5.3 Meeting the Upgrade Requirements

Meet the following requirements before you upgrade and install any OES 2 components:

5.3.1 Securing Current Data

Before upgrading, secure the current data on the server. For example, make a backup copy of the data, so you can restore the data volumes later if needed.

Save your configuration files. Copy all configuration files to a separate medium, such as a streamer, removable hard disk, or USB stick, to secure the data. This primarily applies to files stored in /etc as well as some of the directories and files in /var and /opt. You might also want to write the user data in /home (the Home directories) to a backup medium. Back up this data as root. Only root has read permission for all local files.

5.3.2 Ensuring That There Is Adequate Storage Space on the Root Partition

Before starting your upgrade, make note of the root partition and space available.

If you suspect you are running short of disk space, secure your data before updating, and repartition your system. There is no general rule regarding how much space each partition should have. Space requirements depend on your particular partitioning profile and the software selected.

WARNING:If your root partition resides in an EVMS container, you might not be able to repartition or expand the size of the root partition without destroying data elsewhere on the device.

The df -h command lists the device name of the root partition. In the following example, the root partition to write down is /dev/hdb2 (mounted as /) with 183 GB available.

5.3.3 Preparing the Server You Are Ugrading

Complete the steps in Table 5-2 for your target server.

Table 5-2 Preparing the Server You Are Upgrading

If the Server Is Running

Do This Before Upgrading the Server

SLES 10 SP1

  1. Ensure that the products and services you have running on the server can run on the new SLES 10 SP4 kernel.

  2. Make sure the server meets the hardware requirements for SLES 10 SP4. See “System Requirements for Operating Linux” in the Architecture-Specific Information Guide.

    Itanium is not a supported platform for OES 2 SP3.

  3. Upgrade the server to SLES 10 SP2 first and then to SLES 10 SP4.

  4. See the SLES 10 SP4 entry.

SLES 10 SP2

  1. Ensure that the products and services you have running on the server can run on the new SLES 10 SP4 kernel.

  2. Make sure the server meets the hardware requirements for SLES 10 SP4. See “System Requirements for Operating Linux” in the Architecture-Specific Information Guide.

    Itanium is not a supported platform for OES 2 SP3.

  3. Upgrade the server to SLES 10 SP4.

  4. See Section 4.0, Installing or Configuring OES 2 SP3 on an Existing Server.

SLES 10 SP4

  1. See Section 4.0, Installing or Configuring OES 2 SP3 on an Existing Server.

OES 1 or OES 1 SP1

  1. Upgrade your server to OES 1 SP2 first then see the instructions in OES 1 SP2.

    For assistance, see the OES 1 Documentation on the Web.

OES 1 SP2

  1. Verify the OES 1 server version by using the following command at a terminal prompt:

    cat /etc/novell-release

  2. Patch the OES 1 SP2 server to the latest patch level and ensure that the server and services are still running as desired. For procedures, see “Patching an OES Server” in the OES 1 Linux Installation Guide..

  3. Upgrade the server to OES 2 SP3 by following the instructions in this section.

OES 2

  1. Run YaST > Software > Online Update to patch the OES 2 server to the latest patch level.

    HINT:Documentation for earlier OES 2 releases is available for downloading from the OES 2 Online Documentation Previous Releases page.

  2. Ensure that the server and services are still running as desired.

  3. Upgrade to OES 2 SP1, apply all patches, and verify services.

  4. Upgrade to OES 2 SP2, apply all patches, and verify services.

  5. See the instructions in OES 2 SP2.

OES 2 SP1

  1. Run YaST > Software > Online Update to patch the OES 2 SP1 server to the latest patch level.

    HINT:Documentation for earlier OES 2 releases is available for downloading from the OES 2 Online Documentation Previous Releases page.

  2. Ensure that the server and services are still running as desired.

  3. Upgrade to OES 2 SP2, apply all patches, and verify services.

  4. See the instructions in OES 2 SP2.

OES 2 SP2

  1. Run YaST > Software > Online Update to patch the OES 2 SP2 server to the latest patch level.

  2. Ensure that the server and services are still running as desired.

  3. Upgrade to OES 2 SP3 using the instructions in this section, then apply all patches and verify services.

5.3.4 Checking the Server’s IP Address

Make sure the server has a static IP address.

5.3.5 Checking the Server’s DNS Name

Make sure that DNS returns the correct static IP address when you ping the server's full DNS name. For example

ping myserver.example.com

5.3.6 Ensuring That the Server Has a Server Certificate

IMPORTANT:Most OES servers have either an eDirectory certificate or a third-party certificate installed.

These instructions only apply when that is not the case.

Ensure that the server has a server certificate that has been generated and exported as a Common Server certificate.

To check for or add a certificate:

  1. Launch YaST.

  2. Click Security and Users > CA Management.

  3. If no certificate authorities (CAs) are listed, create one by clicking Create Root CA.

    If a CA is listed, you can use it by selecting the CA and clicking Enter CA.

  4. If you are using a listed CA, you must provide the CA password (generally the root password).

  5. Click Certificates > Add.

  6. Fill out the forms required for a server certificate. After the last form is complete, a server certificate is created and listed in the certificate list.

  7. Select the certificate you just created.

  8. Click the Export button, then select Export as Common Server Certificate.

5.3.7 Preparing an Installation Source

Review and complete the instructions for Setting Up a Network Installation Source. We recommend using the network installation option, especially if you are upgrading multiple servers.