Migrating from SCOM R2 CU#5 to OM12. Part V: Upgrade Tasks for Operations Manager, continued

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Postings in the same series:
Part I   - The environment
Part II   - Prepare yourself
Part III – Pre Upgrade Tasks for Operations Manager
Part IV – Upgrade Tasks for Operations Manager
Part VI – Wrapping Up 
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In the fifth posting of this series I’ll describe the upgrade of the RMS itself, the related databases (OperationsManager and OperationsManagerDW) and the related Reporting component. This will complete the upgrade process itself. In another posting of this series I’ll write about the aftercare and a wrap-up of the whole migration process. Let’s start since there is much to tell and share.

What previously happened in this series
We ran through all the preparations (Part II and Part III of this series). Then we upgraded the secondary Management Server and Gateway Server. After that we upgraded all SCOM R2 Agents to OM12 Agents. Until now the environment is still running at primarily SCOM R2 CU#5 level since the RMS is still in place and the related databases are still untouched.

The upgrade hasn’t really bothered the monitoring solution. Yes, there was some downtime when the secondary Management Server and Gateway Server were upgraded. Also monitoring of the related servers was paused briefly while their related Agents were upgraded. But still, monitoring was running and people could simply run their Consoles, whether they’re UI or web based.

But now we’re going to upgrade the RMS and the related databases. This will most certainly affect the availability of the monitoring solution. Yes, the servers will be monitored while we’re upgrading the RMS. Even when we’re upgrading the databases. Most of the collected data will flow into the databases. But while the RMS is upgrading, the Consoles won’t be working nor will any Alert be send out through notifications. Nor will any Connector work.

And after the upgrade, the SCOM R2 Consoles (UI or web based) won’t work anymore since the Data Access Service (aka SDK Service) is totally revamped and therefore incompatible with the old Consoles. So have the installation files ready in order to upgrade the old Consoles to the new version as well please. The Web Console is totally rewritten for OM12 (IMO, a very good move!) so the url is changed as well. Therefore the IE favorite pointing to the Web Console has to be updated as well.

So now we’re here in the Distributed Upgrade (Simple) Process Flow Diagram:

Before we begin
Another thing to reckon with is some preparations (again!) are required before we start the actual upgrade of the RMS and the SCOM Reporting server:

1. Run a special query against the OperationsManager database.
   This will speed up the upgrade process. Even though Microsoft recommends this query to be run in bigger SCOM R2 environments, with 800 SCOM R2 Agents or more, I advise everybody to run this query before you start the upgrade of the RMS. This query is found in the Deployment Guide, page 131:
   use OperationsManager
   exec sp_updatestats
   DBCC FREEPROCCACHE
   
   
2. SCOM R2 Agent on SCOM Reporting Server: Bad combo during the upgrade
   Remove the SCOM R2 Agent temporarily from the SCOM R2 Reporting server. Remember how sensitive the SCOM R2 Reporting installation was? Well, the good news is, this is hugely improved in OM12. However, an upgrade is still a complex process (under water that is). So in order to make it a bit easier for the upgrade process to run smoother, it’s better to remove the SCOM R2 Agent prior to the upgrade.
   
   DO NOT REMOVE SCOM R2 REPORTING!!! This may sound stupid but just be sure to remove the SCOM R2 Agent please! When the Agent is pushed, remove it through the SCOM R2 Console. Now you’re sure you remove the correct component, the System Center Operations Manager 2012 Agent. When manually installed, select the high lighted component through the Programs and Features control panel:
   
   
   And when manually installed, don’t forget to delete the Agent from SCOM by using the Console. Now were set and ALMOST ready to update the RMS and the related databases.

Steps we still have to make before we start the upgrade:

• Check for connected Consoles. Basically this means communication in advance with the end users of SCOM;
• Disabling all Notifications (simply disable all Subscriptions);
• Stop all Connectors and their related services (exception here is the Operations Manager Internal Connector which is present by default);
• Verify database free space in the OperationsManager database (50% or more);
• Backup the databases;
• ??? RESTORE THE ENCRYPTION KEY ???. This is a strange one. Only applies when your RMS isn’t upgradable and is replaced by a MS. In this scenario we simply ignore it.

Upgrading the RMS and the related databases
Now we’re in good shape! Let’s start the upgrade of the RMS and the related databases.

