In-Place SQL Server Upgrade (2016)

The steps above are sufficient and yes as you upgrade NCM the Orion platform will upgrade. Have you already downloaded the latest version of NCM? if so the Orion installer should be able to upgrade both applications at the same time.

Hi Neomatrix,

are you able to answer (2) question:

> 2) will currently installed versions of Orion Platform, NCM and UDT continue to work on SQL Server 2016, before I attempt their upgrade?

As per NCM 7.4 system requirements:

The following database servers are supported:

• SQL Server 2014 , and with Always On Availability Groups

• SQL Server 2012, with or without SP1 and SP2, Standard or Enterprise, and with Always On Availability Groups

• SQL 2008 R2 without SP, 2008 R2 SP1, 2008 R2 SP2

• SQL 2008 without SP, 2008 SP1, 2008 SP2, 2008 SP3

excludes SQL Servers 2016.

So, would NCM (v7.4.1) stop working or become unreliable as soon as SQL Server is updated; and, we need to upgrade Orion platform and modules immediately after SQL Server upgrade rather than at future time?

R's, Alex

According to this KB, your current version of the software could potentially stop working once you upgrade the SQL Server.

Windows Server 2012, 2016 and SQL Server 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 Support - SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. Help and Support

You might consider upgrading your Application first such as:

NCM from 7.4.1 > NCM 7.5

UDT from 3.2.3 > UDT 3.2.4

NCM from 7.5 > NCM 7.6

Those levels will then be compatible with your new and old SQL version, so once you upgrade you won't break anything. And then you can perform an upgrade from NCM7.6 and UDT 3.2.4 to the latest versions using the new installer.

*Edit - Don't forget that the Application requirements for the latest versions require Windows Server 2016.

Hi David,

thank you for the compatibility matrix KB and advice on intermediate updates.

I'm currently running Windows Server 2012 R2.

> *Edit - Don't forget that the Application requirements for the latest versions require Windows Server 2016.

According to the KB, "Although you can install Orion Platform 2018.2 products on Microsoft Windows Server 2012, 2012 R2 .. these versions are deprecated and will not be supported on future versions of the Orion Platform"... So, I read this as recommendation, rather than requirement (to upgrade to Windows Server 2016).

Seem to me, if I have to update OS, SQL Server, Orion, NCM and UDT, I might as well be build new a VM.

R's, Alex

You are spot on

Requirement: MS Server 2012 or later / MS SQL Server 2012 or later

Recommendation: Server 2016 or later / MS SQL Server 2016 SP1 or later

if you can build out a new environment with VM's that would be a cleaner approach as you can build the new environment and perform an upgrade & migration. I would personally suggest upgrading on your existing platform first to avoid installing lots of older versions of the software on your new VM. Then when you migrate you only need to upgrade 1 or 2 versions.