Upgrade to System Center DPM 2012 SP1 to System Center DPM 2012 R2

Upgrade Prerequisites

1. Ensure that the hard disk on which DPM is installed has at least 4.5 gigabytes (GB) of free disk space.
2. Ensure the DPM backup has been completed successfully on secondary DPM server.

3. SQL Server 2008 r2 is supported for DPM 2012 R2, so we don’t need to upgrade SQL version.

Upgrade The DPM Server

1. Download DPM 2012 R2 installables.
2. Run Setup.exe on the DPM server and select Data Protection Manager from the Install list

3. On the Prerequisites Check page, click Check and Install to verify that the computer meets the Setup requirement

4. When the prerequisite check is complete and all required components are present, Setup displays a confirmation, and the Next button becomes available

5. On the Product Registration page, Enter the serial number provided in share itself.

6. On Installation settings page, check the free space and click on next.
7. On the Summary page, confirm the installations settings, and click Upgrade to continue.

Update Rollup 14 for System Center 2012 R2 Data Protection Manager

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4043315/update-rollup-14-for-system-center-2012-r2-data-protection-manager

1. Go to Windows update and check online for updates from Microsoft update.
2. Install all security updates along with Update rollup 14 for DPM 2012 R2.

Upgrade the agent on protected servers

1. Open DPM 2012 R2 Console, go to Management.
2. Select the protected server and click on update available, which will push new agent on protected server.

Run a synchronization job with consistency check

1. All the replicas will be inconsistent for backups. This is expected.
2. Right click on warning and select “run a synchronization job with consistency check”

Copy the Skype for Business policies - client, voice etc.

Copy the Skype for Business client policy

Many times, we need to create new policies with new features keeping previous one intact. Then we wonder if there is option to copy the policies, unfortunately there is no native option in skype for business.

This post will describe a workaround to copy the skype polices and create new policy with old settings

I am taking an example for client policy, however you can apply it to any policies.

Steps:

1. Export the contents of client policy using export-clixml functionality

Get-CsClientPolicy test-policy | Export-Clixml c:\temp\UC-ClientPolicy.xml

2. Find the xml file, open with notepad ++, it will look something like

You will see all configured settings mentioned in xml file.

3. You will also see following information that is more important to consider while copying the policies. (open XML file in notepad++ and scroll at the end)

More important parameter is Anchor, also can be called as identity. When a new policy is created, it is assigned as numeric identity.

Even if you delete the policy, this number will not be deleted and will never be re-used.

4. So now create new policy

New-CsClientPolicy Test-Policy-Pilot

5. Now export this policy and open the xml file in notepad ++. (will not go over step by step)
6. Again, the important part to consider is anchor, you will see a different value for anchor.

7. So now, take note of anchor and name from new client policy and edit the existing policy’s XML file.
8. Go to Line - <S N="Anchor">(6) Test-Policy</S>
9. Replace exact anchor and name. For me, I have copied “(22) Test-Policy-Pilot” and replace it in existing XML file. And then identity from next line too, replace the exact same name with new one. Save the XML file.
10. Run the following command

Import-Clixml -Path C:\temp\new\copy\Test-Policy.xml | Set-CsClientPolicy

Voila!!!! Done we just copied the client policy.

Happy Skyping!!!

Powershell: Get a list of members of Persistent Chat Room

To get information of specific Persistent Chat room, use following command
Get-CsPersistentChatRoom -Identity <Room Name>

Obviously, to get list of members of chat room, we will use following command
Get-CsPersistentChatRoom -Identity <Room Name> | select-object members

However, you will not get full list of members using above command.

To get full list of members of Persistent Chat, Use following PowerShell command

foreach ($member in (Get-CsPersistentChatRoom -Identity <Room Name> | Select-Object members).members) {$member}


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Skype for Business server 2015 patching guide

Skype for Business Patching Guide

Things have changed now for update process of Skype for Business server than legacy Lync 2013 upgrade process.

It has been quite easier now for administrators to patch S4B servers and also there are less decision points now.

The only thing that needs to check is Fabric state for front end servers. If fabric state is Up, services on one server can be failover to other servers in pool.

