Upgrading JSS 8.63 to 9.96 advice, thoughts, gotchas?

[obi-k]

Hello,

I recently inherited an older JSS at version 8.63. We are looking to upgrade to the latest version.

I've never made this big of a jump before. Are there considerations or reservations you could advise on for this jump? Any gotchas? Tips or best practices? What would you do or have already done?

Contacted TAM already. Open to any and all tips.

Here are some tasks I have in mind and a little bit about the environment:

• Test environment • Delete old policies and profiles/MCX entries
• Delete old packages
• Back up database • Upgrade to JSS 8.73 • Upgrade to JSS 9.96

Environment: • JSS currently on Xserve with 10.7.5 server
• 200 Macs enrolled, bound to AD • Macs range from 10.6 to 10.12

Thanks for any tips...

[brock_walters · Accepted solution]

Hi guys -

In the spirit of preventing random speculation (& definitely not in the spirit of an RTFM, I promise...) here is a link to the 9.96 Release Notes with information on support for older versions of OS X:

Casper Suite 9.96 Release Notes

Hope this helps!

[dukedan · Accepted solution]

This is a very broad question, so I will simply add our experience. We took the opportunity to re-architect during our 8 to 9 upgrade. The biggest change was the use of SITES, and it was really just determined to be in our best interest to build a new system with version 9 and migrate clients to the new system once fully configured and tested.
Suggestions: - use a linux or windows VM for the JSS and MySQL system (possibly Amazon AWS) - only use HTTPS distribution points (other than the master distribution point) - more generally, review the JAMF security best practices document - scripts must use new location of jamf binary, and they move into the database - packages should all be "flat"

There are MANY more differences, but almost all are great new features we wouldn't want to be without :)

Dan

[duffcalifornia]

FYI, 9.96 removed support for 10.6

[obi-k]

Thanks. Do you know what happens to those 10.6 clients? Do they get a legacy binary or just stop responding to the JSS?

[brock_walters · Accepted solution]

Hi guys -

In the spirit of preventing random speculation (& definitely not in the spirit of an RTFM, I promise...) here is a link to the 9.96 Release Notes with information on support for older versions of OS X:

Casper Suite 9.96 Release Notes

Hope this helps!

[dukedan · Accepted solution]

This is a very broad question, so I will simply add our experience. We took the opportunity to re-architect during our 8 to 9 upgrade. The biggest change was the use of SITES, and it was really just determined to be in our best interest to build a new system with version 9 and migrate clients to the new system once fully configured and tested.
Suggestions: - use a linux or windows VM for the JSS and MySQL system (possibly Amazon AWS) - only use HTTPS distribution points (other than the master distribution point) - more generally, review the JAMF security best practices document - scripts must use new location of jamf binary, and they move into the database - packages should all be "flat"

There are MANY more differences, but almost all are great new features we wouldn't want to be without :)

Dan

[mpermann · Accepted solution]

@mvu if you don't have any iOS devices enrolled in the current JSS, then I would agree with @dukedan it's a great time to start fresh and stand up a new JSS. If possible, I would also suggest getting your systems all on the same OS. It makes managing the devices easier when you don't have a bunch of different OSes to deal with.

[obi-k]

Thanks for all your thoughts folks. We are considering moving to a new environment with a VM or Mac Mini, but things move "slow" here. I miss being on version 9+ and figure an upgrade would be a quicker option than waiting for approval. Plus I can't enroll Macs above 10.9. I was curious if others start fresh or re-architect to a new system or migrate. Got that answer.

@brock.walters I failed you as a student! I should have went there first.

[brock_walters]

Nah. As I recall you were a good student & now the info is here for all. Thanks!

[leadtrombone]

Make sure you don't go directly form 8.63 to 9.96. I don't remember the version but there was a DB change in I think 9.4. It cause me problems when I moved from 8.63 to 9.62.