Hyper-V upgrade from Windows 2012 R2 to 2016

Hyper-V is the Microsoft’s virtualization platform that allows creating virtual infrastructures under Windows and/or Linux. Virtualization makes it possible to cohabit in isolation several operating systems on the same physical server (Hypervisor). Virtualization takes place on the same hardware platform after installing specific software – hypervisor. The hypervisor is an additional layer between physical and virtual scopes, it manages the system’s hardware resources so they are distributed efficiently among virtual machines (VMs). Here’s the post to introduce Hyper-V upgrade from Windows 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016.

Original Network - Hyper-v 2016

Cluster Operation System Rolling Upgrade is a new useful feature allows upgrading a cluster version from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016 without interruption and no impact on production.

This hot-mounted version feature is available for Hyper-V or SOFS file clusters.

Requirements :
In order to benefit of Cluster Operation System Rolling Upgrade, you need one of this architecture:

    -SOFS cluster running on Windows Server 2012 R2,
    -Hyper-V cluster running on Windows Server 2012 R2.

Operating level :
The functional level of Windows Server 2012 R2 cluster is 8 so that in Windows Server 2016 is 9.

You can check the functional level by executing the following Powershell command:

Get-Cluster | Select ClusterFunctionalLevel 


Supported Scenarios:

Cluster Operation system Rolling Upgrade supports some scenarios:

    -Case 1: SOFS file cluster on Windows Server 2012 R2,
    -Case 2: Hyper-V cluster on Windows Server 2012 R2,
    -You can also make the update from System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM).


The process of upgrading from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016 cluster:

Cluster Operation system Rolling Upgrade provides a simple process for switching from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016 cluster with the following functional level: 9.
Note: Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016 nodes can be integrated into the same Hyper-V cluster to facilitate the upgrade to a full Windows Server 2016 cluster.

On the schema below, we need to upgrade Hyper-V 2012 R2 cluster to Windows Server 2016:

Hyper-V 2012R2 to 2016 Migration

A node on Windows Server 2016 is added into the cluster.


Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Hyper-V cluster running on Windows Server 2012 R2 with two nodes.

Hyper-V 2012R2 to 2016 Migration

Step 2: The second node is paused, then drained, turned off, formatted, and installed with Windows Server 2016. Finally, it is configured and added to the cluster. Basically, the cluster continues to work with the first node on Windows Server 2012 R2 and the second node on Windows Server 2016

Hyper-V 2012R2 to 2016 Migration

Step 3: Once the second node is done. It is the same operation for the first node. Note: The cluster works on Windows Server 2016 system but the functional level works on Windows Server 2012 R2 yet.

Hyper-V 2012R2 to 2016 Migration

Cluster level Windows Server 2012 R2 (8).

Step 4: Then, you can upgrade the functional level of the cluster to Windows Server 2016 (version 9).)

Hyper-V 2012R2 to 2016 Migration

Cluster level Windows Server 2016 (9).

Finally, the cluster is upgraded from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016.

 

If you need to disable UAC Server on Windows Server 2016 Script Guide.

Veeam Agent for Windows step by step installation guide.

Video Recording of my webinar Veeam and Windows Server 2016: video link.

 

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