1. Log on the RMS with an account which has these permissions:
   - LOCAL ADMIN on the server which hosts the RMS role;
   - SCOM ADMINISTRATOR in SCOM itself;
   - SQL SERVER ADMINISTRATOR permissions on both the operational database server and the data warehouse server which is in our case the same SQL box.
   
   
2. I insert the installation media of OM12, start it WITH ELEVATED PERMISSIONS and choose Install
   
   
   
3. Nice! As you can see, the installer has detected an upgrade is required here and has also detected ALL the SCOM R2 Components which are going to be upgraded > Next
   
   
   
4. Accept EULA > Next
   
   
   
5. The Installation Location is automatically chosen > Next
   
   
   
6. The PreReq Checker runs now. Some issues are found. Only the ISAPI and CGI Restrictions are a showstopper here. The warnings about needing more RAM (is a test lab, so I ignore it) and the non-MOM Connector (is the OpsLogix Connector, used for the Ping MP which can be ignored as well since the MP itself is removed, thus disabling the Connector) are safely ignored by me.
   
   
   I fix the ISAPI and CGI Restrictions and run the PreReq Checker (by hitting the Verify Prerequisites again button) again. Now all is well, except for the two Warnings which I safely ignore  > Next
   
   
   
7. I select the Default Website for the new Web Console. The old one won’t do here and will be deleted afterwards > Next
   
   
   
8. Authentication method is selected > Next
   
   
   
9. Enter the account information for the SDK service (Data Access service) > Next
   
   
   
10. And now the upgrade is ready to start. Read the summary carefully though simply because now some mistakes can be corrected easily > Upgrade 
    
    
    
11. Upgrade is running. Be patient. This will take a while…
    
    
    
    
12. Upgrade is complete and ended successfully:
    
    Please note the checkbox for Launch Microsoft Update when the wizard closes. Yes, OM12 can be updated through the same mechanisms as your Windows Server. Be careful though since we all know what CU#3 and CU#4 did with restarting non-SCOM related services… But that’s just me.
    
    Click Close. And now the SCOM R2 environment is almost upgraded to OM12. Only the SCOM R2 Reporting server remains to be done. 
    
    
13. Let’s start the OM12 Console. Yes it starts:
    
    And the RMS is green as well as far as the Operations Manager Upgrade MP goes! Nice!
    
    
14. Let’s start the revamped Web Console by using this path of actions for instance (notice the new web address):
    
    
    The new Web Console requires Silver Light, when not present you’ll be prompted to download and install it. A one minute exercise it is. Afterwards some additional configuration might be required as well, which is just as simple:
    
    
    And now we see the new Web Console:
    
    
    
15. Are we there now? No not totally. Follow me and I’ll show you. In the UI (not the Web Console) go to: Monitoring > Monitoring (top level node) and check the middle pane, it will state this:
    
    This is new in OM12. A real key is required. It’s a simple process explained in detail in KB2699998. 
    
    
    However, a reboot isn’t needed, only a restart of the Data Access Service on ALL OM12 Management Servers and a restart of the OM12 Console will do the trick:
    
    
    
16. Now all is well and we only have to upgrade SCOM R2 Reporting. Let’s do that now. CLOSE THE CONSOLE!!!

Upgrading SCOM R2 Reporting to OM12
Time for the last step in the upgrade to OM12!

1. I insert the installation media of OM12, start it WITH ELEVATED PERMISSIONS and choose Install
   
   
   
2. Nice, it notices that SCOM R2 Reporting needs to be upgraded > Next
   
   
   
3. The Installation Location is automatically chosen > Next
   
   
   
4. PreReq Checker runs. All is well! > Next
   
   
   
5. Upgrade is ready to start > Upgrade
   
   
   
6. Be patient, this takes a while
   
   
   
   
7. Upgrade is complete and ended successfully:
   
   Please note the checkbox for Launch Microsoft Update when the wizard closes. Yes, OM12 can be updated through the same mechanisms as your Windows Server. Be careful though since we all know what CU#3 and CU#4 did with restarting non-SCOM related services… But that’s just me.
   
   Click Close. And now the SCOM R2 environment is totally upgraded to OM12!.

Wrap-up
As you can see upgrading to OM12 isn’t to be taken lightly, like ANY OTHER upgrade but can be done. In the next – and last posting of this series – I’ll wrap it all up and add some interesting notes as well. See you all next time!