Updating the KACE SDA and RSA (4290168)

How to update the KACE System Deployment Appliance (SDA) and Remote Site Appliance (RSA)

• How to check for and install appliance software updates.
• When you update the appliance, custom configurations such as the boot environments, Boot Manager and default boot actions are preserved.
• Update the RSA template image each time you update the KACE SDA appliance software.

For more information on this topic, please see the KACE Resources, Training and Professional Services.

Before you begin:

• Before upgrading to or installing the KACE SDA/RSA, make sure that your system meets the minimum requirements.
• These requirements are available in the KACE SDA technical specifications common documents.

Prepare for the update:

• Current version: To check the version number of your appliance, log in to the KACE Solution, then Click on the 'Need Help' box in the upper right-hand corner of the Web-Interface. After, clicking on the information icon at the bottom of the fly-out menu. If your appliance is running an earlier version, you must update it to the minimum version required before proceeding with the installation.
• Disk space: The KACE SDA must have more than '20 percent' free disk space available.

Additional recommendations:

• Allow plenty of time: If you have a large database, the update process can take several hours.
• Back up before you start: Export all items on your appliance using the instructions provided in the following Knowledge Base articles:
• KACE SDA Backup Best Practices
• How to back up a KACE SDA
• Enable SSH: Enable SSH in The security Settings section of the KACE SDA Administrator Console.
• Reboot the KACE SDA server: On the Appliance Maintenance Settings page, reboot the KACE SDA server prior to updating.

PLEASE NOTE:

• NEVER manually reboot the appliance during an update.
• Always back up appliance components before installing updates or upgrading the appliance software. For instructions, see Use Off-Board Package Transfer information in the Admin Guide.
• The KACE RSAs follow the same upgrade path, we recommend not to upgrade the main SDA more than two versions above the RSA. Remember: Upgrading the main KACE SDA more than two versions above the RSA may require you to sync all the data to the RSAs again. If using an RSA, upgrade the RSA to the latest version prior to updating the KACE SDA. See: https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/lifecycle
• It is STRONGLY recommended to read both the Release Notes and Admin Guide for the new release prior to upgrading.

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Apply the server updates:

• If using a Remote Site Appliance (RSA), upgrade the RSA to the latest version prior to updating the KACE SDA.

Installation instructions

1. Using your customer login credentials, log in to the Quest website, download the KACE SDA Server Update, and save the file locally.
2. Log in to the Administrator Console.
3. On the left navigation bar, click Settings to expand the section, then click Appliance Maintenance to display the Appliance Maintenance page.
4. Under SDA Appliance Updates | Manual Updates, click Browse to select the update file (example of the file name k2000_upgrade_7.1.94.kbin), then click Open. Or Click Apply Updates if a new version is available.
5. Click Update Server.

PLEASE NOTE: The time required to update the appliance varies depending on the content present on the KACE SDA, do not manually hard shut down the appliance. Also, the appliance reboots automatically (potentially several times) during the upgrade process until it is complete.

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About the Remote Site Appliance:

Linking a Remote Site Appliance (RSA) to a KACE SDA extends the appliance to remote locations where a group of devices might have higher bandwidth with faster connections with each other rather than with the KACE SDA.

For more information on this topic, please see the How to Link/Unlink an RSA to a KACE SDA.

Updating existing RSAs:

• After updating the KACE SDA, each RSA will need to be updated individually.

Installation instructions

1. Click Deployments | Remote Sites | Remote Site Detail 
2. Under the Upgrade Remote Site section, click Upgrade Remote Site.
3. This will automatically upgrade to the latest version.

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Update the RSA manually:

• Each time an update is made to the KACE SDA appliance software, update the RSA image.
• We recommend not to upgrade the main SDA more than two versions above the RSA.

The RSA follow the same upgrade path.

1. Using your customer login credentials, log in to the Quest website, download the KACE SDA Server Update, and save the file locally.
2. Log in to the Administrator Console.
3. On the left navigation bar, click Settings to expand the section, then click Appliance Maintenance to display the Appliance Maintenance page.
4. Under SDA Appliance Updates | Manual Updates, click Browse to select the update file, then click Open.
5. Click Update Server.

The appliance reboots automatically when the upgrade is complete.

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Updating Media Manager:

• When updating the system is the complete best practice is uninstall Media Manager, then download and install the latest version from the current appliance.
• Changes are made to include additional OS support along with other enhancements to the Media Manager utility which is only recognized by downloading and installing the new version.

For more information on this topic, please see the How to download and install the SDA Media Manager.

More resources:

Additional information is available from the following:

• Technical specifications: Information on the minimum requirements for installing or upgrading to the latest version of the product.
• Administrator Guide: Instructions for setting up and using the appliance to view documentation for the latest release.

And the following Knowledge Base articles:

• KACE Systems Deployment Appliance Upgrade Path reference.