Once the server is taken offline by failing over to pool, server can be upgraded. After successful upgrade, services on the server should be failback from pool to upgraded server.

Upgrade process for other services servers is same as Lync server 2013 upgrade process.

Phase 1     Front-End and director Servers

1.0     Checking The Server

Check each Skype for Business server in Enterprise Pool for Below points.

1.1    Verify Event viewer and Pending Reboots

Event ID 1029 will be logged in the application log if an application has been installed that requires a restart.

Run Below Commands in Powershell to view if there is pending reboot on Server

$rebootreqevents = get-eventlog -log application |where {$_.instanceID -eq "1029"}

$rebootreqevents

Check the first entries date and time. In this case it is Jan 11 20:32

Now run the following commands from powershell

$lastboot = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_OperatingSystem

write-host "Last Server Reboot:`t" $lastboot.ConvertToDateTime($lastboot.LastBootUpTime)

You will get the following output

Please make sure Server is rebooted after last pending Reboot date.

1.2    Copy Skype for business Update Installer on local drive.

Copy the patches that have been downloaded to each server to be patched.

The core reason for this logic is that then during each install a set of logs per server will get generated when applying the patch, if the installer is run from a central share the logs will be overwritten each time and will make it difficult to troubleshoot.

1.3 Check Fabric State of Front end server

As upgrade process for Skype for business has been changed, while upgrading each FE server, FE server should be failover to other servers in pool.

So Fabric state should be up before we start upgrade process.

Run below command on FE server to check fabric state

Get-CsPoolFabricState -PoolFqdn <Pool FQDN name>

Sample Output: Things to check

To verify the Fabric to be up, check parameters under Pool Fabric and services summary. Health of all servers should be Ok and their status should be UP.

Also, under Pool all server and services summary, there has to be one primary for each FE server.

If this cmdlet shows any missing replicas, then run the following cmdlet to recover the pool before you apply any patches:

Reset-CsPoolRegistrarState -ResetType QuorumLossRecovery

This command will take up to approx. 30 minutes for all services to recover the pool fabric. 

Have some coffee and wait for fabric to be recovered, it is not recommended to run this command again before 30  minutes.

1.4 Failing over server to be upgraded

While doing upgrade on a server, server should be taken down by failing over to other servers in pool; provided that Fabric should be UP.

To failover the FE server, run following command in PowerShell:

Invoke-CSComputerFailover  -computername <FE server to be upgraded>

Sample Output:
 

Command will not give any output, after this command is completed, check all Lync services on server. All services should be in stopped mode.

This cmdlet moves all services to other Front End Servers in the pool, and takes this server offline.

1.5 Run SkypeUpdateInstaller to update server

Run the locally copied Skypeupdateinstaller.exe.

You will see prompt like shown below

When you are ready to start the patching process, Click Install Updates.

This will begin the patch process which is automated from here. Monitor the deployment to ensure all goes successfully. Once the updates have been installed, restart the server if prompted to do so.

Verify all components have been updated by running skypeupdateinstaller.exe again.

Notice the column Latest Installed and observe which patches have a Green Check Circle (i.e. it has the latest patch installed for that component) or a Red X Circle (i.e. it does not have the latest patch installed for that component).

1.6 Failing back the server which is upgraded

After server is upgraded, to move services on this server gain, following command should be run on server:

Invoke-cscomputerfailback –computername <server name which is upgraded>

This services will be returned to this server.

Check if all Lync services to be up and running by running Get-CSWindowsServices.

Repeat all the steps for all the servers in the pools.

Note: check Fabric state before taking server offline by failing over.

Phase 2    Backend Servers

Note that If a Back End Server is down for at least 30 minutes while you are upgrading it, users may then go into resiliency mode. When the upgrade is finished and the Back End Servers has again connected with the Front End Servers in the pool, users are returned to full functionality. If the upgrade takes less than 30 minutes, users will not be affected.

2.1 Upgrading backend Servers in Lync enterprise edition pool

We will take a case where SQL database are mirrored.

