[cisco-voip] Staging/ Bridge server upgrades.

[Andy]

I know this subject has been covered in many other conversations, but I 
can't find this particular question/ answer in them.

I have been trying to complete an upgrade from 7.0.2 to 8.5.1 (via 
7.1.5) using a set of staging servers, but the process I have been given 
requires that replication is checked after each version upgrade.
This has caused me quite a lot of pain!

So for what I think should be a quite straightforward process

1. Take DRS bakup from production.
2. Build Staging server to Production CUCM version.
3. DRS Restore to Staging Server (Publisher only?)
4. Upgrade via an intermediate version of CUCM (if required)
5. Install Software licence files for new version of CUCM on Staging server
6. DRS Backup on the required version of CUCM.
7. Build new version on UCS.
8. DRS Restore.
9. Rehome licences to new Publisher.
10. Build new Subscribers.
11. Test
12. Cutover

Why would you upgrade subscribers as well as we are really only 
interested in getting the publisher database to the correct version of code.

So assuming the process in Ok, is there any benefit from trying to test 
after each upgrade.

Is it required?

Or as I've found you just open yourself up to a "world of pain" and 
frustration.

I don't suppose there is a cisco doc for this that someone can point me 
at, as I'd really not want to go through this again

-- 
Rgds

Andy