Isolate the System

You need to protect your data from operational changes during the upgrade.

Since your FlexNet Manager Suite system receives inputs from operators, from uploads from inventory beacons, through scheduled tasks, and from its own processing of staged data, all of these should be turned off before you upgrade.

If you are upgrading a multi-server implementation, you need to repeat parts of this process for different servers. This table summarizes which tasks should be performed on which server for a multi-server implementation. (Where you have a smaller implementation that combines the functionality on fewer servers, make the changes on those servers that host the appropriate functionality. Any 'Yes' condition over-rides a 'Not required' statement.)
Tip: In your 2014 Rx system, the column marked "Batch Svr" was previously assigned to your reconciliation server. (The name reconciliation server may continue to appear.)
Table 1. Isolation tasks for each server type
Task Web App Svr Batch Svr Inventory Svr Database Svr(s)
Shut down IIS Yes Yes Yes Not required
Stop related scheduled tasks (see note) Not required Yes Yes Not required
Stop services for FlexNet Manager Suite Batch Process Scheduler Not required Yes Not required Not required
Note: Microsoft Windows may require that the Task Scheduler is completely shut down when the installer runs.

To isolate the system:

  1. Send out the notification (such as email), as required by your corporate processes, to alert operators that the system is going down for maintenance.
    At the appointed time, repeat the remaining steps across your central server(s) as required.
  2. Log in to the server as a system administrator.
  3. On your web application server, batch server, or inventory server, shut down Microsoft IIS as the most efficient way to prevent any operator from logging in, or any files from being uploaded. Use your preferred method. For example, using the user interface on Windows Server 2008:
    1. Click Start, right-click on Computer, and select Manage from the context menu.
      The Server Manager dialog opens.
    2. In the left-hand navigation bar, expand Roles > Web Servers (IIS), and select Internet Information Services.
      The IIS page is displayed.
    3. In the Actions panel on the right, select Stop.
      A message like Attempting to stop... appears. Note that it can take some time before the service is stopped.
  4. On your batch server or inventory server, disable all Windows scheduled tasks related to FlexNet Manager Suite.

    The scheduled tasks are different on the two different types of servers. On your batch server (also known as reconciliation server), change all tasks in the FlexNet Manager Platform folder:

    • Data warehouse export
    • Export to ServiceNow
    • FlexNet inventory data maintenance (only present if you are upgrading from release 2015 or later)
    • Import SAP inventories
    • Import SAP package license
    • Inventory import and license reconcile
    • Recognition data import
    • Regenerate Business Import config
    • Send contract notifications.

    On your inventory server, change all tasks in the FlexNet Manager Platform folder:

    • Import Active Directory
    • Import application usage logs
    • Import discovery information
    • Import installation logs
    • Import inventories
    • Import Inventory Beacon activity status
    • Import Inventory Beacon status
    • Import remote task status information
    • Import security event information
    • Import system status information
    • Import VDI access data.

    An example process to change these tasks on Windows Server 2008:

    1. Ensure that your Server Manager dialog is still open.
    2. In the left-hand navigation bar, expand Configuration > Task Scheduler > Task Manager Platform, and select the FlexNet Manager Platform folder.
    3. Select all of the relevant tasks in the list (click the first, shift+click the last), and in the Actions pane, in the Select Item section, click Disable (or right-click the selection, and click Disable).
    4. Close the dialog.
  5. On your batch server/reconciliation server, stop the services for FlexNet Manager Suite Batch Process Scheduler:
    1. Navigate to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > View local services.
      The Services dialog opens.
    2. In the list of services, right-click on FlexNet Manager Suite Batch Process Scheduler, and from the context menu, select Stop.