Rollup Installation With DAG Maintenance Scripts In Exchange 2010 SP1

Installing update rollups on DAG members was never a straight forward task like clicking Next, Next. We had to make sure that all the active databases have been moved to a different DAG member, activation of all databases on the server to be patched is blocked, mailbox database copy is suspended etc. If we had Forefront running, it had to be disabled as well.

To make patching DAG members easier, Microsoft has two new scripts in the “Scripts” folder of Exchange 2010 SP1. StartDAGServerMaintenance.ps1 and StopDAGServerMaintenance.ps1.
The StartDAGServerMaintenance.ps1 script does the following:

• Run Suspend-MailboxDatabaseCopy for each database copy hosted on the DAG member.
• Pauses the node in the cluster, which prevents it from being and becoming the Primary Active Manager.
• Sets the value of the DatabaseCopyAutoActivationPolicy parameter on the DAG member to Blocked.
• Moves all active databases currently hosted on the DAG member to other DAG members.

The StopDAGServerMaintenance.ps1 script does the following:

• Run Resume-MailboxDatabaseCopy for each database copy hosted on the DAG member.
• Resume the node in the cluster, which will enables full cluster functionality for the DAG member.
• Sets the value of the DatabaseCopyAutoActivationPolicy parameter on the DAG member to Unrestricted.

In order to install a rollup on 2010 SP1 (UR1 at the time of writing), follow the steps below.

• Run the StartDAGServerMaintenance.ps1 script from the “Scripts” folder with the –ServerName switch before patching the DAG member. Forefront will have to be disabled manually.
• Use the -whatif switch to test the script



• Install update rollup, make sure that it is run from an elevated command prompt, read my article.
• Run the StopDAGServerMaintenance.ps1 script with the –ServerName switch after patching the DAG member. Enable forefront manually.

Enjoy....and patch your servers smoking a big cigarette

-Dario