Cisco PCD Simple Migration

Cisco has developed a tool called Cisco Prime Collaboration Deployment which can be used for Migration or Upgrades. This tool ease the job of an engineer and eliminates many manual task and save some time as well.

There are two ways we can do a migration >

Simple Migration using PCD

In this migration, the network details like IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, DNS, Hostname will remain the same for destination cluster. (This will be the topic covered in this post)

Network Migration using PCD

In this migration, the network details like IP Address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, DNS and Hostname may change as per the business requirement or design perspective. (This will be the next post)

Prerequisites for PCD Migration>

1. Download the OVA and ISO File from Cisco website for the target version we are going to deploy.
2. Upload the ISO file into SFTP location of PCD under /fresh_install directory. You may follow this link > https://www.uccollabing.com/2016/04/04/cisco-pcd-sftp-username/
3. Deploy OVA in the Virtual Machine for the target version. The VMs should be in powered off state after it is deployed.

Let’s start now.

Discover Cluster

• Go to Inventory > Cluster > Discover Cluster
• Choose a Nickname for this Cluster > Enter a Name for the source cluster
• Hostname/IP Address of Cluster Publisher > Enter the IP Address of source CUCM Publisher
• OS Admin Username > Enter the OS Admin Username of the source cluster
• OS Admin Password > Enter the OS Admin Password of the sourceGo t cluster
• Click on Next
• It will take some time to discover the source cluster. Once the nodes are discovered you will see “Cluster Discovery is complete.” Against each Hostname/IP Address of Publisher and Subscriber you would see status under Contact Status either to be “Successful” or “Internal Error”.
  • If Successful, you can click on Next and then Finish.
  • If Internal Error, you need to verify few things > Follow this post > https://www.uccollabing.com/2016/04/03/cisco-pcd-cluster-discovery-internal-error/

Add ESXi Host

• Assuming that you have deployed the destination cluster OVA in the Virtual Machines. If not, you need to deploy the machines. For example – If you have 1 Pub and 1 Sub, deploy 2 OVA. If you have 1 Pub and 3 Sub, then deploy 4 Virtual Machine.
• Go to Inventory > EXSi Host > Add ESXi Host >
• Enter the ESXi Host IP Address and Username and Password. Ideally the username will be root and the password will be the one you have created during ESXi installation.

Define Migration Destination Cluster

• Go to Inventory > Cluster > Define Migration Destination Cluster
• Source Cluster > Select the Source Cluster Name you created initially from Drop Down Menu
• Destination Cluster Nickname > Enter a Name for the destination cluster
• Radio Check > Use the source node network setting for all destination nodes
• Click on Next
• Click on Assign Destination Cluster Nodes
• Assign CUCM Publisher (Source) with the OVA you deployed for destination cluster Publisher Virtual Machine. (This is an one to one mapping process, Source Node is mapped to the Destination node so that the configuration can be pushed from Source to Destination).
• Click on Next Node
• Assign CUCM Subscriber (Source)  with the OVA you deployed for destination cluster Subscriber Virtual Machine. (This is an one to one mapping process, Source Node is mapped to the Destination node so that the configuration can be pushed from Source to Destination).
• Click on Next Node and assign rest of the subscribers similarly. Once completed, Click on Done.
• Click on Next
• NTP Server 1 > Enter NTP Server IP Address and ensure that NTP Server is reachable.
• Click on Next
• Assign DNS Settings > Change the DNS IP Address if required.
• Click on Finish

Add a Migration Task

• Go to Task > Click on Task  > Add Migration Task
• Select Source Cluster from Drop Down Menu
• Select Destination Cluster from Drop Down Menu
• Click on Next
• CUCM Migration File > Select CUCM ISO file which was uploaded into /fresh_install directory.
• Click on Next
• Set Start Time > Radio check Start task immediately upon completion of this wizard if you want the task to be started immediately. If you want to schedule the task to be started later, Radio check Schedule for a specific time and select the time. If you want to start the task manually, radio check Start task manually.
• Click on Next
• Click on Next
• Review the task configuration and ensure that the configuration settings is correct for the Source Cluster > Destination Cluster
• Click on Finish

Monitor the task and once you see the Status as Successful against all the Nodes, then the migration is successful. This process may take few hours depending on the number of nodes you have deployed and database size as well.
If you see some error, the task will show “Paused due to Errors”. Please verify the logs by clicking on “View Log” and troubleshoot further.

Hope this helps!!

Avinash Karnani

I am working in an IT company and having 10+ years of experience into Cisco IP Telephony and Contact Center. I have worked on products like CUCM, CUC, UCCX, CME/CUE, IM&P, Voice Gateways, VG224, Gatekeepers, Attendant Console, Expressway, Mediasense, Asterisk, Microsoft Teams, Zoom etc. I am not an expert but i keep exploring whenever and wherever i can and share whatever i know. You can visit my LinkedIn profile by clicking on the icon below.

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