Why does updating "version of registration server" take so long?

Usage and Config Platform
1

I’m upgrading our test and dev BigFix instances to 11. The Root Server is upgraded, but the Fixlets for upgrading the Relays is waiting for each Relay to update their “registration server” to 11. How and when does this get updated? At this rate, though it would be more actual work, it would be faster to log into each relay and update them manually… :confused:

2

I restarted the Client service on one of the Relays and that updated that one. Waiting to see how long it takes the others. Is this something that only gets updated on the Gathering Interval (which I think is 8 hours by default)?

3

I think the default client registration interval is 6 hours (give or take).

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4

So, for an upgrade, you potentially have to wait for 6 hours before Relays become relevant for their upgrade Fixlet, then another 6 hours before Clients become relevant for theirs (because, I assume, “version of current relay” only gets updated at registration time as well)? That seems… problematic. It means you can’t sit down one evening and update your entire environment over a 4 or 5 hour period after work. It’s going to be 2 (or maybe 3) sessions over a number of days. Unless there’s something I’m missing (which is entirely possible, and even likely!)…

5

You could wait, or you could send a client restart to your relays (top down).

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6

I thought about the client restart on the relays just after I’d clicked “Reply”, and that’ll likely work, but it still seems a little unsatisfying.

Oh well.

Thanks! :slightly_smiling_face:

7

Or you could send the Relay update to all your relays (by property), and they’ll update when they become relevant.

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8

I usually send a ‘client restart’ or ‘relay select’ command to detect an upgraded server more quickly.

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9

Just wanted to clarify that this is no new behavior, the timing of applicability of the upgrade fixlets has always been like this when transitioning to a new major release.

There is a related Note at the end of the Considerations on the upgrade of the BigFix Platform to v11 paragraph.

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10

Thank you, @aginestr. After two decades of working heavily in the Fixlet/Relevance/API space, my group is taking over the server maintenance aspect so this is the first time I’m experiencing this particular workflow. it is still unlike any other product I’ve managed, at least in that, in other products, the downstream upgrades just happen. They may take just as long, but other systems generally issue them automatically. So, it may be commonplace and we just never see it elsewhere?

Anyway, I now know what to expect, how to potentially step things up a bit, and how to plan it on my schedule. Thank you!

11

During platform upgrades, I routinely fork the “Updated Platform Components” fixlet, removing the “version of registration server” statement. Then I get on with updating the relays as well.

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12

I was thinking about that option as well. Thanks!

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