SIMS Server OS Upgrade

[ordeology]

Hi,

 

Not entirely sure if this should set in a server thread...

 

I'm looking ahead and thinking I have three SIMS Servers and two partnership exchange servers to upgrade from 2008R2 to 2016 has anyone done an in place upgrade on a SIMS Server? I'm only thinking of doing an in place upgrade because of all the exporters that sit on our SIMS servers and the thought of spinning up a VM and then getting all the exporters reinstalled made me cry. We have already got SQL 2012 running should I also look to do SQL 2016 R1 SP1 while I'm at it?

 

My plan is

Use our VEEAM sandbox environment and test doing an in place upgrade to 2012R2 test it still works, then upgrade to 2016 and test it still works and see if the exporter services manage to run if they do and just complain about not being able to connect to the internet then I may call that a success...

[matt40k]

I'd avoid in place upgrade like the plague. I know Capita support it, but personally I think it's asking for trouble, some random legacy dll that'll crop up and mess something up. Do you have a named instance called something like SIMS2012?

 

Defo something that isn't nice, but you really need to start thinking about how you're gonna handle this as its going to get more frequent - either move to a SaaS\cloud model or get a support agreement. For example SQL2017 has been out for a while - not sure if Capita support it yet and SQL Server 2019 is out in preview and going GA soon. So you're new database engine, is already 3 years and nearly 2 full product versions out-of-date before you've even started.

Edited January 28, 2019 by matt40k

[DrBeaker]

I was always told never to upgrade, to do a fresh install whether that's Windows client or Windows server.

 

We're an RM school so in conjunction with RM and SIPs education we sorted out the new server hardware, server OS and migration to the new SIMs server from 2008 R2 to server 2016.

 

Yes it was a right ball:censored: getting all the exporters running as not everyone uses the same standard - some use Groupcall, some use their own app to "sync" data, some install services on the server. I've got everything except one 3rd party service moved across now - and that's down to them not being able to do it - not me. This was from the new server going in back in December last year.

[ordeology]

We will give it a go in a sandbox first and if it is a complete failure we will build a new VM

 

We have quite a few different ones Groupcall which then runs a number of processes, Go4 schools, Evolve, ParentPay and a few others.

 

I have started dropping the thought around that we should look at other MIS's on the market that are built for MAT's and on a SaaS model... we might also be able to cut costs by removing addons such as Go 4 Schools etc.

[Sonic007]

Do you have a Sims support plan?

 

The company we are with have said they can come and in and do it all for us. At a fee ofcourse. But I am too busy to be dealing with Database backup and transfers so they can do it.