[sims] Kicking users out to run updates

[enjay]

We used to restart the SIMS server to kick everyone out before running an update. Today, we found the users' SIMS clients reconnected once the server came back up. I'm guessing this is a new feature in Summer which ordinarily it would be useful, but is a real PITA when we're trying to run updates. How are you guys dealing with this?

[Boredguy]

We used to restart the SIMS server to kick everyone out before running an update. Today, we found the users' SIMS clients reconnected once the server came back up. I'm guessing this is a new feature in Summer which ordinarily it would be useful, but is a real PITA when we're trying to run updates. How are you guys dealing with this?

 

I schedule the update to deploy at 4am when users can't connect to the Remote Access and all the workstations are off.

Stations then get the update via Solus when they get turned on. Rarely an issue with it

[bald_pig]

At a previous school that used SIMS, we was looking at writing a script to disable access to SIMS until the update had completed, because several staff members would try to open SIMS mid update and break their install. Unfortunately I left before the thing was written.

[JonThompson]

Have you got any remote control software?

 

In a previous workplace, we used AB Tutor to kick people out of SIMS, and then we applied a temp policy to block the launch of SIMS.exe whilst we backed up and patched etc. (Which we removed afterwards).

 

You’ll find it’s the usual suspects, despite being pre-warned several times to log out of SIMS at 4PM on a Friday!

[enjay]

I schedule the update to deploy at 4am when users can't connect to the Remote Access and all the workstations are off.

Stations then get the update via Solus when they get turned on. Rarely an issue with it

 

This was patching with dbupgrades, database validation checks, etc. so we couldn't just let it run.

 

I'm interested about the scheduling for regular version updates though. Is that something you do in Solus?

[enjay]

Have you got any remote control software?

 

Only on student computers. My predecessor's attempts to get it allowed on staff machines failed.

[jthompson]

I schedule the update to deploy at 4am when users can't connect to the Remote Access and all the workstations are off.

Stations then get the update via Solus when they get turned on. Rarely an issue with it

 

This is what we do whenever possible, too., scheduling updates in SOLUS to deploy after the server's regular backup job has done it's thing (just in case the update fails and a rollback is unsuccessful).

 

For stuff that needs to be done manually with dbupgrade, I guess you could achieve that during a working day by disconnecting the server from the network whilst you run the update. Experience tells me that you'll never be able to rely on people not firing up SIMS during the day.

[enjay]

This is what we do whenever possible, too., scheduling updates in SOLUS to deploy after the server's regular backup job has done it's thing (just in case the update fails and a rollback is unsuccessful).

 

It's not been a huge problem for us before and restarting the SIMS server would kick them off anyway, but now the application reconnects when the server comes back up.

 

For stuff that needs to be done manually with dbupgrade, I guess you could achieve that during a working day by disconnecting the server from the network whilst you run the update.

 

I don't know if that would work. Way back, SIMS upgrades would fail if the server didn't have a cable in or if netlogon wasn't running. I got round this at a previous school by unplugging it from the switch, but I can't do that with a VM. My last school used a remotely-hosted SIMS, so I don't know what the current situation is with that.