AWSEC2-CloneInstanceAndUpgradeSQLServer - Amazon Systems Manager Automation runbook reference
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AWSEC2-CloneInstanceAndUpgradeSQLServer

Description

Create an AMI from an EC2 instance for Windows Server running SQL Server 2008 or later, and then upgrade the AMI to a later version of SQL Server.

The following upgrade paths are supported:

  • SQL Server 2008 to SQL Server 2017, 2016, or 2014

  • SQL Server 2008 R2 to SQL Server 2017, 2016, or 2014

  • SQL Server 2012 to SQL Server 2019, 2017, 2016, or 2014

  • SQL Server 2014 to SQL Server 2019, 2017, or 2016

  • SQL Server 2016 to SQL Server 2019 or 2017

  • SQL Server 2017 to SQL Server 2019

If you are using an earlier version of Windows Server that is incompatible with SQL Server 2019, the automation document must upgrade your Windows Server version to 2016.

The upgrade is a multi-step process that can take 2 hours to complete. The automation creates the AMI from the instance, and then launches a temporary instance from the new AMI in the specified SubnetID. The security groups associated with your original instance are applied to the temporary instance. The automation then performs an in-place upgrade to the TargetSQLVersion on the temporary instance. After the upgrade, the automation creates a new AMI from the temporary instance and then terminates the temporary instance.

You can test application functionality by launching the new AMI in your VPC. After you finish testing, and before you perform another upgrade, schedule application downtime before completely switching over to the upgraded instance.

Note

If you want to modify the computer name of the EC2 instance launched from the new AMI , see Rename a Computer that Hosts a Stand-Alone Instance of SQL Server.

Run this Automation (console)

Document type

Automation

Owner

Amazon

Platforms

Windows

Parameters

Prerequisites

  • TLS version 1.2.

  • The EC2 instance must use a version of Windows Server that is Windows Server 2008 R2 (or later) and SQL Server 2008 (or later).

  • Verify that SSM Agent is installed on your instance. For more information, see Installing and configuring SSM Agent on EC2 instances for Windows Server.

  • Configure the instance to use an Amazon Identity and Access Management (IAM) instance profile role. For more information, see Create an IAM instance profile for Systems Manager.

  • Verify that the instance has 20 GB of free disk space in the instance boot disk.

  • For instances that use a Bring Your Own License (BYOL) SQL Server version, the following additional prerequisites apply:

    • Provide an EBS snapshot ID that includes the target SQL Server installation media. To do this:

      1. Verify that the EC2 instance is running Windows Server 2008 R2 or later.

      2. Create a 6 GB EBS volume in the same Availability Zone where the instance is running. Attach the volume to the instance. Mount it, for example, as drive D.

      3. Right-click the ISO and mount it to an instance as, for example, drive E.

      4. Copy the content of the ISO from drive E:\ to drive D:\

      5. Create an EBS snapshot of the 6 GB volume created in step 2.

Limitations

  • The upgrade can be performed on only a SQL Server using Windows authentication.

  • Verify that no security patch updates are pending on the instances. Open Control Panel, then choose Check for updates.

  • SQL Server deployments in HA and mirroring mode are not supported.

Parameters

  • IamInstanceProfile

    Type: String

    Description: (Required) The IAM instance profile.

  • InstanceId

    Type: String

    Description: (Required) The instance running Windows Server 2008 R2 (or later) and SQL Server 2008 (or later).

  • KeepPreUpgradeImageBackUp

    Type: String

    Description: (Optional) If set to true, the automation doesn't delete the AMI created from the instance before the upgrade. If set to true, then you must delete the AMI. By default, the AMI is deleted.

  • SubnetId

    Type: String

    Description: (Required) Provide a subnet for the upgrade process. Verify that the subnet has outbound connectivity to Amazon services, Amazon S3, and Microsoft (to download patches).

  • SQLServerSnapshotId

    Type: String

    Description: (Conditional) Snapshot ID for target SQL Server installation media. This parameter is required for instances that use a BYOL SQL Server version. This parameter is optional for SQL Server license-included instances (instances launched using an Amazon provided Amazon Machine Image for Windows Server with Microsoft SQL Server).

  • RebootInstanceBeforeTakingImage

    Type: String

    Description: (Optional) If set to true, the automation reboots the instance before creating a pre-upgrade AMI. By default, the automation doesn't reboot before upgrade.

  • TargetSQLVersion

    Type: String

    Description: (Optional) Select the target SQL Server version.

    Possible targets:

    • SQL Server 2019

    • SQL Server 2017

    • SQL Server 2016

    • SQL Server 2014

    Default target: SQL Server 2016

Outputs

AMIId: The ID of the AMI created from the instance that was upgraded to a later version of SQL Server.