Hello,

we have an ilmt/bigfix/db2 rhel7 server which is installed with the aio installer. We need to upgrade to rhel9.
I would like to use the aio installer again on rhel9.
If i understand the documentation correctly, i should use the following order.

1) backup old server.
2) Install ilmt on new rhel9 server with AIO Installer.
3) restore DB2 from Old ILMT to keep the license data.
4) since the old bigfix Datasource is imported change to "Source for migration", add new Datasource in ilmt to the new local database.
5) migrate the computers between the datasources which is explained in "computers-migrating-between-data-sources"

Is this the correct way?
Is the license data in the old and new ilmt server the same until i migrate the first computer to the new bigfix server? So both ILMT server get the data from the old bigfix server?

Thanks in Advance
Michael

Hello,

we have an ilmt/bigfix/db2 rhel7 server which is installed with the aio installer. We need to upgrade to rhel9.
I would like to use the aio installer again on rhel9.
If i understand the documentation correctly, i should use the following order.

1) backup old server.
2) Install ilmt on new rhel9 server with AIO Installer.
3) restore DB2 from Old ILMT to keep the license data.
4) since the old bigfix Datasource is imported change to "Source for migration", add new Datasource in ilmt to the new local database.
5) migrate the computers between the datasources which is explained in "computers-migrating-between-data-sources"

Is this the correct way?
Is the license data in the old and new ilmt server the same until i migrate the first computer to the new bigfix server? So both ILMT server get the data from the old bigfix server?

Thanks in Advance
Michael

Hi!

I have done this migration for a couple of customers, so I want to share my experience.

The biggest risk is when you run the "Switch BES Client Action Site Masthead". If the clients cannot reach the new BigFix server, they are cut off and left in cyberspace. There is no way in such situation that it can be reversed via BigFix, and you have resolve it manually. So make absolutely sure that the FQDN in the masthead can be reach from each client. My experience is that almost all time there is some firewalls or DNS issues.

I have developed a fixlet that checks if the client can reach the new BigFix server, by ping, nslookup and connecting (using curl or powershell). It works for Linux, Windows and AIX clients. I am willing to share it with you, if you are interested.

Another comment is that I never bothered to import the old database to the new ILMT server. I have just installed the AIO package, configured it and switched the masthead. What I then have missed is the bundlings of all software components, but if the number of products are not too many it is not a big issue. And it is a good opportunity for a review of all the bundling settings. Depending when the migration is done in audit report schedule, you may have to create these report for both old and new ILMT.

//Christer

Hello,

we have an ilmt/bigfix/db2 rhel7 server which is installed with the aio installer. We need to upgrade to rhel9.
I would like to use the aio installer again on rhel9.
If i understand the documentation correctly, i should use the following order.

1) backup old server.
2) Install ilmt on new rhel9 server with AIO Installer.
3) restore DB2 from Old ILMT to keep the license data.
4) since the old bigfix Datasource is imported change to "Source for migration", add new Datasource in ilmt to the new local database.
5) migrate the computers between the datasources which is explained in "computers-migrating-between-data-sources"

Is this the correct way?
Is the license data in the old and new ilmt server the same until i migrate the first computer to the new bigfix server? So both ILMT server get the data from the old bigfix server?

Thanks in Advance
Michael

Thank you for the answers.
I also wanted to not import the old database but our auditor said that additionaly to the old last audit report i also need all the old data in the new ilmt "complete documentation of the old data".
I would be realy interested in the fixlet i think this would save me from a lot of problems.

Michael

------------------------------
Michael Haas

Original Message:
Sent: Thu December 18, 2025 03:40 AM
From: Christer Borg
Subject: AIO Installed Server migrate to new AIO Installed Server

Hi!

I have done this migration for a couple of customers, so I want to share my experience.

The biggest risk is when you run the "Switch BES Client Action Site Masthead". If the clients cannot reach the new BigFix server, they are cut off and left in cyberspace. There is no way in such situation that it can be reversed via BigFix, and you have resolve it manually. So make absolutely sure that the FQDN in the masthead can be reach from each client. My experience is that almost all time there is some firewalls or DNS issues.

I have developed a fixlet that checks if the client can reach the new BigFix server, by ping, nslookup and connecting (using curl or powershell). It works for Linux, Windows and AIX clients. I am willing to share it with you, if you are interested.

Another comment is that I never bothered to import the old database to the new ILMT server. I have just installed the AIO package, configured it and switched the masthead. What I then have missed is the bundlings of all software components, but if the number of products are not too many it is not a big issue. And it is a good opportunity for a review of all the bundling settings. Depending when the migration is done in audit report schedule, you may have to create these report for both old and new ILMT.

