How to Upgrade a Clustered Mailbox Server in a CCR Environment along with HUB and CAS

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We often get the question by customers on how to upgrade CCR cluster successfully. We have a successful way to upgrade is to make life easier while upgrading CCR cluster.

 

Consider the following conditions when you upgrade to Exchange 2007 SP3:

 

  • If you install Exchange 2007 SP3 on a computer that is running the RTM version of Exchange 2007, all server roles are upgraded to Exchange 2007 SP3. You cannot choose which server roles you want to upgrade to Exchange 2007 SP3.
  • If you want to add a server role to a computer after you upgrade to Exchange 2007 SP3, you must run the Exchange 2007 SP3 Setup program. This differs from the process that you must follow for earlier versions of Microsoft Exchange. For example, when you add a component to a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 installation, you must run the Exchange 2003 Setup program to change the installation, and then reapply the service pack.
  • We recommend that you upgrade your servers that are running the Mailbox server role after you upgrade your servers that are running the server roles in the following list.

 

The Exchange 2007 Roles should be upgraded in the following order:

 

  • Client Access Role
  • Hub Transport Role
  • Unified Messaging Role
  • Mailbox Role
  • Edge Transport Role

 

Installing the Exchange 2007 Service Pack 3:

 

1)       Execute the following command to upgrade schema and to prepare Active Directory.

2)       Open command prompt as an administrator on you exchange server or DC.

3)       Navigate command prompt to the setup directory and execute below cmdlet

4)       Setup /PrepareLegacyExchangePermissions

5)       Setup /PrepareSchema

6)       Setup.com /preparead

7)       Setup.com /PAD (Prepare All Domain).

8)       Once its successful please execute next cmdlet on exchange server: Setup.com or

9)       Via the GUI, right click on setup file and run as an administrator.

10)   After upgrading reboot the server and apply RU and reboot again.

 

How to verify Schema version: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/556086

 

Upgrading CCR Cluster:

 

a)       Prepare Node-2 to be upgraded by moving all cluster resource groups to Node-1. The clustered mailbox server can be left in an online (running) state during the first part of this procedure; however, during this procedure it will be taken offline and moved between nodes in the cluster.

b)       Stop any services that have open handles to performance counters. Known services that should be stopped include Performance Logs and Alerts and any Microsoft Operations Manager agents.

c)       Stop and then restart the Remote Registry service.

d)       Open a Command Prompt window, and then navigate to the Exchange 2007 installation files.

e)       Run the following command: Setup /m:upgrade

Note: Setup performs the Exchange 2007 upgrade prerequisite checks and, after those are complete, Setup upgrades Node-2 to Exchange 2007 target version.

f)        Restart Node-2 after Setup has completed the upgrade to Exchange 2007 and apply RU if needed. (You can restart the server after applying RU as well.

g)       After the restart process is complete, log on to Node-2 and open the Exchange Management Shell.

h)       Use the Stop-ClusteredMailboxServer cmdlet to stop the clustered mailbox server. For example, you can use the following command to stop a clustered mailbox server named CCRCluster:

Stop-ClusteredMailboxServer CCRCluster -StopReason "Upgrade of SP"

i)         Use the Move-ClusteredMailboxServer cmdlet to move the clustered mailbox server from Node-1 to Node-2. This cmdlet must be run from Node-2. For example, you can use the following command to move a clustered mailbox server named CCRCluster to Node-2: Move-ClusteredMailboxServer CCRCluster -TargetMachine NODE-2 -MoveComment "Upgrade of SP"

j)         In a Command Prompt window, navigate to the Exchange 2007 service pack installation files.

k)       Run the following command to upgrade the clustered mailbox server that is now owned by Node-2: Setup /upgradecms

Note: Setup performs the clustered mailbox server prerequisite checks and, after those are complete, Setup upgrades the clustered mailbox server and brings it online.

l)         On Node-1, stop any services that have open handles to performance counters. Known services that should be stopped include Performance Logs and Alerts and any Microsoft Operations Manager agents.

m)     Stop and then restart the Remote Registry service.

n)       Open a Command Prompt window, and then navigate to the Exchange 2007 installation files. Run the following command on Node-1 to upgrade it to Exchange 2007 target version: Setup /m:upgrade

Note: Setup performs Exchange 2007 upgrade prerequisite checks and, after those are complete, Setup upgrades Node-1.

  • o)       Restart Node-1 after Setup has completed the upgrade to Exchange 2007 new SP.

p)       The clustered Exchange 2007 mailbox server has now been upgraded.

 

Important: During the upgrade procedure, ownership of the clustered mailbox server changed nodes. If you want, you can move the clustered mailbox server back to the original node. You can perform the move operation by using the Move-ClusteredMailboxServer cmdlet. You can also perform the move operation by using the new Manage Clustered Mailbox Server wizard in the Exchange Management Console, which is a feature of Exchange 2007 SP1 and later versions.

 

Thank you,

Mukut-