Upgrading to Parallels Remote Application Server 20

Important Information

Before upgrading Parallels Remote Application Server to v20 please review the list of the known issues, terminology updates, software, and license requirements:

• Parallels Remote Application Server v20 Release Notes
• Software requirements
• Microsoft license requirements
• Supported providers for VDI

Note:

• During upgrade of the Secure Gateways all tunneled sessions are terminated.
• Untill session host agents (RD Session Host, RemotePC, VDI vm's) are upgraded, it won't be possible to establish a new sessions to them. So any session hosts which require high availability should be prioritized during Stage 3, step 2.
• If upgrading from 19.4 to 20.0, updating of RD Session Host, RemotePC and VDI guest can be done via the Auto-upgrade functionality.

Upgrade paths: Direct upgrade from v16.2 (and lower) to v20 is not supported. It is recommended to upgrade in three phases as follows:

• Phase 1: Upgrade from Remote Application Server version 16.2 to Remote Application Server v17
• Phase 2: Upgrade from Remote Application Server version 17 to Remote Application Server v19
• Phase 3: Upgrade from Remote Application Server version 19 to Remote Application Server v20

Stage 1: Upgrade Preparation

1. Read the documentation below to review all changes and added features for the latest version:
   • Parallels Remote Application Server v20 Release Notes
2. Ensure that your Parallels Remote Application Server license has valid upgrade insurance. Upgrade insurance is not automatically included with a Support contract.
3. Take snapshots of environments configured on virtual servers, primarily on the RAS Console > License server.
4. Copy and save the license key activated on the current installation from the RAS Console > Licensing.
5. Collect additional information about the current Remote Application Server installation from the RAS Console > Help > About.
6. Export the configuration file and save it to another location.

Stage 2: Upgrade Requirements

1. Internet access is required on the Parallels RAS Console Server to install the software and activate the license.
2. For all upgrades, it is highly recommended to schedule a time when your users aren’t active on your system.
3. Older versions of Parallels Reporting are not compatible with newer versions of Parallels Remote Application Server. You can download a corresponding version of RAS Reporting here.
4. Older versions of HALBs are not compatible with newer versions of Parallels Remote Application Server. You can download a corresponding version of HALBs here.

Stage 3: Upgrade Procedure

1. Proceed to upgrade the Parallels Remote Application Server environment from the RAS Console/License server by going to Parallels RAS Console > Administration > Settings > Check now > Update.
   Alternatively, download the installer here and run IT on the Primary Connection Broker. This will upgrade the Primary Connection Broker.
   A reboot is required to successfully complete the installation.

2. It is recommended after the Primary Connection Broker, the Secondary Connection Broker is upgraded followed by the rest of the components.
   Once the Secondary Connection Broker is upgraded, reboot the server.
   You can proceed to upgrade other components of the Parallels Remote Application Server agents configured to the farm/ site
3. Upgrade enrollment server agents, secure gateway agents.
    
4. Ensure that all agents are verified and in OK state.
    
5. Upgrade templates [ RD Session Host / VDI / AVD ]. This step will require that templates be put in maintenance mode.
   When done, guest recreation can be scheduled when to clone machines from template.
    
6. Upgrade any static RD Session Hosts, VDI hosts, AVD and Remote PCs.
   Upgrade hosts which are part of hostpools (this part can be done via the auto-upgrade feature, click here)
    
7. Upgrading secondary sites
   
   Should you have multi-site Farm, in order to upgrade secondary sites, do the following:
   • From the left pane in the Console, select Farm
   • In the list select Farm, right click on secondary site > Check Agent > Update.
   • Once secondary site updated switch to that site and first update Secondary Connection Broker and then the rest components.

NOTE:
Upon launch, RAS Console will ask you to specify the Farm you need to connect.
You may select a Farm you previously connected to or specify the hostname of the licensing Connection Broker, you can use "localhost" if you are running RAS Console on the same machine you installed the RAS Core services.

Stage 4: Final checks

1. Please make sure that all server with Remote Application Server components rebooted.
2. Log in to Remote Application Server Console and check if all agents are green (verified).
3. Log in to Remote Application Server Console and check your license information from the Parallels RAS Console > Licensing. Also, ensure that the “Concurrent UBL” information is the correct user license count you have purchased.

Additional Information

If you require support during or after your upgrade, please contact our Support Team.