Upgrade: Interoperability Guidelines

Products

• VMware Smart Assurance
• Network Observability

Issue/Introduction

This article provides essential guidelines and procedures for upgrading your Smarts environment to version 24.3.13, specifically addressing challenges related to inter-Domain Manager communication.

Note: There is no interoperability support between Smarts Domain Managers running version 24.3.13 and any earlier versions. This means all interconnected Domain Managers must be upgraded to compatible versions to ensure proper communication and functionality.

Environment

Smarts environments with multiple Smarts Domain Managers on the same Virtual Machine (VM), undergoing an upgrade to version 24.3.13.

Cause

The primary cause of potential communication issues during the Smarts 24.3.13 upgrade stems from the strict lack of interoperability support between Smarts Domain Managers running version 24.3.13 and any earlier versions. If Domain Managers involved in communication are operating on disparate versions (e.g., one on 24.3.13 and another on an older release), communication will inherently fail.

Resolution

To ensure a smooth upgrade and maintain inter-Domain Manager communication, follow the recommended sequence and procedures below:

1. Plan Your Upgrade Together: Upgrade all interconnected Domain Managers in a coordinated and synchronized manner.

2. Upgrade Order:

   • Begin by upgrading the SAM (Service Assurance Manager) Domain Manager.

   • Follow by upgrading all other underlying Domain Managers connected to the SAM environment.

3. Address Communication Issues During Upgrade (Manual DM Addition): If communication issues arise between Domain Managers or with the brokers during the upgrade process, manually add the Domain Managers to the broker.

   • Execute the following command from the Smarts base directory:

     • bash ./brcontrol -b <broker_host:port> add_dm <DM-Name> <Host_name> <DM_port> <DM_PID>

   • Note: This step is crucial to ensure the Domain Manager's status is correctly reflected in the broker and that communication between Domain Managers is re-established during the transition period.

4. Post-Upgrade Note for Manual DM Addition: The manual add_dm command (Step 3) is a temporary measure. Once all Domain Managers (including broker install) are upgraded to 24.3.13, this manual intervention is no longer required.

5. Upgrading Multiple Domain Managers on the Same VM: If multiple Smarts Domain Managers reside on the same virtual machine:

   • Stop All Services: Before initiating any upgrades, ensure all Smarts services are completely stopped on that VM:

     • bash sm_service stop all /etc/init.d/ic-serviced stop

• • Communication During Partial Upgrade: If some Domain Managers on the same VM are not upgraded after the initial upgrade of others, communication issues may arise between the non-upgraded and upgraded DMs/brokers. In such cases, execute the add_dm command (Step 3) as needed for the newly upgraded DMs to restore communication.

 

Additional Information

Coordinated Upgrade is Key: The most critical aspect of upgrading to Smarts 24.3.13 in an interconnected environment is strict coordination. Failure to upgrade all interconnected Domain Managers simultaneously to compatible versions will lead to communication failures.

* Temporary Nature of add_dm: While the add_dm command is a vital tool for maintaining communication during the transition phase, it is a temporary workaround. Once the upgrade is complete across all affected Domain Managers, the system should operate without requiring this manual intervention.