How do you migrate NW4.11 to NW6 across the wire?

Migrations across the wire can be a pain, but are a lot easier to run than the alternative. Never assume a migration will go as planed with out issue (when they do, celebrate cause it's not very often they go with out issue). Some of my first migrations ended with corrupted schema or a large amount of DS errors. All correctable, eventually, some sites are still having minor issue due to not being able to find the root cause of the problem.

When NetWare 6 first came out; the recommended path from Novell ConsultingÆs Western Region was to first migrate a 4.11 server across the wire to a NetWare 5.1 server, then do an in place upgrade to NetWare 6. This works with out issue, but clients thought we were just trying to inflate the labor hours to increase billable time. I don't get any kind of bonus or incentive to increase billable hours, so I needed to come up with a way to go straight to 6 from 4.11 to reduce the labor hours (in turn reducing the billable hours).


The following details the steps taken in a migration that was a success.

1. When you install the NetWare 6 OS onto your destination server; do not install any features, just install the base components (yes, I know you want to use iFolder, but you will need to wait to install it until after the migration).

2. Make sure your 4.11 server has the most recent patch set install (SP9 at the time this was written).

3. Make sure your 4.11 server is running the most current version of DS (6.16 at the time this was written).

4. Being a clean install, your destination server (NW6) should have a healthy database, check anyway, correct any errors if any are found.

5. Perform a full NDS health check on your 4.11 source server, correct any error if found, do not proceed until DSREPAIR reports 0 errors.

6. Run through the Network prep tools located in NWDeploy.

7. Use the Migration Wizard from the NetWare 6 CD, not from the Novell web site

8. Download and create you self the NetWare 6 SP2 overlay CD, do not use the shipping media.

9. Install the PreNDS_8 patch found on the Novell web site onto your 4.11 source server.

10. From the source server (NW4.11); perform and import of a remote schema from your Netware 6 destination server. You MUST have completed the DS health check before you do this. Once this import is done you will get many errors in DSREPAIR. This is due to attributes that DS 6.16 doesn't know what to do with the auxiliary class attributes in the NW6 schema extensions. The errors will reflect that, so don't worry about the error after this schema import.

11. Run the data migration; go home. This will take a VERY long time. If you want to figure out the time it will take, multiply each gig by 40 minutes and add 30 minutes if compression is enabled. If compression is enabled; it will take a lot of time to move the files since they have to be decompressed before they get moved. This should also tell you to take compression into consideration when you determine the size of your storage device. Don't stick your self with something to small, go for the gigs and have about 30% over what you already have if you are not at least doubling your storage space with the new server.

12. Check the log, do not proceed until you have checked the log. You may see 100% success, but most of the time you will see there is a warning. More than likely it will be TTL logs or CONSOLE.LOG if your forgot to unload CONLOG or even print queues if you forgot to turn off your print queue (you will also need to recreate those queues). Scan the files that had issues; determine what they are and then determine if you need to manually move those files that failed to migrate.

13. Do another DS health check on both source and destination server. Resolve any errors you may come up with.

14. Now it is time to migrate the NDS database. This should only take about 10 to 15 minutes to completed, if nothing goes wrong. You have no NICI to migrate so you will not see the NICI migration screen youÆve seen when coming from NW5.1 Before you run this, be sure to execute DSREPAIR ûRC to create a redundant backup DIB set (a backup was also made when you ran DSREPAIR to fix errors). If anything happens, this is what Novell will need to restore your directory.

15. Cross your fingers and click on the migrate Ds button. Once the DS migration is completed, you will see your NW4.11 server shut itÆs self down and the NW6 server will reboot itÆs self. Reboot your workstation that is running the Migration Wizard as well.

16. Once the system are backup, log back into the system. Ensure you have timesync, check DS again, then complete the migration (this pretty much just restores trustee rights to the volumes).

17. Once completed, do another check on DS, fix any errors you may find.

18. From with in the server GUI, run a product install and reinstall certificate server. You may also install any additional products you wish at this time.

19. Download a copy of PKIDAIG1.EXE from Novell and copy the PKIDIAG.NLM to your server SYS:SYSTEM directory. Run this on your server, enter in your full distinguished name and password. Choose option 4 to fix things, then choose option 0 to run it. This checks your KMO objects and SSL objects to ensure they are link correctly. If not, it will recreate them. You may have an issue with your SAS object, just delete and recreate if you have a problem with it.

20. Test printers, recreate print queues as you need them. DO NOT DO AN NDPS MIGRATION AT THIS TIME. It will more than likely shoot you in the foot if you try this right after the NOS migration. This is because if you are not familiar with NDPS, you may get over whelmed with how to administer it. You may be forced to do a server side NDPS install however. You should have upgraded the firmware on all your HP JetDirect print server (or any other third party print servers). HPÆs new firmware upgrade utility is much better now and VERY easy to use now. You WILL have to touch every print server to double check the config for NDS. For those that just refuse to attach to the server you will have to setup for NDPS (if the print server is compatible). Only use static IP addresses for your print server, and add an IP address to all, not just the ones your moving to NDPS right now (cause your going to NDPS anyway, just get it done). The printers you setup for NDPS, have them service the print queue the print server would have serviced if the stupid thing would have attached to the server. Having the NDPS printers service print queues allows you to leave the workstations alone.

21. Check timesync and DS health again

22. Test your critical applications, install, your backup solution and security solutions.

23. Give access to your users and wait for them to call with issues. Most issues should revolve around printing, so be prepared.



I will post additional FAQ's as people ask questions on this.