[cisco-voip] Options for upgrading 4.2(3) ?

[Scott Voll]

Geoff--

I agree with Ed.  we have purchased non MCS servers direct from HP (now IBM)
and saved a bundle.  Not only the HW cost but also the maintenance
contracts.

And it's a whole lot easier to upgrade to a new hardware set then have to
blow away your current set and reinstall.

Personally I would still go with 7.1 as 8.0 just has not baked long enough
for me.

YMMV.

Scott

On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 7:29 AM, Ed Leatherman <ealeatherman at gmail.com>wrote:

> Geoff,
> some thoughts..
>
> what hardware are you running now? You might be able to run CM 7.1.5
> on your existing hardware.. i just upgraded a cluster of about the
> same size from 4.2 to 7.1 without changing hardware. That would buy
> you some time to replace the hardware later for version 8. We also
> upgraded purely for support reasons, as 4.2 was doing everything it
> needed to.
>
> I don't think the requirements for virtualizing Unity are as strict so
> thats still an option for you separate from CM.
>
> Cisco isn't going to support you virtualizing 4.3... in which case why
> not just stay on 4.2?
>
> You could look at buying IBM or HP hardware directly to possibly save
> some $$ on the new server option.. just be very careful that you order
> exactly the right parts. We've done this with HP servers in the past
> and haven't had any problems once we got the reseller to understand
> the requirements.
>
>
> On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 10:16 AM, Rhodes, Geoff <GRhodes at rbh.com> wrote:
> > Hello.  We are currently running Call Manager 4.2(3) and Unity 4.2, with
> an
> > installed base of around 300 phones.  One large site with 95% of phones,
> > with 2 smaller sites connected via MPLS circuits, which both run SRST for
> > backup.
> >
> >
> >
> > Our lease is running out and we have to make some tough decisions.  The
> > majority of our phones are 7970s, which we have decided to buy out and
> keep
> > (at least another year).  The problem is the back end.  EOL/EOS for CM
> 4.2
> > is next spring, so we feel pressured to do something.  Here is what I see
> > our options to be.
> >
> >
> >
> > 1 – upgrade the backend to v8.x on MCS boxes.  Not cheap, but doable.  I
> > hate doing this since what we have right now just WORKS..
> >
> >
> >
> > 2 – upgrade the backend to v8.x and run on B-series blades on our new UCS
> > chassis.  At first, this seemed really a great solution (having all the
> UC,
> > Unity and Presence server virtualized) until we started hearing about
> > Cisco’s requirements.  We have a 10-gig iSCSI framework built with our
> UCS
> > and SAN, using Nexus 5000 switching and everything works perfectly.
> Cisco
> > says we have to use fiber optic connections back to the SAN, and require
> us
> > to boot from SAN for the virtual servers.  So that mean we either buy
> fiber
> > modules for the Nexus 5000s (expensive due to license) or use a couple of
> > MDS fiber switches, plus buying converged net. Adapters throughout.  This
> > solution is actually LESS EXPENSIVE than going the MCS route above, but
> it
> > involves adding a lot more complexity to our core, just for UC running
> 300
> > phones…
> >
> >
> >
> > 3 – upgrade to 4.3 and maybe virtualize it?  Is anyone running 4.3 in a
> VM?
> > What is the EOL for 4.3?  I know we’d be missing Presence, but that’s not
> a
> > huge problem.  We would plan on upgrading to v8.x sometime next year or
> when
> > Cisco decides to support UC on UCS with iSCSI.
> >
> >
> >
> > Any help, suggestions or comments are most welcome.
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Geoff Rhodes
> >
> > Director of Information Technology
> >
> > ROBINSON, BRADSHAW & HINSON
> >
> > 101 North Tryon Street, Suite 1900
> >
> > Charlotte, NC 28246
> >
> > P: 704.377-8188
> >
> > F: 704-339-3488
> >
> > grhodes at rbh.com
> >
> > www.rbh.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > cisco-voip mailing list
> > cisco-voip at puck.nether.net
> > https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-voip
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Ed Leatherman
>
> _______________________________________________
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> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-voip
>
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