Zimbra 6 to 8 upgrade path.

[Nathan <lagern@lafayette.edu>]

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Hello Zimbra-hied-admins.

I'm in the process of trying to plan out a zimbra 6.0.10 to zimbra 8
upgrade. I realize that updating directly to 8 from 6 is not
supported, which is only half of my problem.

I have two hurdles to overcome, one being supported OS, the next being
the zimbra version.


I wanted to run an idea i've had regarding a possible upgrade path
past some other zimbra experts.

Here's the state we're currently in:

Zimbra 6.0.10 multi-server install, spanning 9 blades. All of which
are due for renewal.
Running on RHEL5.

Zimbra 8 does not list rhel5 as a supported OS.

Because we're planning on replacing our blades with the same upgrade,
I thought i might try to work an OS upgrade, migration to new
hardware, and a zimbra upgrade all into 1.

My plan follows:

Build new machines to host zimbra. On RHEL6. Virtualize as much as
possible. We'd like to move to a 100% virtualized zimbra environment.
Which is a point i'd like others to weigh in on as well. What sort of
success have others had virtualizing all components of Zimbra?

Install Zimbra 6.0.10 on the new systems, and join them to our
existing multi-server install. Retire our smtp and proxy blades at
this point, as the new virtualized proxy and smtp machines should be
taking over.

Migrate accounts from our three old store blades, to the new store
VM's using zimbra's built-in migration functions.

Retire the old store blades as the new virtual store servers are
handling all of the load.

All that's left to deal with at this point are the ldap servers. We
have two zimbra ldap blades, i'll need to replicate ldap, and then
promote one of the new virtual ldap servers to master i suppose. Then
retire the old ldap servers.

At this point, we should have a fully virtual zimbra 6.0.10
multi-server install, with all of our users on the new systems. At
this point, i'd step through the zimbra upgrade process. Upgrade
6.0.10 to 7.2.x, and then from 7.2.x to 8.x.

Does this sound like a sane upgrade path? Is there something simpler
i'm overlooking?

Thanks!
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Nathan Lager, RHCSA, RHCE (#110-011-426)
System Administrator
11 Pardee Hall
Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042
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