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From: collins@nvpna1.UUCP (Donie Collins 44091)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Updating Large Rings
Message-ID: <261@nvpna1.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 28-Sep-87 09:52:38 EDT
Article-I.D.: nvpna1.261
Posted: Mon Sep 28 09:52:38 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 29-Sep-87 05:37:07 EDT
Organization: Philips Research Labs, Eindhoven
Lines: 23
Keywords: installation of new OS releases

At our site we have roughly 120 Apollo stations, which are split into
4 rings connected by EtherBridges.  Most of the machines are used for IC-design
and the rest are used to develop CAD software.

The Operating System, local software and 3rd party software is controlled
by our system managers. So when we plan to go to a new release of the OS
(as we are doing now, for sr9.6) the upgrade is done by the system managers
on all machines. Because of our environment we must keep all production 
machines on the same level of the OS. ie At the moment all machines are at
9.2.x

We estimate that there will be at least a full weeks disruption while
we upgrade all the machines. I think that this is unacceptable. Given
that Apollo have at least 1 major and 2 minor releases per year, we are talking
about 3 weeks per year. God only knows what it will be like for sr10.

I am interested in the reactions/experiences of other System Managers on 
this.  120 node is NOT a big site, especially by U.S standards, so how
do System Managers of large rings handle this problem ?

-- 
Donal O'Coileain.    Go n-eirigh an bothar leat
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