reason for putting the agent on clients is so that SOLUS 3 can distribute upgrade files to workstations prior to you actually deploying the upgrade - thereby meaning when you do choose to deploy the upgrade the workstations should already have a cached copy of the setup files. The agent also talks to the server regularly which means:

 

 

• Machines that are online when you run the upgrade receive the upgrade there and then without the user needing to launch SIMS (additionally if a user is in SIMS it will warn them and then force close it with a countdown).
  nb - if these machines go offline during the upgrade then the locally cached upgrade files are unaffected and the workstation upgrade should finish OK
  
• Machines that are offline when you run/schedule the upgrade will actually do the upgrade as soon as they next turn up in school and the agent checks in with the server (again - it upgrades even if the user doesn't open SIMS).
  
• Also, machines that are offline when you deploy the upgrade should have a locally cached copy of the workstation install files so when they turn up in school (first monday after the holidays) and everyone puts the computer for registration the SIMS server doesn't get hammered by a couple of hundred computers requesting access to the install files on the S Drive.
  

 

Interesting.

 

How does SOLUS3 need to be setup so that the install files are cached locally like this and not installed until I kick off the deployment?

Where do these files go? How can I check they are there and the method is working?

 

 

Also, in response to my post above : In SOLUS3 -> Environment -> Agents -> Environment it's still showing as 4.0 - how do I make it force a refresh?

 

The LEA asked me to restart the PC's local agent service - but this did n't update the .net version listed on the server.

They also suggested to restart the deployment service on the server - and this again has not worked.

 

So I've a PC which has been upgraded to .net 4.6 that's still listing on SOLUS3 as only being on .net 4.0 - surely this parameter must be update-able!

[kennysarmy]

Interesting.

 

How does SOLUS3 need to be setup so that the install files are cached locally like this and not installed until I kick off the deployment?

Where do these files go? How can I check they are there and the method is working?

 

 

Also, in response to my post above : In SOLUS3 -> Environment -> Agents -> Environment it's still showing as 4.0 - how do I make it force a refresh?

 

The LEA asked me to restart the PC's local agent service - but this did n't update the .net version listed on the server.

They also suggested to restart the deployment service on the server - and this again has not worked.

 

So I've a PC which has been upgraded to .net 4.6 that's still listing on SOLUS3 as only being on .net 4.0 - surely this parameter must be update-able!

 

LEA are stumped as to why it's not updating the .net version so they are escalating to SIMS!

[kennysarmy]

I've found another PC which had 4.0 on it and upgraded it to 4.5.2 and then it does get updated in the SOLUS 3 console.

 

Looks like there might be an issue with the agent detecting 4.6.1

[kennysarmy]

I've found another PC which had 4.0 on it and upgraded it to 4.5.2 and then it does get updated in the SOLUS 3 console.

 

Looks like there might be an issue with the agent detecting 4.6.1

 

Anyone confirm the same?

[psydii]

I think we saw something similar recently. Can't confirm it was exactly the same, but a recently updated machine without souls/sims had problems getting it until some .net runtime reinstalls had taken place effectively rolling back the version.

[superfletch]

How does SOLUS3 need to be setup so that the install files are cached locally like this and not installed until I kick off the deployment?

Where do these files go? How can I check they are there and the method is working?

 

That's just automatic when you install a SOLUS 3 agent, the agents won't do anything except download a local cache of the files they need until you tell it to deploy.

 

It caches the files in:

C:\ProgramData\Capita\Solus3\Deployments\Packages

 

Not sure about your .net update thing though

[truebluesteve]

Why is it a hassle to install the agents? All went pretty straightforward here.....

 

A slight aside here but I'm setting SOLUS 3 up as I type this and its all gone OK so far but a bit stuck on the bit in the manual (page 51) about setting targets - what if anything do I need to put in the Server and Databases tabs (Environment->Targets->Servers)? Is not immediately obvious to me, but then I am probably just being thick!

[superfletch]

Servers Tab:

It wants to know the SQL Server details for SIMS/FMS - this means servername\instance and the location of the SQL Binn folder.

 

Databases Tab:

It wants you to pick one of the servers you have set in the Servers tab. Then tell it what the database name is, eg - my sims database is called SIMS and my FMS database Finance etc

[truebluesteve]

Servers Tab:

It wants to know the SQL Server details for SIMS/FMS - this means servername\instance and the location of the SQL Binn folder.

 

Databases Tab:

It wants you to pick one of the servers you have set in the Servers tab. Then tell it what the database name is, eg - my sims database is called SIMS and my FMS database Finance etc

 

Thanks for this - its what I thought it should be. There is a services tab - should this populated?

 

Edit - I did ask these questions of Capita Support but their answer was to send me a copy of the manual I was already using! What do I pay them £12K a year for again?

Edited March 30, 2016 by truebluesteve

[superfletch]

Services tab is where you:

 

*Set up SIMS Discover - you have to link it to a SIMS Database that you have already set up on the other two tabs.

*Tell it where the S: drive is.

*Tell it where the SIMS document management server is.

Edited March 30, 2016 by superfletch

[truebluesteve]

Services tab is where you:

 

*Set up SIMS Discover - you have to link it to a SIMS Database that you have already set up on the other two tabs.

*Tell it where the S: drive is.

*Tell it where the SIMS document management server is.

 

Thanks got that - final question - the Discover service is asking for an installation path and I'm not quite sure what its after here?

