Hello
This is something that i get asked a lot. ‘How do you do the Cu updates to Lync 2010 or 2013’. I know some people find the wording from Microsoft on how to install a bit daunting, so therefore below ive created a mini guide on how to complete the install using basic english so it can be followed.
Firstly in this blog im going to go ahead and update my Lync2013 lab with the new CU1 update which was posted from Microsoft a week or so ago.
Link to the update can be found here.
The server involved in the update will be Lync 2013 Frontend x1Enterprise Edition , SQL Server for Lync 2013, Edge. (if you was needing to update a Director, Archiving/Monitoring, persistent chat servers the process and procedure is still the same)
So my lab is up and running and ive downloaded and copied the lyncinstallerupdate to the root of c:\Lync2013_update
***Its worth adding that you should always run your updates out of working hours. As there will be a reboot required!! (Only a reboot is required if you are running Standard Edition)
Now on the Frontend i will select the file by right clicking to running it as administrator
One execution of the .exe you will be presented with a dialog like the below. This dialog tells you which parts of your Lync system will be updated.
Now its a simply select of the Install Updates button.
Dependant on your server build/spec, the update can take a number of minutes to complete.
Once its finished you should see a green tick in the completed update components.
Now that is complete do the same as we have done above on all the other Lync Servers <front ends, Edge, ArchMon, Persistent chat, Director Servers>.
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Now onto the less understanding piece from Microsoft.
‘Apply the backend Database Updates’ – Mocrosoft Blurb
<<After you install the update for the Core Components server role on a Lync Server 2013 Enterprise Edition front end server or on a Lync Server 2013 Standard Edition server, the updated SQL database files are dropped to the machine that has the Core Components server role installed. To apply the database changes, you have to run the applicable cmdlets below.
Note The –Update parameter is not required when you run the Install-CsDatabase cmdlet to update the Lync Server 2013 databases.
>>
So what does this actually mean.? Simply put for some reason unknown to me? When you run the update the Frontend server loose site/connection to the backend lync databases which is either collocated as you are a Standard Edition deployment OR located on a external SQL Server if you are Enterprise Edition.
In the case of our lab we are enterprise edition so we need to specify the external SQL Server to update.
From the Lync Management Shell on one of the Frontends (if you have multiple <Enterprise Edition>) run the following command
Install-CsDatabase -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn <Backend>.FQDN -Verbose
ALSO – Please check if you are mirroring your Lync2013 build, as the command is slightly different?!! and its a little more intensive to complete.
Once this is complete you should see the successful yellow verbose messages.
Now we also have another powershell command to run to update the monitoring database on the backend. (this will be the same for both Standard and Enterprise editions)
Install-CsDatabase -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn <ArchMonBackenddatabase.FQDN> -Verbose
Again once this is complete we have the final command to run.
Microsoft Blurb
<<After the Lync Server 2013 Enterprise Edition front end server or the Lync Server 2013 Standard Edition server backends are updated, run the following cmdlet to update the Central Management Store:
>>
Iain Smith
Thank you for this helpful clarification!
What happens if people just run Windows updates to update Lync and never bother to run the database commands?
Hello Ger
Running windows update does not run the Lync updates into the system.. this can only be done via the Lyncinstaller.exe which you have to download as part of the cumulative update patch
regards
Iain Smith
I’m sure the original web page for the CU1 update stated:
“Please remember that if you run these updates via Windows Update that you need to run the following to install the Database Update”
I ran the server update installer, so now they are saying I also need to run the database update commands too if you didn’t use Windows Update?
Lee you are correct..
always remember to run the database update across all your front ends etc
Besides installing the updates on a mediation server, persistent chat, etc, do you need to run any database commands on these other servers?
Hello Ken
you only need to run the database updates against your front ends, Archiving and monditoring DB, and persisitent chat Db’s
If you have mirrored databases, the installation is FAR more involved. See http://www.mylynclab.com/2013/06/installing-lync-2013-cumulative-updates.html
Also, if you only have a single SQL server in your Lync infrastructure, you don’t need to include the FQDN in each Install-CsDatabase command. You can use have it find it. Use something like
Install-CsDatabase -Update -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn (Get-CSService -UserDatabase).fqdn
Thanks Pat. this is a good point you raise.
A point well made Pat.. thanks again, Regards Iain Smith
What is the difference between the command to update the BE databases and the monitoring database. Ours are both housed on the same SQL server.
Install-CsDatabase -ConfiguredDatabases -SqlServerFqdn .FQDN -Verbose
Thanks