T3 Network AIX 3.2 Deployment

Jordan Becker becker at ans.net
Thu Mar 25 23:45:42 UTC 1993


AIX 3.2 Migration Plan Status
=============================

Summary
-------
        The T3 backbone software upgrade to support the AIX 3.2
operating system on customer production routers is scheduled to begin
on April 3rd, and will proceed for several weeks through the month of
April.

        We have completed testing of AIX 3.2 and have already
installed this software on three production network nodes (ENSS160,
ENSS205, CNSS51).

        The ANS NOC will be contacting each site that hosts an ENSS
to coordinate the installation time and procedure described below.

Upgrade Procedure
-----------------
        The upgrade will be administered by swapping out CNSS/ENSS
disk drives loaded with AIX 3.1 with new AIX 3.2 disk drives at each
site.  The process involves several steps including AIX 3.2 Hard
Drive Creation, Hard Drive Installation, and Phased Deployment. 
Most of the upgrade tasks have been automated via shell scripts to
assure uniform processes across systems.

        Replicas of each CNSS/ENSS file system will be created in the
lab on the AIX 3.2 platform.  This replica will be shipped with a
backup tape for use during "fall back" procedures.  In the unlikely
event of a drive failure on site, AIX boot diskettes will be available
to support this new platform in the field.

        The existing hard drives on routers at all sites will be
backed up prior to the new hard drive installations.  This backup
could be used in case a "fall back" is required.  All configuration
files that might have changed since the replica drive was made will be
preserved on a neighboring CNSS/ENSS for comparison after the system
is brought up with AIX 3.2.

AIX 3.2 Phased Deployment
-------------------------
        The Deployment will occur in four (4) phases.  Each of these
phases will occur on consecutive weekends starting on Friday April
2nd around 23:00 local time and continuing into Saturday morning. 
A postscript file illustrating the phased deployment at each POP
CNSS and adjacent ENSS is located on ftp.ans.net in
/pub/info/aix32dmap.ps

        Each phase will include upgrades to selected CNSS nodes and
their adjacent ENSS nodes during the same maintenance window. 
The CNSS upgrades will be staggered in pairs to allow optimal use
of T1 backup circuits at T3 ENSS's as well as to maintain continuous
monitoring capabilities by either the ANS Ann Arbor primary NOC, or
the New York backup NOC.  The ANS NOC will contact each site to
arrange for the field support engineering visits.  The upgrade
schedule for each CNSS location (and adjacent ENSS) is illustrated
in the aix32dmap.ps file and is summarized as follows:

Phase I         (April 2)  - Washington D.C. 
Phase II        (April 16) - Seattle/Denver, San Francisco/Los Angeles
Phase III       (April 23) - Greensboro/Atlanta, Houston/St. Louis
Phase IV        (April 30) - Hartford/New York City, Cleveland/Chicago

        The staggering of upgrades between the CNSS and its adjacent
ENSS will reduce the ENSS outage approximately the elapsed time
of their site upgrade. The upgrade process to a router is as follows: 

(1)     Upgrade T3-B CNSS router, bring up routing 

(2)     Upgrade the T3-C and associated T3 ENSS's simultaneously,
        bring up routing 

(3)     Upgrade T1-C and associated T1 ENSS's, bring up routing. 

        This process will be followed for the first CNSS pair then the
second CNSS pair.

Installation Fall Back Procedures
---------------------------------
        In the unlikely event that a disk failure occurs (in shipping or
installation), the following fall back procedures will be followed:

1.      Install site from AIX 3.2 BACKUP for that machine (shipped with
        hard drive).

2.      Install site from AIX 3.2 BACKUP of another machine on site. 
        (applies to CNSS ONLY, disk is shipped with hard drive)

3.      Re-install AIX 3.1 hard drive

4.      Install site from AIX 3.1 BACKUP for that machine (created
        before 3.2 install started).







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