 

Cheers

[superfletch]

I usually put something like below:

 

C:\Program Files\SIMS\Discover Windows Service

 

It's basically asking what directory to install the Discover Services into:

*If you've already got Discover installed then have a dig through your various Program Files folders and you'll find Discover Services somewhere - use that.

*If this is the first time you've had discover then set it however you wish although something like the path above might be a good choice.

[truebluesteve]

I usually put something like below:

 

C:\Program Files\SIMS\Discover Windows Service

 

It's basically asking what directory to install the Discover Services into:

*If you've already got Discover installed then have a dig through your various Program Files folders and you'll find Discover Services somewhere - use that.

*If this is the first time you've had discover then set it however you wish although something like the path above might be a good choice.

 

Found it eventually. Its all setup but no updates are appearing for some reason. Will chase this with Capita although I might log another job in the hope I don't get the same support engineer that I have for my current ticket!

[PhilNeal]

@truebluesteve if you have an issue with an analyst please raise it directly with our service managers so we can help that person do a better job.

Thanks

Phil

[truebluesteve]

@truebluesteve if you have an issue with an analyst please raise it directly with our service managers so we can help that person do a better job.

Thanks

Phil

 

Thanks Phil - I will wait and see if I get a timely and useful response to my last update but I have to say I'm not that hopeful.

[PhilNeal]

Here's the relevant email should you need it. [email protected]

[kennysarmy]

Been stuck on this screen for a while now

 

 

Last few lines in the log entries are:

 

2016-04-04 10:31:11.1082|sims02-v|Info|Agent is available for target id 7.|AgentIsAvailable()

2016-04-04 10:31:11.1082|sims02-v|Debug|Throttling - Download slot now available|AgentIsAvailable()

2016-04-04 10:31:11.1082|sims02-v|Debug|Target id 7 instructed to deploy.|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:31:11.1152|ds|Debug|CreateAgentPackageSiteRecord updating _agentTargeted for agent target id 7|SendExecuteCommandToAgent()

2016-04-04 10:31:11.3492|sims02-v|Info|Started downloading package 'SIMS Spring 2016 Full Release (7.168.50) (SIMS SQL Server)'|UpdateProgress()

2016-04-04 10:31:11.3553|sims02-v|Info|Successfully finished downloading update 'SIMS Spring 2016 Full Release (7.168.50) (SIMS SQL Server)'. (File had already been downloaded.)|UpdateProgress()

2016-04-04 10:31:11.3553|sims02-v|Debug|Throttling - Downloaded update, download slot has been cleared|b__0()

2016-04-04 10:32:01.0471|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:32:11.1627|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:33:01.0516|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:33:02.5996|sims02-v|Info|Tgt 7, Pkg 241461c1-4bb1-4472-a517-f0c537014870, TasksetRunner|Running task, 'Install SIMS SQL Applications', in Backup mode.|UpdateProgress()

2016-04-04 10:33:02.6056|sims02-v|Info|Tgt 7, Pkg 241461c1-4bb1-4472-a517-f0c537014870, TasksetRunner|Result was Ignored for task 'Install SIMS SQL Applications' with message 'Task does not implement rollback strategy.'|UpdateProgress()

2016-04-04 10:33:02.6096|sims02-v|Info|Tgt 7, Pkg 241461c1-4bb1-4472-a517-f0c537014870, TasksetRunner|Running task, 'Install SIMS SQL Applications', in Install mode.|UpdateProgress()

2016-04-04 10:33:08.1479|sims02-v|Info|Tgt 7, Pkg 241461c1-4bb1-4472-a517-f0c537014870, TasksetRunner|Result was Succeeded for task 'Install SIMS SQL Applications'|UpdateProgress()

2016-04-04 10:33:08.1539|sims02-v|Info|Tgt 7, Pkg 241461c1-4bb1-4472-a517-f0c537014870, Package runner completed successfully.|UpdateProgress()

2016-04-04 10:33:11.2011|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:34:01.0570|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:34:11.2635|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:35:01.0624|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:35:11.2980|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:36:01.0659|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:36:11.3414|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:37:01.0693|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:37:11.3709|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:38:01.0727|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:38:11.4053|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:39:01.0801|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:39:11.4628|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:40:01.0846|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:40:11.5032|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:41:01.0880|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:41:11.5396|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:42:01.0915|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:42:11.5831|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:43:01.0989|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:43:11.6235|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:44:01.1064|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:44:11.6619|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:45:01.1098|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:45:11.7014|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:46:01.1132|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:46:11.7409|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:47:01.1167|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:47:11.7853|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:48:01.1201|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:48:11.8187|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:49:01.1235|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:49:11.8541|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:50:01.1270|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:50:11.8936|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:51:01.1304|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:51:11.9420|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:52:01.1348|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:52:11.9764|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:53:01.1383|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:53:12.0189|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:54:01.1417|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:54:12.0653|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:55:01.1452|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:55:12.1088|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:56:01.1496|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:56:12.1462|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:57:01.1591|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:57:12.2034|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:58:01.1882|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:58:12.2635|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()

2016-04-04 10:59:01.2174|ds|Info|Waiting for target SIMS SQL Server to complete deployment for 1 sites 23eb4ab6-aee0-4185-8076-79f5c6ec05e1|BackgroundWorkerDoWork()

2016-04-04 10:59:12.3297|sims02-v|Info|Waiting on response|Execute()