Late last year, we implemented Solarwinds Orion in our environment. We currently have set up and installed a suite consisting of Orion Core, NPM, APM, and NCM. However, we have never actually finished the setup and use of NCM due to some issues. We are now ready to move forward with that module, but I found that a newer version is currently available. Since we have never fully implemented NCM 6.1 I thought it a good idea to get this upgrade out of the way before moving forward. However, I am wondering if there is anything I should be looking out for, or whether this install should be fairly straightforward. The installation instructions are a bit intimidating, and I want to make sure I get it right, so I thought it best to ask here. We currently have a primary management server, which is also the primary poller, and 2 additional pollers. NCM is installed with an offbox database (on the same DB server as the primary Orion DB) and has credentials established, but no nodes are available and no configurations monitored. Basically, the NCM main page shows the default demo/display data. From the instruction sheet, I have the data below. Would this be what I needed to follow? My confusion stems from the fact that NCM is installed, though has never been used. Should I treat it as an upgrade of an existing install, or more of a new install? Any information that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.
Upgrading Orion NCM on Integrated Single Server
Follow these steps if you will run Orion NCM on a single server and intend to integrate it with an Orion product that already resides on the server.
If your existing version of your Orion product is not already upgraded to a version compatible with NCM 7.0, you must upgrade the Orion product first. Locate the relevant executable for the Orion product in your customer portal.
The following procedures assume that your other Orion product has been upgraded to a version compatible with Orion NCM version 7.0; see the NCM version requirements of Orion products.
These procedures take you through all five related processes-as one set of numbered steps-for upgrading Orion NCM and integrating with an Orion product on a single server.
You must complete all the steps for Orion NCM to be correctly upgraded.
To upgrade Orion Network Configuration Manager:
1. Log on with a local administrator account to the computer on which you want to install Orion Network Configuration Manager.
Note: To ensure that Orion Network Configuration Manager runs properly, do not install Orion Network Configuration Manager on a domain controller.
2. Navigate to your download location and launch the executable.
3. Take a back-up of your existing Orion product database.
For detailed information, see “Creating Database Backups” in your Orion product‟s Administrator Guide.
4. Click Next on Getting Ready to Install.
5. Click Next after reviewing the Process Overview.
Notice that after upgrading the NCM software the Installer runs two successive configuration wizards. The first wizard configures NCM and the NCM database; and the second configures Orion common components and the Orion Core database which NCM and the other Orion products on the server share.
6. Click Next after reviewing the deployment options.
Since you following this set of steps you already have chosen to install Orion NCM integrated with an Orion product on a single server.
7. Click Next to the installer software to upgrade the NCM software that it has detected on this server.
If you receive and error regarding an unsupported version of installed Orion product-for example, Orion NCM version 10.1-you must discontinue this installation and upgrade the Orion product before attempting again to upgrade Orion NCM.
8. Review the Welcome text, click Next.
9. Typing Yes acknowledges that you are aware of the need to back up your existing Orion product database. Click Next when you are ready.
10. Accept the license agreement displayed on the License Agreement window, and then click Next.
11. Click Next to have the Setup Wizard start copying files.
You should see the blue progress bar advancing with annotations of which files are being copied.
12. Click Finish when the Setup Wizard completes its copying.
13. If you are prompted to license Orion NCM, click Enter Licensing Information and then complete the following procedure to license your Orion NCM installation:
a. If you have both an activation key and access to the internet, select the first option, I have internet access and an activation key…, enter your Activation Key, and then click Next.
Note: If you are using a proxy server to access the internet, check access your access to the internet through a proxy server, and then provide the Proxy address and Port.
b. If you do not have access to the internet from your designated Orion NCM server, select This server does not have internet access…, click Next, and then complete the steps provided..
You need a customer ID and password to successfully install the key. For more information, see the section “Obtaining a Software License Key”.
14. Enter registration information, including your name and a valid email address, and click Finish.
If licensing failed for some reason the software should automatically mark the installation as an evaluation. You will have 30 days to enter valid license information.
15. Click Next after reviewing your progress in the Process Overview.
The first of the two configuration wizards launches The first wizard configures NCM and the NCM database.
16. Accept the defaults (Database and Services) and click Next.
The Orion Network Configuration Manager Wizard starts running through the Orion NCM database setup.
17. Specify the SQL Server instance you want to use for storing configurations and node details, the authentication method (Windows or SQL Server Authentication) used to communicate with the instance, and then click Next.
The SQL Server instance must support SQL authentication or mixed mode.
Notes: · If you are using a local instance of SQL Server Express, use the following syntax to use the default instance: (local)\SQLEXPRESS.
· If you select SQL Authentication, provide an account with sufficient rights to create new databases on the server instance. For example, specify the SQL administrator (sa) account.
18. Click Create a new database or select the existing Orion NCM database you want to use. Click Next when you are finished.
19. Create a new database account and password, or select an existing account with owner rights on the database you created or selected. Then click Next.
Note: You must supply a strong password. For more information about strong passwords, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143705.aspx.
20. If all three Service Settings are selected, click Next.
21. Review the actions to be taken with the Database and Services, click Next.
The dual blue bars show progress and annotations of the wizard‟s current actions.
22. Click Finish when the wizard completes its configuration actions.
23. Click OK to acknowledge that a second configuration wizard, the Orion Core Configuration Wizard, will start in a few moments.
The Orion Core database stores all discovered nodes for your Orion products. This is a superset of nodes from which you will license specific nodes for NCM monitoring and configuration.
24. Click Next after reviewing your progress in the Process Overview.
The second configuration wizard launches The second wizard configures Orion common components and the Orion Core database.
25. Click Yes to restart your system now and allow the NCM configuration changes take effect. Click No if you want to postpone rebooting this machine.
26. Review the Welcome text, click Next.
27. Specify the appropriate SQL Server instance, the authentication method (Windows or SQL Server Authentication) used to communicate with the instance, and then click Next.
The SQL Server instance must support SQL authentication or mixed mode.
Notes: · If you are using a local instance of SQL Server Express, use the following syntax to use the default instance: (local)\SQLEXPRESS.
· If you select SQL Authentication, provide an account with sufficient rights to create new databases on the server instance. For example, specify the SQL administrator (sa) account.
28. Provide the database name for your current Orion product-the one with which you want NCM to integrate-and then click Next.
29. Create a new database account and password, or select an existing account with owner rights on the database you created or selected. Then click Next.
Note: You must supply a strong password. For more information about strong passwords, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143705.aspx.
30. Click Next setup the Orion Website with default settings or adjust the settings as needed.
31. Click Yes if you are informed that a website already exists with the same settings.
32. Click Next after reviewing the settings that will be configured.
33. Click Next after reviewing the overview configuration plan for the Database, Website, and Services.
The dual blue bars show progress and annotations of the wizard‟s current actions.
34. Click Finish when the wizard completes.
Orion Web Console launches.
35. Enter an appropriate username and password.
The default credentials are „admin’ with no password.
Since this is the your first time logging after upgrade, the software navigates to a page called Node Synchronization and highlights Sync Nodes.
36. Click Sync Nodes.
All NCM nodes must also be managed in the Orion Core database for you to perform NCM work on a node.
37. Click Synchronize Databases under Node Synchronization. You may need to scroll down to see this part of Discovery Central.
This operation reports its results in the form of:
(n) existing nod(s) synchronized.
(n) new node(s) added to Orion Core.
38. Click Finish.
39. Click CONFIGS in the Orion NCM Web Console toolbar.