(UPDATE: There is a deep ANNEX added to the issues of troubleshooting patching These can also be read here ..)
Hello fellow Citrites, customers, technology and community members partners!
I hope each of you found some time during the holiday season to spend time with friends, family, relatives and your loved XenServer. I know I did! I had planned to blog, but I was testing busy XenServer 6.2 SP 1 in all kinds of configurations, upgrades and tests VM: all with big smile on my face. I'm just "bloggin" to share practices, information, and who said:
Whether it start the first of many articles - my virtual office for you (literally and virtually, but never mind that for now). These articles are intended to apply to mental steroids " 'Webs' Internets" to improve metabolism information, build institutional knowledge at an exponential rate and live with the side effects of success!
The primary objective of this article is to highlight the steps for the successful application of patches or service packs. With the release of XS62ESP1 (SP1) for XenServer 6.2, this article will examine the latest version as a reference point, but rest assured that the steps we should take, adopt and implement (with best practices ) will be . be discussed
So, without further ado, Blogs @ Citrix.com this: " From My Virtual Desktop: Applying a patch or service pack " ...
Step 1. It is your environment ...
Yes. Step 1 is to me and you, the reader recalls, whether your environment. While we test and test and test our products at Citrix, I want everyone to take a step back and think about your external environment only "Citrix products." Facing deploy updates to the equipment in the solid state for software patches for your end users, ask yourself:
- ["Howmanyofmyenvironmentisinproduction?"
- "Can I afford the downtime for maintenance?"
- "I read the release notes and additional guides to help with the deployment of patches, service Packs or other software? "
- " Do I have to update anything else, such as camera firmware, BIOS or system patches apply other first? "
- " Have I checked the compatibility lists, known problems, limitations, processed-based questions or providers, community forums for other experiences related to the user? "
- " should I ask for the support or the vendor community? "
- " do I have a test machine or the test environment? "
these are just a few questions that I learned to drive in my head before I plan to apply any software, hardware or solid state in my firmware, at home and customer business environments. especially if I have a test machine or environment to work with
If I'm not sure any aspect I still contact technical Support Now my provider, focusing back on Citrix and XenServer. if you are unsure, please reach out to our Citrix Citrix Support or discussion forums
step 2. XenServer and razor ... [1945002?]
I'm pretty big fan of Occam and his razor. If you do not know who he is or how strong its shaver is made, check the following link or let me summarize:
- "the simplest answer is usually the right."
I know, right? It is AS GOOD . Although, since he is not alive, I will discuss what I do in my personal time or work regarding the application of a patch, service pack or even an upgrade.
Step 3. "Backup Stuff"
Yup. Disks, USB sticks and external hard drives are a dime a dozen. In the time spent on a call for support to recover data, well, you might have already saved the mission critical data. Note: this is not a verbal jab. Remember restore points in Windows ME? Yeah, I neglected to use them as well until ...
The point is that sometimes things can just go wrong. This is why the infrastructure to the data security, backup, redundancy and comprehensive procedures for disaster recovery are among the CISSP exam and ... well, a large subset of standard operating procedures for business. So before addressing the deployment of Citrix updates (or any product update) to ensure that all assets are labeled, categorized and saved accordingly.
I urge a stop at http://support.citrix.com as more often than not, the documentation is directly there regarding this type of information Release notes, guides installation and so on. An example is this gem: http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX121282 (among many other base articles, best practices and product-centric notes) for backup, recovery and tools to assist in these tasks. I know, I know ... but even "back in the day" we reported this.? Http://docs.vmd.citrix.com/XenServer/4.0.1/installation/apbs04.html Cool, huh
We have a wealth of articles of CTX / knowledge Base, but if they do not answer your questions please call Citrix Citrix Support or join our discussion forums. Understanding this data , the scope of data to backup, format (or even data that can be right beside lined) rolloing before the software is a "Top 3 of best practices" or "best Way to Avoidable a problem."
If you can and want to lean towards the absolute side full caution:
- export fully all virtual machines to a separate source, redundant data
- Export metadata and - if you have a pool - the pool export the database to a redundant data source
- OR ... just clone your entire system on testing equipment and apply the updates here
I made the bet before with different types of software solutions / equipment long ago and emerged victorious, but I should not have risked it. A fly is sucked into a machine, a pack of rogue squirrels chew their way through the grid of the city. Or worse! $ 6.00 cup of coffee someone turns all my hard work, not saved in a financial nightmare!
Step 4. Always read the release notes, what is covered and ask questions when questions arise
This is not a polite suggestion or a recommendation just for our wonderful Citrix customers, partners and community. Oh, no - far from it! This should be a behavior muscle-memory for anyone using a product / solution with a provider for any specific purpose in their environment that they (or their employers) costs.
Besides ... If you read! the previous section - "Step 3. Back Stuff" - you are now ahead of most people who do the same software deployment
This is a non-calculation example of what I mean:
- I buy a case of Soda Pop for office
- I see the content of nutrition, but barely readable, the case is in tatters
- I can see that the boxes do not look right: warped, dented and pierced
- They have a strange layer of dust on top of the box
- I see a part of a date expiration, but not all
- is for sale, but there is no clear instructions on "as he was on set, it's okay to buy" or "If the boxes are deformed, dented and we do not use leaky "
Questions or" Hey "Should I wash them and drink?" - it is soda. Does not she phosphoric seeds of destruction of the acid? "Should never lead to the consumption of such Soda Pop without contact with the seller." Bob can not do his job for a while? "Why?" He had a soda and said it has temporarily lost vision. Should be okay in a week, though. "
Oh. No ...
