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Purchase 5.5 or latest version of virtual KBOX OVF, and licensing from Dell/Kace
Install and license the OVF on new VM instance on ESX. Use a temp IP address on same subnet
as your existing production K1000 rack mount unit.
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Prep 5.1 production KBOX before migration of server DB's.
Remove current GPO objects related to install of 5.1 agents from AD
Remove any large self service binaries from software library . These reside in the DB,
Which will take time for migration. Smaller DB’s upgrade faster!
Clean up old PC and user accounts and unneeded software jobs. Run a few good backups via FTP.
Notify all IT Staff of upgrade day, kbox will be offline for at least ½ day.
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Conversion strategy
Install KBOX 5.1x virtual machine on a VM 8.x workstation instance running on a PC , and license it temporarily. I had to try 3 different PC's before I found one that would support VM workstation running kbox 5.1x and not freeze up. Don't ask!.
Use a temporary IP address on the PC running Workstation 8.x
Import production data set from live kbox running 5.1 into temp VM 8 workstation running the exact same 5.1 version KBOX OS on temp IP . Use binary mode FTP to transfer files to and from KBOX instances if they are over 1.5 gigs.
Reboot, login, and confirm inventory, current data, licensing, and AD integration
Run through 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, and 5.5 upgrade versions on temp VM workstation. You will need to contact KACE to find out which of the many versions on the download site are suitable for this process. Some minor versions of the K1000 OS won’t work for this process. Fun stuff!
Test your now upgraded 5.5 version running on the PC on VM workstation for login, SSL certs, and AD integration, etc. You now should have a clone of the rack mount production K1000 box, but on a different IP address, of course.
Back up the upgraded 5.5x version of the DB on the PC.
Run a VM snapshot on the PC in case of fubar.
Bring up the VM workstation console on your PC, login to the KBOX console, login , konfig/konfig, and run netdiag
Then run this command krestore createbackup
***This refreshes the internal DB’s on the VM instance to match the OS version . Will take 45 minutes or so***. This is a critical step.
FTP those refreshed files to a new folder on the same PC you just ran the Krestore createbackup on.
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VM Server work:
Login to the ESX server and run a VM snapshot in case the following goes fubar.
Make FTP writable on your VK1000 running on ESX 5.x before starting so we can delete all backup files, to get ready for krestore backup commands. ( we will run those later on the VM server console.)
Then go back to the PC, using FTP (Filezilla) on the PC, log in to the future production server K1000 running on ESX, delete all existing backup files. You must do this using FTP. FTP login/pass are covered on KB articles on Kace website.
Now at the PC, FTP the new files that were created from running “Krestore createbackup” from the PC up to the VK1000 server.
Login to the VM server console on the ESX VK1000 , using konfig/konfig. Run netdiag
Run krestore backup
Wait 20 minutes, server should reboot, DB’s should load up.
Test that you have current data that matches what you had on the laptop, and on the old server.
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Swap IP implementation
Take old KBOX 5.1 offline by changing the IP address. This step will have to be performed at the rack mount box console in your NOC, because the ip address change won’t work with the web gui. Don't ask why!.
Wait til the old machine is up and responds to a ping for the new address.
Using the web gui, dhange IP address of your new K1000 Virtual KBOX 5.5 on the ESX server to same IP as the old rack mount box and , reboot
Test login, AD integration,
Install SSL certificate, test DNS login via your FQDN.
The SSL cert does not come across in the DB, it’s in the OS, and can be retrieved from KACE techs via tether for a charge if you don't have it to restore to the new ESX instance.
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Client push and implementation
Download newest agents, etc,, etc.
Push new 5.5 agents over 5.1 agents via AD authentication if possible. May have to run a GPO or PSexec job to uninstall the old agents, before pushing from new VK1000.
I wrote a Kscript that would force this upgrade live, will post that later if I get a chance.
check that AMP connector is live, (computers should show green in inventory). I have tested pushing 5.5 agents over 5.1 , and it works fine, new 5.5 agents do connect
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Backup and followup
Set up FTP backup job, similar to old KBOX 5.1 for dumping *.gz files (databases) to \\server\share.
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Set up LDAP import on schedule weekly to import new users. Mapping of LDAP Fields will need assistance from KACE to set this up/
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