Solved Migrating from Windows 2012 R2 + 3CX 16 to Windows 2019 + 3CX 18

[AlexanderZ]

Hi all!
I've been reading a lot of posts on this but I'm still unclear of a few things that weren't covered on other posts, I haven't had the best luck by any means on restoring things in the past even simply moving from hardware to hardware using the same Ver 16! The versions needed to "exactly' the same or the restore wouldn't be allowed. :/

Moving forward:
I'm running WS2012 R2 with Ver 16 Pro and need to migrate my backup to WS2019 with Ver 18 (Not a VM system), this is all windows.
Below are the steps I see that are needed but I need a bit more clarification if I may.

- Backup 3CX with a full backup
ME: Full backup including license and FQDN (all check boxes checked).
- Spin up a new server/VM
ME: Using supported 2019 widows server hardware, no VM is being used.
- Install Windows Server 2019
ME: New server w/2019 and ready to go
- Install 3CX v16 U4 (latest official)
Ver 18 app is downloaded and ready to be deployed at the time of the upgrade, the backup zip from the old version 16 is on the desktop ready to be used.
- Restore the 3CX backup during setup while you shutdown the old server.
ME: here is what I need clarification on please.

1. I understand that the old server must be first be offline when actually spinning up the new 2019 server, I can go back to my old 2012 it if something goes wrong, correct?
(I need to make sure I can spin back up my old server with no issues).

2. I was told that I would need to create a new FQDN which doesn't make sense, If the backup file contains the key AND FQDN then wouldn't that same info be used??
OR will the restore process force me for a New FQDN?? If yes, can I use the original FQDN or do I have to create a New FQDN?

3. How long does it take for the licensing servers to see the new spin up server to be fully operational?

I'm hoping its this easy and everything will work with out any intervention; turndown old server, spin up new, restore from the backup and I'm back up on the new system taking calls.
Can it really be that simple??

Can I please get clarification on my questions?
Thank you!
Alexander.

 

[Alphabetic]

Hi

Take a full backup and disable the network on your old server.

Fire up your new server and configure it with the same IP address as the old server.

Run the V18 installer and restore your backup.

At this point your 3CX license will be upgraded to v18 and will no longer work to activate your v16.

However, if you need to abort, I would image you'd be able to power off the new server and boot up the old server and be running again. You will need to contact 3CX support to revert your license to v16.

 

[Saqqara]

You do not have to contact 3CX to revert your license if you have issues with version 18, you have a 30 grace period to go back to v16.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

I'm hoping its this easy and everything will work with out any intervention; turndown old server, spin up new, restore from the backup and I'm back up on the new system taking calls.
Can it really be that simple??

It really is, but, just to be clear, a few things do come into play depending on your situation. As @kieferschild mentioned, it might be a good idea to configure your new instance with the same local IP as the old one. This is not necessarily a requirement, but, if you have local IP Phones, using the same local IP would mean that you would not have to reprovision them. It would also mean that you would probably not have to reconfigure port forwarding on the firewall so that takes care of remote 3CX endpoints(IP Phones, 3CX clients, etc) as well.

Regarding failing back to the old server, you should be able to do so, just make sure you do not uninstall 3CX and that you shutdown the old server instead. Do remember though that 3CX v16.0.8.16 will only be able to activate until November 2022

Also, make absolutely sure that you are indeed running v16.0.8.16 on the current system and not anything older.

 

[AlexanderZ]

Hi all,

Thanks for the info, I have created the new server exactly like the old down to the name server and credentials including IP, I figured it might be important they be the same if the licensing servers are linked to any of those.

Most of my IP phones are local and use the private IP of the server but I do have a couple of remote phones which use the WAN IP which is nated to the private IP of the server, all works perfectly!! I use to use the STUN address but had trouble with it at times.

As far as the FQDN, was I misinformed? Meaning, the restore will reuse the same FQDN and will work just fine?

 

[Alphabetic]

Your license is bound to the FQDN so unless you wanted to change it, you backup and restore it.

 

[AlexanderZ]

Hi kieferschild,
Oh ok, I was not aware of this, I don't want to change anything so I'll leave it alone and the new spin up should come up perfectly!

How long do the licensing servers take to see the new spin up and be applied?

 

[Alphabetic]

Instantly

 

[AlexanderZ]

Great! I believe I received all the info that is needed to upgrade our system, thank you all very much for the assist, I'll keep you posted on the final results. I'll be doing the upgrade tomorrow night.

 

[Saqqara]

Make sure you exclude the following folders from anti-virus

Any installed Antivirus Software should avoid scanning:

• C:\Program Files\3CX Phone System\*
• C:\ProgramData\3CX\*

 

[AlexanderZ]

Interesting, our old system doesn't have those folders excluded and all seems to be ok. In any case, I'll follow the recommendation. I'll likely manually create the two folders and add them into exclusion just to be safe during install and nothing gets flagged by our Antivirus software. 3cx install would have created them during the install.

 

[NickD_3CX]

Interesting, our old system doesn't have those folders excluded and all seems to be ok. In any case, I'll follow the recommendation. I'll likely manually create the two folders and add them into exclusion just to be safe during install and nothing gets flagged by our Antivirus software. 3cx install would have created them during the install.

You should exclude those folders because there have been many cases where we have connected failed Windows upgrades or things not working after the upgrade to AV software blocking/quarantining/deleting files, so I second @Saqqara on what he suggested.

 

[AlexanderZ]

Ok, will do! I'll manually first create the two folders so during the install nothing is scanned within those two folders.
I'll keep everyone posted after I complete the install tomorrow night.

 

[NickD_3CX]

Ok, will do! I'll manually first create the two folders so during the install nothing is scanned within those two folders.
I'll keep everyone posted after I complete the install tomorrow night.

I think disabling the AV would be a better course of action, or excluding the root folders to begin with:

• C:\Program Files\*
• C:\ProgramData\*

After the install where the folders will have been created, then you can fine-tune the exclusion rules.

 

[AlexanderZ]

Ok thanks but I have not installed AV yet, I'll install that after i get 3cx running, then fine tune which folders needed to be excluded. I'm able to stop the first AV scan manually after the AV install to prevent any loss and add the folders as needed. Thanks for this vital info! If 3cx would have stopped working, I would have had no clue that AV might have been the cause.

 

[AlexanderZ]

Hi All,
Update! Just finished the upgrade and it really was that simple!! Nothing is usually that easy but this proved me wrong! The only thing I had to run was the firewall checker, the icon was red but after I ran the check, it turned green. Thank you to all for your help. Hope this info helps others.

 

[NickD_3CX]

Glad to hear the upgrade went smoothly!

I'll be marking this thread as 'Solved'.