How to do a BMC Control-M Version 8 Upgrade in a Development Environment.

Have you ever wondered if you could upgrade your older Control-M environment yourself? I think that a lot of Control-M customers and users don’t realize that BMC Software gives you the tools you need to do this new popular upgrade to Version 8 yourself. As a matter of fact I have just done an upgrade on my own. Here is my approach. It’s practical, safe and most of all cost efficient for you!

First of all the Development environment is my sanctuary and my canvas to IT perfection. So here we go. First you can do one of two things. You can download the Control-M Version 8 Upgrade Guide from the BMC website or you can reach out to the BMC Support Team and ask them for the requirements needed for your Version 8 Development environment via email or phone call. (Actually only if you have an existing Customer Support Account will you have access to such material or to the Support Team. Ask your BMC Account Rep to get you started.) So after you know the requirements needed for your servers and database. Pass these requirements on to the people in your organization that can make this new Control-M Development environment come to life. Put a request in and have your Server team set up a Development environment. Then put a request to have your Database Group/Team or whatever your organization calls them and have them throw an SQL Server Agent on one of the Servers (I don’t know how Postgres Databases work if that’s what you are currently using talk to BMC Support) that you requested to have built. It really is this simple do get started. I can’t guarantee that your team members from these other groups will be able to get your environment and database created in a timely manner but I can assure you are on to a good start to your first Control-M Version 8 Upgrade. I am basically saying hurry up and wait. Ok so once their work is completed, folks you have the green light to get officially started.

Let me introduce you to a new friend mine named the Amigo Ticket System. Open a ticket and request an Amigo Ticket with BMC Support. If you aren’t sure how to open a ticket on the website just call the Support number and the Support person will create and escalate your ticket for you. And somebody will call you. The callback time depends on the severity of the case. A development would be a level 3. So I would give it two hours at the most. If longer you they are just busy helping a lot of customers. The Amigo ticket allows you to talk to BMC Support and understand and go over Upgrade Guides to familiarize yourself with the whole upgrade process. Once you have an understanding of everything contact support again in regards to your Amigo Ticket number and let them know you understand the process. If you still aren’t sure ask them again. That’s their job and they take pleasure in helping you handle any issue. That’s why they call it the Amigo Ticket. So you asked again to clarify a few things maybe even talk in circles. It’s all fine. Now you know what is involved. Now you need to plan out how you want to go about starting this process. They can help you with this but since they know this is a new Control-M Development environment there is not as much planning involved from yourself or your BMC Support representative. Largely because there is no downtime issues when doing an upgrade in Development. Which is fine your here to learn and prepare for the real challenge of learning the new version 8 Interface and preparing to upgrade your production environment.

Next steps are to go to the Downloads and Patches section under the BMC Support area. Go in and select the components that you currently have in your older Control-M version. The Configuration Manager in your older environment will tell you what modules you need to download. Also I prefer to select file type that is ISO. To me this was the best route to go. There are many file options to use. Use the one that is easiest for you and your environment. Select the FTP manager once you have selected all of the components you know you need. Then you will receive an FTP link email. Take this link and paste into each browser on each server. Then access the link and drop the ISO files that are needed on each server. Also another side note is if your environment is virtual you need to have your Server Admin mount the ISO files for you. If it is not virtual just take the ISO files and have them burned to a disc. I had mine virtually loaded in the DVD drive on each Development Server. Do not try to mount on database server. The main Workload Automation V8 install will setup the database for you. Make sure you work with your database folks to get you the proper access and rights to that database server. I launched the Control-m 8 install file and just followed the steps. (Make sure you take notes of what you name your Ctrlm server and your Emserver. And make sure you get the username and password to your database from the DBA who set everything up for you.) Take notes or screenshot all of the usernames and passwords you create during this process. There will be occasions that rise in the future when these might come in handy. These will definitely be needed to use the migration toolkit from your older version to Version 8. I prefer screenshots. So continue through the step by step process and your install is complete for the Workload Automation Install. Now just download all of the Control-m Modules that you want on each agent. You can download every module on every agent. Or you can only download certain modules for certain agents. It all depends on what your strategy for your design.

The rest of the work is defining all of your components in the Configuration Manager. This can be done by reading the Control-M Administrator Guide for Version 8 or by Webex with Control-M Support.

This whole process really is that simple. And this post is just to get you familiarized with the process. And help you ask good questions when you contact BMC Support to let them know you are ready to Upgrade to Control-M Version 8. Make sure you just read the material given to you during the Amigo Ticket Process and ask every question you can while you have BMC Support on the phone. It’s really not that hard.

Helpful Tips:
1. Make sure each server for the new environment has the proper requirements that BMC designates.
2. Be the Administrator of each Server.
3. Turn off UAC.
4. Do not delete your old environment until you have completed a toolkit migration of the old date and you are 100% you are ready for Version 8 environment.
5. You should do this install in Development and enjoy the process and take lots of notes.
6. Have your team create the same number of servers involved as in your older Control-M environment.