FAQ around Migrating Site Servers and Agents to SMP 7.1

Products

• Management Platform (Formerly known as Notification Server)

Issue/Introduction

 

Resolution

Questions and Answers around migrating Site Servers and Altiris Agent to 7.1

6.0 migrations:

1) When upgrading a package server from 6.x up to 7.1 – using the upgrade legacy package servers policy - will the process preserve packages? 

Note: the agent on the package server will need to be upgraded first.

A) If the agent is upgraded to 64bit:

• The package server 32bit assemblies will be removed
• The package server 64bit assemblies will be installed
• The existing registry and folder structure for packages will remain intact.

B) If the agent is upgraded to 32bit:

• Then the PS will also be upgraded to 32bit
• The packages that do not change will NOT need re-downloading. But the packages that have changes will.

Note: most SMP system packages will need re-downloading.

2) When the SMP Agent (non-package server) is pushed via discovery or ad import, then using the scheduled install - What version of the agent does a 64 bit machine get?

By default the scheduled install will install 64bit agent onto the 64bit machine.

This can be overwritten by enabling the ‘Force installation of 32-bit Symantec Management Agent on 64-bit systems’ checkbox’ in the Symantec Management Agent Installation Options (click on the Settings button under the grid)

3) When re-directing a 6.0 NS Agent installed on a 64bit windows version to a 7.1 server using the default upgrade policy, what version will it get?

• There are two upgrade policies for 64bit machines – this will depend on which one is enabled
• If the policy ‘Symantec Management Agent for Windows x64 (Non-Site Server) - Upgrade to 32-bit Symantec Management Agent 7.1’ is enabled – this will be upgraded to 32bit 7.1 agent
• If the policy ‘Symantec Management Agent for Windows x64 (Non-Site Server) - Upgrade to 64-bit Symantec Management Agent 7.1’ is enabled – this will be upgraded to 64bit 7.1 agent

4) When an 64 bit agent is installed, are the sub-agents installed as 64bit where available?

If the subagent has a 64bit equivalent – then yes – but if the subagent only has 32bit then it will run in a surrogate service created especially for this scenario

5) When a 32 bit agent is installed on a 64 bit machine, are the subagents 32 or 64 bit?

32bit

 

7.0 migrations:

 

1) When upgrading a 7.0 package server – using the upgrade policy and default filter; will packages be preserved?

Same as 6.0 migrations section above

2) When a net new customer pushes the altiris agent using the scheduled method, or via a static list, or imported list of machines:  what version of the agent will a 64bit windows machine get?

Same as 6.0 migrations section above

3) When an 64 bit agent is installed, are the sub-agents installed as 64bit where available?

Same as 6.0 migrations section above

4) When a 32 bit agent is installed on a 64 bit machine, are the subagents 32 or 64 bit?

Same as 6.0 migrations section above