Upgrading your SCCM site database

I wrote a blog recently about using ConfigMgr 1602+’s supported option of in-place upgrade to the site server operating system and successfully upgrade from Windows Server 2008R2 to 2012R2.

Whilst working on this piece I took a quick look at the supported configuration for CB and noticed that my SQL server was out of support. It’s currently running SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2. The supported configuration documents clearly state that a minimum of SP3 is needed.  I parked the upgrade of SQL, as I wanted to focus on getting the OS up and running and didn’t want to muddy the water too much by making too many changes at once. So it’s time now to make that change and get SQL up to something a little newer. You should always refer to ConfigMgr supported configuration documents and here is a link to the Current Branch articles. If you need to know the information for SQL versions then here is a direct link.

I’m planning to update SQL Server to 2014. Therefore I need to be running at least SQL Server 2014 SP1 – Standard, Enterprise with no minimum CU. So I will update to SQL Server 2014 SP2 – Standard.

You can quickly check the SQL version you are currently running by executing the query select @@version on the database.

Before I start the upgrade process it is worth noting that you should backup your environment before you begin and make sure you have a working backup you can restore to if anything goes wrong along the way.

The first thing to do is to stop all the ConfigMgr processes so nothing will be writing to the database.

Once disabled then it’s time to start up the SQL installation media and get SQL 2014 RTM installed.

In the Installation section you need to choose ‘Upgrade from SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2008R2 or SQL Server 2012’.

When prompted enter the licence key

Accept the licence terms

Click Next

I’m not too fussed by this warning. Click Next.

Click Next.

I’m running on the default instance so I just need to click Next here.

Click Next.

Click Next

Click Next

Before you upgrade it is worth noting that on my particular upgrade I was greeted with the following. Ewww not nice.

I checked the summary log via the link in the window and I had the following information:

Setup completed with required actions for features.
Troubleshooting information for those features:
 Next step for Adv_SSMS: Use the following information to resolve the error, and then try the setup process again.
 Next step for SSMS: Use the following information to resolve the error, and then try the setup process again.
 Next step for SQLEngine: Use the following information to resolve the error, and then try the setup process again.
 Next step for Replication: Use the following information to resolve the error, and then try the setup process again.
 Next step for AS: Use the following information to resolve the error, and then try the setup process again.
 Next step for SNAC_SDK: Use the following information to resolve the error, and then try the setup process again.

To fix the problem I had to uninstall the SQL Server 2012 Native Client.

So if you have removed 2012 Native Client and are ready to go then click Upgrade when prompted.

The upgrade process will begin.

And as if by magic SQL will have upgraded.

After firing up SQL Server 2014 Management Studio I ran another select @@version just to show the upgrade process had occurred.

Now that I have SQL Server 2014 RTM installed, I need to install Service Pack 2 to get into a supported configuration. You can download this from here.

Run the SQLServer2014SP2-KB3171021-x64-ENU.exe file.

Accept the licence terms

Click Next.

Click Next

Click Update to install the service pack.

All good. Close down the install.

And all confirmed that the server is now patched.

At this point it’s time to bring the ConfigMgr services back online.

 

After upgrading on my site I had issues with the Reporting Services Point. I’m not sure if this was related to the upgrade as I am unsure as to the state of the role prior to upgrading. To remedy the problem I removed the role and deleted the databases from SQL. I then re-configured via the Reporting Services Configuration Manager and re-installed the Reporting Services Point role. Since I didn’t have any bespoke reports in the site then this was a relatively painless exercise.

A quick look at the Site Status showed that everything was looking good. My Service Connection Point is moaning as the site doesn’t have Internet access at present.