We are having a very old server that is working on solaris 5.6 and oracle7.
now We are planning to migrate it to a Solaris 8 and oracle 9 environment.
The application software of the server is basically written in ProC and there are few sql ,perl and shell scripts on the server . We have lost the original code and have a dump of the server on an 8MM python tape. Can anybody tell me that will it be possible to relocate the server to the new environment and if not what are the changes that should be made and what is the detailed procedure that should be followed . Any help will be appriciated as i am in urgent need of this information
No one can really advise you on this as this is both related to your apps as well. only way is for you to simulate the environment first on a test machine is see if its feasible
thanks incredibe . Can you tell me just that wether there needs to be some modifications on the pro C code written on the solaris 5.6 to run on solaris 8
it should run... but no one can say this for sure. you'll have to test it or find a new solution that is working on a modern system... if you're going migrate, why not to solaris 10?
Ive been involved in situations like this. The attempt of trying to upgrade legacy systems where support is long gone and no one knows how it works / source code. Ive done a few trade floor upgrades, where old servers which everyone has forgotten, living under a desk, suddenly need upgrading but no one knows what to do in regards to the application etc.
You will need to check libraries, commands, paths, kernel settings, device trees, adhoc scripts, backups and other lovely things like that
I wouldnt aim for solaris 8, as that is at its EOL, so I would aim for solaris10, but create some branded solaris 8 or 9 zones, and dump your configuration into that. At least this gives you the abiltiy to test it in an 8 / or 9 environment without all the heavy upgrading costs.
However, solaris 2.8 / oracle 7 are very old versions, and you WILL suffer issues regarding stored procs, sql versions and library issues, so i would suggest you contract a DBA that can help here.
Here is something that might help you figuring out the kind of issues you might face and a way to overcome some of them: milek's blog: Oracle 8.0.6 on Solaris 10
Haven't done migrations in a while, migration usually never easy and many unknowns.
Well for one thing solaris 2.6 is running 32bit solaris 8/9 are all 64bit but have 32bit libraries, so if you have apps written on solaris 2.6 ProC maybe it will work maybe it will break so you will have to test. Or run the OS in 32bit mode
Other things like oracle application manager, if you are using may have licensing issues you need to check. All your old apps you need to check for any possible licensing issues. The old licensing in the past was usually tied to server hostid, or server IP address or network interface, you need to check.
if tied to hostid see if possible to remove the hostid chip on system board to transfer to new server(check with your support)
I suggest do the mirgation on another server but do not destroy the original box or at least remove the old hardisks from original box and keep it aside as a backout plan.
Original server:
Firstly tar /etc and location of all your scripts
tar cvfp /dev/rmt/0 ./etc
Do a full DB export dump & copy the dump to tape.(for import to new oracle version)
Do a tar $ORACLE_HOME/dbs to tape (all the oracle scripts here)
Check the sizing of your database
On new server,
install OS and boot in 32bit mode.
Install new oracle binaries from cdrom and create a new empty dummy database with the appropriate sizing.(make sure this runs as 32bit also)
Import in from the oracle dmp file.
manually copy in one by one all the scripts(from your ./etc tar)
Thanks Duke . Actually there is a shortage of fund and we are already having a server with solaris 8 hence we are migrating to it . And due to same reason (shortage of fund) we cannot develop new system
Thanks to for all the replies . This server is very old and the company is not paying much for the migraton activity . So we neither can hire a DBA nor a UNIX Admin . So it will be very helpful if some one can provide me the complete step by step procedure to do th migration
nobody can do something like this without knowing the whole environment... we can help you with errormessages or a little "how to copy data from a to b"... but doing the whole thing is nothing that can be done remotly!
thanks for detailed reply sparcguy
i will explain you the whole scenario
we have a server that is having solaris 7 and oracle 8
now we are having level 0 back up (complete backup of our old srver on a tape)
now we need to creat the filesystem on the new server and import every thing of the old server onto the new
i am very new to UNIX and i also do not have any DBA support in this activity
So it would be very help ful if you can provide any step by step procedure to carry out this activity . I can give you the complete scenario and the details of the filesystem and databases if i can get your mailid.
Thanks . You have already given me a direction. Furher help will help me a lot . Thaks
---------- Post updated at 06:07 AM ---------- Previous update was at 06:01 AM ----------
actually i have to submit complete process to my managers before carrying on the actitvity . So if i provide complete environment details , will you be able to give me if not the step by step procedure , then atleast a vague idea of the various steps that will bee involved in this activity.
actually I am new to UNIX and i am also not having any DBA support in this activity so i am in dire need of all the information
The application you can more or less port over, database you can import from database export dump file, what is more difficult and uncertain are all the little bits and pieces of scripts or programs and little customization here and there scattered all over and added by all the different past sys admins these are the real unknowns, there no way to know what is left out until you port over, thats why I advocate preserve the old disk or if possible build on another system, unless you are very confident of the upgrade that you are planning to do otherwise don't destroy the old system.
Another thing is you cannot expect people in this forum to migrate whole system for you, we are not your helpdesk many of us have our own systems to support. We can offer advise but the rest is up to you, you have to make it your own way.
If you think this migration is very difficult please get professional help, is not possible to migrate based on somebody advise from forum, somebody needs to be familiar with the system and If you say you are new to Unix, seriously I cannot think of a reason why you would agreed to do this in first place? If the system you migrated cannot startup have you thought about what will happen to you or your job?
---------- Post updated 08-10-09 at 10:16 AM ---------- Previous update was 08-09-09 at 10:45 PM ----------
I've been thinking about how you can try to do this. Since you dunno anything about unix can try this first.
Maybe as a trial for yourself, you can do a DR on your own server using seperate new hardisk to get a feel for what it is like and maybe build some confidence level in this and also treat it as a feasibility study.
Reboot the new system try to startup your database and use your application, does it comes up? does it works? What is missing, take note of what is missing what is giving error. Why is it giving error, take note of whatever is giving error and whatever it missing & refer to your old system for help.
You need to resolve all the errors before you proceed with any migration because the migration you gonna face these similar problems. If you cannot resolve don't do the migration, if you still want to do the migration without resolving these errors, go stick your head into the lions cage or stick your hand into the polar bear cage, it's a faster suicide.
That's why DO NOT DESTROY the old system.
Once you accomplished this DR you will have more confidence and can have better idea what the migration going to be like.
Thanks . I will do all the stuff . Actually i have not agreed for this . It is being forced on me.So I am going through all the documentations and all the stuff and improving my unix skills .I have been given 4 months to develop my skills and then carry out the back up
i will do more work on this and will come out with some intelligent questions so that i do not look stupid on this forum.
I didn't mean to be too harsh on you but there are a lot of forumers here who are real lazy buggers & a lot of times they ask for help and later it turns out all they want are quick answers for their school "Homework" or some sun certification question so instead of reading up material for the answer they try poking around for a possible answer or a close match or they try pretending to be really desperate and distressed. So they actually act in bad faith when they do this.
When you started asking everyone for "detailed steps" you raised my suspicion. If you are truthful, do it first then when you hit problems post it here and the people here will see you at least made some effort to find it out for yourself and they will help you.
Just do the DR you will soon gain confidence and thru all the hard knocks on your head I can guarantee you your skillset and knowledge will improve dramatically and at the end of it you won't need anybody to give you the steps to do the migration, you will come out with the detailed steps for the migration by yourself.
