>Date:    Sat, 1 Jul 1995 14:13:03 -0400
>From:    MIKENDAWN <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: MPEiX 5.0 Upgrade (Checkoff-List)
>
>Is there anyone out there who has done an upgrade to MPEiX 5.0 recently?
>We're planning on upgrading our 947 in November from 4.0 to 5.0. I have
>heard that there are quite a few things to do in preparation for this
>upgrade. I'm looking for a check-list of some sort highlighting the
>important steps in preparation for the upgrade as well as any important
>steps to take during the upgrade.
>
>Thanks!
>
 
John Beckett suggested:
 
>1. The check-off list that came from HP.
>
>2. Make sure the HPSUSAN in the kit is the right one for your computer.
>
 
I updated my 927LX last month and found it was a relatively painless
experienece.  A couple other suggestions, in no particular order:
 
3.  Read Interact back issues.  Besides a recent update checklist article,
the ones from a year or more ago under the title "An MPE Programmer Looks at
MPE 5.0 [or POSIX]" are good. Sorry, I don't remember dates or authors and
my back issues are at the office :-)
 
4.  Check the contents of the SUBSYS tape (not a formality, stuff can get
left out)
 
5.  Review the conventions for POSIX file naming and "MPE escaped syntax."
Review your backup procedures to be sure everything you want backed up does
get backed up.  If you are using a third-party product like RoadRunner, make
sure (a) it is MPE 5.0 compatible and (b) it can back up the HFS
directories, not just the MPE accounts under 5.0.  (A) and (b) aren't
necessarily the same.  For example, I received an MPE 5.0 compatible
RoadRunner upgrade automatically in February but had to request an
additional upgrade before I could back up the HFS directories.
 
6.  Check the status of all your other third party software products.
Packages like MPEX will handle 5.0 just fine but it is prudent to install
the 5.0 compatible version of any utility you rely on before installing 5.0
itself.
 
7.  Be aware that if you have software or files stored off a 5.0 system and
restored to your 4.0 system, there may be access problems.  For example, I
received a QUIZ schema from a software vendor; the schema was created on the
vendor's 5.0 system and I restored it to my 4.0 system and made it readable
by ANY; after the 5.0 update, users couldn't access the schema anymore; I
first had to RELEASE the schema (band-aid solution), then change the POSIX
owner and group IDs (permanent solution).  You may not know you have files
of this kind unless you contact your vendors and ask.
 
8.  If your system is low on disk space, reserve the required space in advance.
 
9.  If your system has limited memory, review the patch documents and apply
the patch for low-memory systems.  There is also a patch to resolve a bug
whereby STORE silently ignores tape write errors and can, under some
circumstances, create a bad tape without telling you.  If you depend on
STORE, you should be sure to apply the patch at the same time you do the update.
 
9.  Keep in mind that, the way 5.0 is installed by default, users without SM
capability will not have access to the root / directory and non-MPE
directories under root.  This means you are pretty secure to start with.
But users can _create_ POSIX directories within MPE accounts and you will
need to monitor this.  It isn't an installation issue, as such, but there
are implications: unless your users are quite sophisticated, you can update
without immediate security risk; longer term, you can't ignore POSIX even if
you don't mean to use it.
 
As much as anything, preparing for the 5.0 update is a question of comfort
level.  I found that if you follow the installation instructions, it goes by
the book and isn't much more involved than any other update.  The difference
is how much new stuff there is to to learn in order to stay on top of the
system _after_ the update.
 
 
 
 
John Clark
Manager of Information Systems
The National Ballet of Canada
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