2.1.1 verifying Database mirror state

Before starting update, make sure all the Database should be principle on primary server.

To check Database mirror state, use following command:

1. Get-CSDatabaseMirrorState –poolfqdn <Pool FQDN> -databasetype user
2. Get-CSDatabaseMirrorState –poolfqdn <Pool FQDN> -databasetype application
3. Get-CSDatabaseMirrorState –poolfqdn <Pool FQDN> -databasetype centralmgmt

Sample Output

In all three outputs, you need to check whether StateOnPrimary is principal.

If any of database seems to Mirror for StateOnPrimary, then you need to failover database to primary.

You failover database to primary, use following command:

1. Invoke-CSDatabaseFailover –poolfqdn <Pool FQDN> -newprincipal primary -databasetype user
2. Invoke-CSDatabaseFailover –poolfqdn <Pool FQDN> -newprincipal primary -databasetype user
3. Invoke-CSDatabaseFailover –poolfqdn <Pool FQDN> -newprincipal primary -databasetype user

2.1.2 Updating Backend database

Apply the changes made to SQL database by running following command in Lync Management shell

1. If this is an Enterprise Edition Back End Server and there are no collocated databases on this server, such as Archiving or Monitoring databases, then type the following at a command line:

Install-CsDatabase -Update -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn <SQL Server FQDN>

2. If this is an Enterprise Edition Back End Server and there are collocated databases on this server, then type the following at a command line:

Install-CsDatabase -Update -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn <SQL Server FQDN>  -ExcludeCollocatedStores

2.2    Verifying The Database Updates

Check each server for versions to be up to date by running following command on Front-End Server by replacing server name with each backend server.

Test-CsDatabase -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn servername.domain.com | FT DatabaseName, ExpectedVersion, Installedversion

Sample Output: -

Phase 3    Director, Monitoring/Archiving, Edge, Mediation Servers

1.0    Checking The Server

Check each Lync server in Enterprise Pool for Below points.

1.1    Verify Event viewer and Pending Reboots

Event ID 1029 will be logged in the application log if an application has been installed that requires a restart.

Run Below Commands in Powershell to view if there is pending reboot on Server

$rebootreqevents = get-eventlog -log application |where {$_.instanceID -eq "1029"}

$rebootreqevents

Check the first entries date and time. In this case it is Jan 11 20:32

Now run the following commands from powershell

$lastboot = Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_OperatingSystem

write-host "Last Server Reboot:`t" $lastboot.ConvertToDateTime($lastboot.LastBootUpTime)

You will get the following output

Please make sure Server is rebooted after last pending Reboot date.

1.2    Copy Lync Update Installer on local drive.

Copy the patches that have been downloaded to each server to be patched.

The core reason for this logic is that then during each install a set of logs per server will get generated when applying the patch, if the installer is run from a central share the logs will be overwritten each time and will make it difficult to troubleshoot.

1.3     Check Lync services

Check all Lync/SQL services are up and running each Server in one pool.

Run Following Command in PowerShell, run as admin

Run-CsWindowsService

If services are up and running on all servers in one pool, Open Lync update installer on one of the server,

2.0    Updating the Server

Navigate to the local copy of the patch and double click Lync update installer

In our case, Lync update installer have been placed in D:\Lync Updates. (IN Geo)

Run Installer, following screen should appear

When you are ready to start the patching process, Click Install Updates.

Once the updates have been installed, restart the server if prompted to do so.

3.0    Making sure if Updates are installed

After restart, check if all services are up and running by running following command in PowerShell.

Get-CsWindowsService

If all services are running,

Run Lync update installer again and check if last column has all greens check circles.

Then go for Second server in each pool/domain.

4.0 Installing update on Monitoring /archiving database

Apply the changes made to SQL database by running following command in Lync Management shell

Install-CsDatabase -Update -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn <SQL Server FQDN>

Where SQLserverfqdn is Monitoring SQL server’s fqdn.

5.0 Verifying Database update changes

Check for versions to be up to date by running following command on Front-End Server by replacing server name with monitoring server.

Test-CsDatabase -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn servername.domain.com

Sample Output: -

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