//Christer

------------------------------
Christer Borg

Original Message:
Sent: Tue December 16, 2025 12:19 PM
From: Michael Haas
Subject: AIO Installed Server migrate to new AIO Installed Server

Hello,

we have an ilmt/bigfix/db2 rhel7 server which is installed with the aio installer. We need to upgrade to rhel9.
I would like to use the aio installer again on rhel9.
If i understand the documentation correctly, i should use the following order.

1) backup old server.
2) Install ilmt on new rhel9 server with AIO Installer.
3) restore DB2 from Old ILMT to keep the license data.
4) since the old bigfix Datasource is imported change to "Source for migration", add new Datasource in ilmt to the new local database.
5) migrate the computers between the datasources which is explained in "computers-migrating-between-data-sources"

Is this the correct way?
Is the license data in the old and new ilmt server the same until i migrate the first computer to the new bigfix server? So both ILMT server get the data from the old bigfix server?

Thanks in Advance
Michael

------------------------------
Michael Haas
------------------------------

I have discussed this with people much more knowledgeable than me regarding legal issues. They say it is OK, because in the license agreement it talks about saving the audit reports, not keeping the database content. The license agreement document has been updated during the years, but I looked up the latest version at https://www.ibm.com/support/customer/csol/terms/?id=Z125-6835&lc=en .

In section 8.2.2 Client's Reporting Responsibilities, under c) it says:

For EPs under Sub-capacity Licensing or Container Licensing, for all Sites and environments, Client is required to run reports at least once per quarter and retain each report a minimum of 2 years and provide to IBM upon request.

There is really nothing about keeping the database (or I missed it).

So the important thing is to run the audit reports every quarter and save them at least for two years. You do not have to have fully three months of data in the audit report. You may have one month for one report and two month for the next. You may have to discuss this with you auditors.

The BixFix Task, "Check before switching to new masthead on BES Client", is attached. Just rename it from .txt to .bes and then import it to BigFix Console. It will then be found under Sites -> Master Action SIte. Then put the new masthead in .../wwwrootbes/Uploads if running ILMT on Linux (not sure about Windows). The task will then from the client try to ping, nslookup and connect to the new BigFix server. The different exit codes are listed in the description of the task. There is also a file uploaded to UploadManager area for each client, for more detailed info about what was not successful.

If you have any questions about this task, just ask!

//Christer

------------------------------
Christer Borg

Original Message:
Sent: Thu December 18, 2025 04:00 AM
From: Michael Haas
Subject: AIO Installed Server migrate to new AIO Installed Server

Thank you for the answers.
I also wanted to not import the old database but our auditor said that additionaly to the old last audit report i also need all the old data in the new ilmt "complete documentation of the old data".
I would be realy interested in the fixlet i think this would save me from a lot of problems.

Michael

------------------------------
Michael Haas

Original Message:
Sent: Thu December 18, 2025 03:40 AM
From: Christer Borg
Subject: AIO Installed Server migrate to new AIO Installed Server

Hi!

I have done this migration for a couple of customers, so I want to share my experience.

The biggest risk is when you run the "Switch BES Client Action Site Masthead". If the clients cannot reach the new BigFix server, they are cut off and left in cyberspace. There is no way in such situation that it can be reversed via BigFix, and you have resolve it manually. So make absolutely sure that the FQDN in the masthead can be reach from each client. My experience is that almost all time there is some firewalls or DNS issues.

I have developed a fixlet that checks if the client can reach the new BigFix server, by ping, nslookup and connecting (using curl or powershell). It works for Linux, Windows and AIX clients. I am willing to share it with you, if you are interested.

Another comment is that I never bothered to import the old database to the new ILMT server. I have just installed the AIO package, configured it and switched the masthead. What I then have missed is the bundlings of all software components, but if the number of products are not too many it is not a big issue. And it is a good opportunity for a review of all the bundling settings. Depending when the migration is done in audit report schedule, you may have to create these report for both old and new ILMT.

//Christer

------------------------------
Christer Borg

Original Message:
Sent: Tue December 16, 2025 12:19 PM
From: Michael Haas
Subject: AIO Installed Server migrate to new AIO Installed Server

Hello,

we have an ilmt/bigfix/db2 rhel7 server which is installed with the aio installer. We need to upgrade to rhel9.
I would like to use the aio installer again on rhel9.
If i understand the documentation correctly, i should use the following order.

1) backup old server.
2) Install ilmt on new rhel9 server with AIO Installer.
3) restore DB2 from Old ILMT to keep the license data.
4) since the old bigfix Datasource is imported change to "Source for migration", add new Datasource in ilmt to the new local database.
5) migrate the computers between the datasources which is explained in "computers-migrating-between-data-sources"

Is this the correct way?
Is the license data in the old and new ilmt server the same until i migrate the first computer to the new bigfix server? So both ILMT server get the data from the old bigfix server?

Thanks in Advance
Michael

------------------------------
Michael Haas
------------------------------