We are upgrading our 3400 HA pair to a 6900 HA pair. Currently, we're running 9.4.8, but plan on updating to the latest 10.x version as part of the upgrade procedure. While there is a lot of info about updating the software, I couldn't find much in terms of upgrading to a newer appliance. I imagine I could use UCS to copy the settings over to the new units, but I would have to downgrade the software to 9.4.8. Then, after the UCS was imported, run the upgrade to 10.x. Does this seem right? If you're aware of any kind of appliance upgrade procedures or best practices, please point me in the right direction. Thanks.

Yes, the most straight forward would be to migrate a UCS file to the new appliance, having been downgraded to v9.4.8 first. Then do an in-place upgrade. The alternative is an export / import of and SCF file from your current appliance to the new appliance. If it's running v 10 at this point then some of the syntax held in the v9.4.x SCF file may be different so some manual checks and tweaks might be necessary. Rgds N

Hi I am suppose to be doing a hardware upgrade from LTM 200 to LTM 2400. I think they are running version 9.xx, but I have to check. If they are, how can I do this? How can I export the UCS file from the old unit and import it to the new unit, then do a cutover. I have a window of 830pm-1030pm on a saturday and then sunday is a contingency window. then tons of testing. I have to do this in 2 days with less than 16 hours. Please help! I am new to Dev Central but worked with the LTM's for a couple yrs. you can also email me at vkay02@gmail.com Thanks guys!!

If you have a new unit, shutdown the uplinks if already racked/stacked and then do all your migration ahead of time. If you get started now, you have time while the community is around to help you. Not too many posted on Saturday/Sunday nights.

Are you swapping out hardware and/or doing an OS upgrade? If you're trying to do an OS upgrade, make sure well in advance that the units have support (or did have support when the version you want to upgrade to was released). See this SOL for details: http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/7000/700/sol7727.html Two hours to do this might be too short if you haven't already done the process before. I'd aim for something closer to 4 hours to give yourself time to troubleshoot any issues that may arise. I'd open a proactive case with F5 Support in case you need help with the upgrade. Aaron

I am doing a hardware upgrade from LTM 2000 LTM 2400. i belive the LTM 2000 has v9.3 and the LTM 2400 has v9.4 I dont think they are upgrading to v10.0 dont know why.

Upgrading BIG IP LTM appliances

13 Replies

nathe
Cirrocumulus
Jan 10, 2011
Yes, the most straight forward would be to migrate a UCS file to the new appliance, having been downgraded to v9.4.8 first. Then do an in-place upgrade.

The alternative is an export / import of and SCF file from your current appliance to the new appliance. If it's running v 10 at this point then some of the syntax held in the v9.4.x SCF file may be different so some manual checks and tweaks might be necessary.

Rgds

N
iNTERCELL_GROUP
Nimbostratus
Mar 23, 2011
Hi I am suppose to be doing a hardware upgrade from LTM 200 to LTM 2400. I think they are running version 9.xx, but I have to check. If they are, how can I do this? How can I export the UCS file from the old unit and import it to the new unit, then do a cutover. I have a window of 830pm-1030pm on a saturday and then sunday is a contingency window. then tons of testing. I have to do this in 2 days with less than 16 hours. Please help! I am new to Dev Central but worked with the LTM's for a couple yrs.

you can also email me at vkay02@gmail.com

Thanks guys!!
JRahm
Admin
Mar 23, 2011
If you have a new unit, shutdown the uplinks if already racked/stacked and then do all your migration ahead of time. If you get started now, you have time while the community is around to help you. Not too many posted on Saturday/Sunday nights.
hooleylist
Cirrostratus
Mar 23, 2011
Are you swapping out hardware and/or doing an OS upgrade? If you're trying to do an OS upgrade, make sure well in advance that the units have support (or did have support when the version you want to upgrade to was released). See this SOL for details:

http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/7000/700/sol7727.html

Two hours to do this might be too short if you haven't already done the process before. I'd aim for something closer to 4 hours to give yourself time to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

I'd open a proactive case with F5 Support in case you need help with the upgrade.

Aaron
iNTERCELL_GROUP
Nimbostratus
Mar 23, 2011
I am doing a hardware upgrade from LTM 2000 LTM 2400. i belive the LTM 2000 has v9.3 and the LTM 2400 has v9.4 I dont think they are upgrading to v10.0 dont know why.
iNTERCELL_GROUP
Nimbostratus
Mar 23, 2011
hey guys I have been reading all of your threads and I need help with a hardware upgrade from LTM 2000 v9.3 to LTM 2400 v9.4. They are not in active/standby, I believe they are single nodes. is there an easy way to sync the configs or export or import a backup file to the new unit? then do a direct swap of cables? I thought there was a way to sync the configs on version 9.x if the units are the same, but if they are on version 10 I know it is a bit more involved.
hooleylist
Cirrostratus
Mar 24, 2011
I'd try copying the bigip_base.conf and bigip.conf from the 9.3 unit to the 9.4 unit and use 'b verify load' to test the loading of the configs on 9.4. I'm not sure if there were any significant changes to the config syntax. You might need to tweak things slightly. If the interfaces used on the 9.3 unit are different than the interfaces on the 2400 platform you'll need to edit them in the bigip_base.conf. You should be able to do all of this in advance assuming the 2400 isn't in use.

If the 9.3 config references any certs/keys, you'll need to manually copy them from /config/ssl to the 2400 as well.

Aaron
jokragly
Nimbostratus
Sep 28, 2012
I am trying to figure out how to upgrade my hardware as well. We are running a single node 1600 on 11.1 code and I we want to migrate to Network based HA Pair 3600 running the same 11.1 code.

I have the new 3600's racked and cabled and on the network in Network HA mode with new IPs. I have migrated the External Files over and the CRT and Keys. I have attempted to copy over the bigip.conf file but am getting lots of errors during the load of file folders that didn't exist in the common/ dir. I manually created these folders but know its a permissions error.

What is the best way to migrate the entire config? We would like to reuse the standalone SelfIP as the Floating IP and use new Self IPs on the devices.
jokragly
Nimbostratus
Sep 28, 2012
I am trying to figure out how to upgrade my hardware as well. We are running a single node 1600 on 11.1 code and I we want to migrate to Network based HA Pair 3600 running the same 11.1 code.

I have the new 3600's racked and cabled and on the network in Network HA mode with new IPs. I have migrated the External Files over and the CRT and Keys. I have attempted to copy over the bigip.conf file but am getting lots of errors during the load of file folders that didn't exist in the common/ dir. I manually created these folders but know its a permissions error.

What is the best way to migrate the entire config? We would like to reuse the standalone SelfIP as the Floating IP and use new Self IPs on the devices.
jokragly
Nimbostratus
Sep 28, 2012
I am trying to figure out how to upgrade my hardware as well. We are running a single node 1600 on 11.1 code and I we want to migrate to Network based HA Pair 3600 running the same 11.1 code.

I have the new 3600's racked and cabled and on the network in Network HA mode with new IPs. I have migrated the External Files over and the CRT and Keys. I have attempted to copy over the bigip.conf file but am getting lots of errors during the load of file folders that didn't exist in the common/ dir. I manually created these folders but know its a permissions error.

What is the best way to migrate the entire config? We would like to reuse the standalone SelfIP as the Floating IP and use new Self IPs on the devices.