Reading release notes if you are not described as the" Target "or other by-requisites do not give you the warm and fuzzy feelings, then please call or raise a question Support in Citrix discussion forums in addition, if material, firmware or other updates necessary for your system. - in especially for upgrades - contact your supplier (s) of equipment to ensure your solid state systems are up to date such examples are related to, but not limited to:
- . the hardware is supported via the XenSource.org hardware compatibility list (especially for major upgrades or installs revision)
- BIOS revision is underway
- BIOS parameters food / virtualization are correct
- card or other firmware in the solid state is a revision / version supported
- Read for all deprecated functions or in the notes release, such as (for XenServer 6.2.0 http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX137826)
Step 5. disk space and other controls
All mentioned above taken into account, before I just go off and settle "things", I check my surroundings before I move forward. What follows will refer to XenServer 6.2 Service Pack 1, but the concepts can be applied to patches and upgrades (as well).
My environment is not broke, so do I "fix"?
- This is an important issue, especially for Citrix support and support requirements
- If we have the security-related releases, yes - apply
- If your product is about to be end of life, yes - apply it to keep the support of current
- If all else fails or there is no answer, again, call the support or achieve the Citrix discussion forums
Is my environment compatible with this pack of patches or service
- I know, the dreaded HCL - mentioned twice
- I still double check my materials against it to exclude all elements that can make me "less support" or incompatible with the software that I want to deploy
- If I am still in doubt - again, not just for Citrix - I contact support or reach out to suppliers forums
How many target systems must -I apply this hotfix / service pack
[1945007?]If I download the ZIP file, can I l open to see the "XS62ESP1.update" file or do I get an error?
- TCP / IP has come a long way, but I always check my downloads for integrity - especially if it is ZIP format
- If you can not open ZIP file, then you probably need to re-download the software or contact support
have I eject all mounted ISO images from virtual machines?
- All iso attached to virtual machines images must be ejected before applying the patch
- Do not do it, run the following command from the master (if not CD image is mounted, it will say ... expect lots of output):
xe vm-cd-ejection --multiple
how much disk space do I have available for these target systems (because the pack / patch service will need space to install)?
- So I downloaded my first patches and look at the size of files XSxxxxx.update that they will still be decompressed when applying to a host
- If XSxxxxx.update is 300MiB, I make sure I have 2 -3.5 times that amount of space available on each host my target (just in case)
- If you need more disk space the installation will be fail
You can check the available disk space by using the following command on your XenServer host via XenCenter or an SSH client, such as "putty" (sample output provided, too):
df -h Filesystem Size used Avail use% Mounted on / dev / sda1 4.0g 2.4G 1.4G 64% / none 4.0k 1.1G 1.1G 1% / dev / shm / opt /xensource/packages/iso/XenCenter.iso 52M 52M 0100% / var / xen / xc-install
In the example, I should have enough space. Otherwise, I could remove the old patch files in / var / patch files and oldest log / var / log as follows:
cd / var / log echo * gz cd / var / patch echo *
I'm wondering ... who do I talk to?
- This is what Citrix support and Citrix discussion forums are to
- do not hesitate to call us: especially if you have the support
Step 6. How to apply a patch to a standalone host ...
much of this information can be repetitive, but it is written as such for a purpose. Through repetition comes knowledge. Applied knowledge is experience. If I can pass my knowledge to help in your experience with XenServer as good health, so I do what I love (aka, My Job)!
As with any update (patch or service pack) that is published for an existing or new version of XenServer, download and upgrade all clients XenCenter first
I repeat that
as with any update (patch or service pack) that is released to an existing or new version of XenServer, download and upgrade all customers XenCenter first !
XenCenter can be used to facilitate the application of a patch or service pack, but you must have a licensed copy for this. From my own experience and desire to control, I prefer to install patches from the command line. The choice is yours, but at least run through the checks described here to disk space.
I begin by downloading a fix pack or service update XenCenter (if necessary, as applied XenServer 6.2 SP1 successfully). Unzip the zip file, I can be assured that the file is in contact XSxxxxxx.update. I then check my disk space on my root (nda) partition:
cd / df -h <- "file system disk, human readable" mounted Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% on / dev / sda1 4.0g 2.4G 1.4G 63% / <--- I 1.4G available, so I'm good but close !! no 4.0k 1.1G 1.1G 1% / dev / shm / opt / XenSource / packages / iso / XenCenter.iso
I clean all files "old" patch / var / patch and all the "old" log / var / log on my host:
cd / var / log echo * gz cd / var / patch echo *
I can secure copy the XS62ESP1.update file (using scp or a Linux host WinSCP from a Windows host) in the original root directory of my standalone XenServer
XS62ESP1.update scp root @ myxenserverhost : / root /
now I can begin to apply the patch / service pack. I can not jump in and install it as I do XAPI aware patch / service pack:
xe patch-download filename = XS62ESP1.update 0850b186-4d47-11e3-a720-001b2151a503
it will spit out a UUID - 0850b186-4d47-11e3-a720-001b2151a503 -copy and paste what you need (with the UUID of your standalone server):
xe host-list <- I run this uuid (RO): 17aee7b6-9f36-4c97-8616-05799a5b303e <- My host UUID name tag (RW): myxenserverhost name description (RW): default installation of XenServer
now that XAPI is aware / Service I fix pack can then install using the "xe patch-apply" command with the UUID of patch / Service pack that was displayed before and my host stand-alone UUID:
xe patch-apply uuid = 0850b186-4d47-11e3 a720-001b2151a503 host-uuid = 17aee7b6-9f36-4c97 -8616-05799a5b303e
This is quite a large patch, wait and you will eventually see:
Preparation ...
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