Re: Zimbra 6 to 8 upgrade path.

["James M. Cook" <jmcook1@mail.plymouth.edu>]

Hi Nathan,

This seems like the most straight forward approach. I've done similar migrations when upgrading RHEL versions or replacing hardware in the past. The only caveat I can see to your plan is installing Zimbra 6.x on RHEL 6. There doesn't seem to be a version of Zimbra 6.x for RHEL 6 available when looking at zimbra's download page. You may want to upgrade your existing environment to Zimbra 7 first since it supports both RHEL 5 & 6.

All of our main zimbra servers have been virtualized for quite a while without any issues. There is a decent guideline here if you're using VMware:

http://wiki.zimbra.com/wiki/Performance_Recommendations_for_Virtualizing_Zimbra_with_VMware_vSphere

Somewhat related to your question, we are currently running a mixed environment of Ubuntu 10.04 and RHEL 6 servers. We're replacing the the RHEL servers due to licensing costs. Supposedly you can also perform an in place OS upgrade with Ubuntu and then "upgrade" to the same version of Zimbra. After I upgrade production to Zimbra 8 I plan to perform an OS upgrade in our test environment to see if this works. Something to think about since upgrading between major RHEL releases is not supported and you won't need to replace the hardware when virtualized. 

HTH,
James



----- Original Message -----
> From: "Nathan" <lagern@lafayette.edu>
> To: "zimbra-hied-admins" <zimbra-hied-admins@sfu.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 4:09:44 PM
> Subject: Zimbra 6 to 8 upgrade path.
> 
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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!
> - --
> - -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> Nathan Lager, RHCSA, RHCE (#110-011-426)
> System Administrator
> 11 Pardee Hall
> Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042
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