When you have two AnywhereNow servers configured for failover within the same trusted application pool, then the updates steps are different from the above approach.

Preparation checklist

Before you start the update, it is important to prepare the update.

• Validate that the UCC A Unified Contact Center, or UCC, is a queue of interactions (voice, email, IM, etc.) that are handled by Agents. Each UCC has its own settings, IVR menus and Agents. Agents can belong to one or several UCCs and can have multiple skills (competencies). A UCC can be visualized as a contact center “micro service”. Customers can utilize one UCC (e.g. a global helpdesk), a few UCC’s (e.g. for each department or regional office) or hundreds of UCC’s (e.g. for each bed at a hospital). They are interconnected and can all be managed from one central location. service operates correctly from a fresh download of the cache
1. Stop the UCC service, rename the cache folder.
2. Start the UCC service and check if all UCCs start correctly without issues.
3. If there are issues, fix the issues before continuing with the update.
4. Perform the validation for both servers (active and passive).
• If you have to install Windows updates, Skype for Business CU updates or .NET Framework updates, then install those in separate maintenance windows.
• First update the Core, then update the SharePoint template and then other components.
• Document which components you are using, and which version is used.
• Make sure that the copy config script and/or the backup and restore applications scripts are installed, configured and running correctly.
• Note the current .NET Framework version.
• Server is updated with latest Microsoft patches and updates.
• Skype for Business Server CU level of AnywhereNow server is on the same level as Skype for Business servers.
• Check GoLive release notes to see which updates are available and check any dependencies. If there are dependencies, then first resolve this before continuing.
• Determine which components to update and when.
• Create an acceptance testing plan, describe your scenarios, test cases and success criteria. This can be used for testing existing functionality, enhancements, or new features. Make sure you have a test UCC.
• Create a rollback plan.
• Download the components from our Partner Portal. Direct customers can request the software from our ServiceDesk.
• Determine the update order for the components, be aware that the Core is always leading. This means only after the update of the Core, you can update other components.
• Schedule a maintenance window or multiple for the update(s).
• Create a runbook that you can use for future updates.

Updating steps

The update of the components consists of the following steps:

1. Make a backup of each component that is being updated. If mentioned in the release notes, then make a backup of the AnywhereNow database(s).
2. Keep track of your changes (log).
3. Start with the passive server.
4. Update each required component by following the Update Guides.
1. If you have multiple folders for the Dialogue Intelligence Reports, then you need to run the update for each folder and specify the correct folder name.
2. SharePoint Timer Jobs, copy new files over the existing files, except for the config file.
3. SharePoint Retention Policy, copy new files over the existing files, except for the config file.
4. Plugins, copy new files over the existing files.
5. SharePoint template. If you cannot stop the UCC service for an update of the SharePoint template, then as soon as the update is finished, stop the UCC service, rename the cache folder. Make sure that the UCC service can access the SharePoint site collection and start the UCC service and check for issues.
5. Rename the cache folder on the passive server.
6. Reboot the passive server (advised).
7. Start service on passive with only the test UCC, start testing.
8. Stop the UCC service on the primary server if testing was successful.
9. Start the UCC service on the passive server with the original config.xml
10. Check if the UCC service is running.
11. Check if all UCC’s are started.
12. Check UCC log for errors.
13. Perform your tests.
14. If the testing is successful, then repeat the step 1 to 14 for the primary server.
15. If both servers are working correctly, perform a failback (advised).
1. Then perform stop the UCC service.
2. Reboot the active server (advised).
16. Start the UCC service on the primary server.

Testing

Run the scenarios from your acceptance testing plan. Otherwise troubleshoot the issue. Perform a rollback if the issue cannot be fixed easily.

Clean up

Remove for example old cache folders, old backups and logfiles and the previous software from the install folder.

Client software

Do not forget to also update client software like the Snapper, Wallboard and Attendant.

If you are using a software distribution tool, then you can create the new package during the preparation and rollout the package after the Core update.

When you have two AnywhereNow servers configured for failover across different trusted application pools, then the updates steps are different from the previous approaches. This is usually the case if you have setup Skype for Business and AnywhereNow in two datacenters.

Preparation checklist

Before you start the update, it is important to prepare the update.

• Validate that the UCC service operates correctly from a fresh download of the cache
1. Stop the UCC service, rename the cache folder.
2. Start the UCC service and check if all UCCs start correctly without issues.
3. If there are issues, fix the issues before continuing with the update.
4. Perform the validation for both servers (active and passive).
• If you have to install Windows updates, Skype for Business CU updates or .NET Framework updates, then install those in separate maintenance windows.
• First update the Core, then update the SharePoint template and then other components.
• Document which components you are using, and which version is used.
• Make sure that the copy config script and/or the backup and restore applications scripts are installed, configured and running correctly.
• Note the current .NET Framework version.
• Server is updated with latest Microsoft patches and updates.
• Skype for Business Server CU level of AnywhereNow server is on the same level as Skype for Business servers.
• Check GoLive release notes to see which updates are available and check any dependencies. If there are dependencies, then first resolve this before continuing.
• Determine which components to update and when.
• Create an acceptance testing plan, describe your scenarios, test cases and success criteria. This can be used for testing existing functionality, enhancements, or new features. Make sure you have a test UCC.
• Create a rollback plan.
• Download the components from our Partner Portal. Direct customers can request the software from our ServiceDesk.
• Determine the update order for the components, be aware that the Core is always leading. This means only after the update of the Core, you can update other components.
• Schedule a maintenance window or multiple for the update(s).
• Create a runbook that you can use for future updates.

Updating steps

The update of the components consists of the following steps:

1. Make a backup of each component that is being updated. If mentioned in the release notes, then make a backup of the AnywhereNow database(s).
2. Keep track of your changes (log).
3. Start with the passive server.
4. Update each required component by following the Update Guides.
1. If you have multiple folders for the Dialogue Intelligence Reports, then you need to run the update for each folder and specify the correct folder name.
2. SharePoint Timer Jobs, copy new files over the existing files, except for the config file.
3. SharePoint Retention Policy, copy new files over the existing files, except for the config file.
4. Plugins, copy new files over the existing files.
5. SharePoint template. If you cannot stop the UCC service for an update of the SharePoint template, then as soon as the update is finished, stop the UCC service, rename the cache folder. Make sure that the UCC service can access the SharePoint site collection and start the UCC service and check for issues.
5. Rename the cache folder on the passive server.
6. Reboot the passive server (advised).
7. Start service on passive with only the test UCC
8. Check if the UCC service is running.
9. Check if the test UCC is started.
10. Check UCC log for errors.
11. Perform your tests.
12. If the testing is successful, then stop the UCC service on the primary server.
13. Perform a failover of the apps and endpoints using the failover scripts.
14. Start the UCC service on the passive server.
15. Check if the UCC is running.
16. Check if all UCCs are started.
17. Check UCC log for errors.
18. Perform ypur tests
19. If the testing is successful, then repeat step 1 to 12 for the other primary server.
20. If both servers are working correctly, perform a failback (optional).

Testing

Run the scenarios from the acceptance testing plan. Otherwise troubleshoot the issue. Perform a rollback if the issue cannot be fixed easily.

Clean up

Remove for example old cache folders, old backups and logfiles and the previous software from the install folder.

Client software

Do not forget to also update client software like the Snapper, Wallboard and Attendant. If you are using a software distribution tool, then you can create the new package during the preparation and rollout the package after the Core update.