The NEW "Level 2 Update" is an advanced support PowerShell that updates the complete replication server, including Windows criticals, Microsoft Office 365 and Add2Exchange Enterprise Edition and supporting files.
We guarantee the current version of Add2Exchange Enterprise Edition works with the current critical service packs in effect at the time of the update, so updating the system as a whole allows the replication server running Add2Exchange Enterprise to work for long periods of time. We recommend updating Add2Exchange and the system at least every quarter and doing all updates at once keeps the system "in band". Any critical security update which must be done to the system should always be done immediately. Updating MSO without the pre and post commands specified below can get the system out of band, so we don't recommend updating it as part of normal monthly update maintenance. The System is normally set to download and notify and disabled MSO updates, but your patching system can easily overide this local setting.
To start the upgrade of the entire system, run the DidITBetter Support Menu.ps1 by right clicking and run as PowerShell.
Note: If you have a single “Level 2.ps1” on your desktop, don’t use it - since it is old. Delete it and run it from the DidITBetter Support Menu.ps1.
The Level 2 PowerShell is available from the bottom Right column within the DidITBetter Support Menu.ps1 on the desktop of the sync service account.
If you do not have the Level 2 option listed there, your system needs to be updated prior to using it. to get the Level 2 as an option, you will have to upgrade Add2Exchange First. Open the DidITBetter Support Menu PowerShell and select Upgrade Add2Exchange from the top right column. After this upgrade the option will be available to you. Again, if you did not have a Level 2 option before, close the DidITBetter Support Menu after you trigger the Add2Exchange update so it can refresh the support control files and run it again, but since you just upgraded, select no to upgrade and it will do all the other functions listed.
When started, a flurry of activity can be seen. Don’t panic, it will be fine.
The "Level 2 Control PowerShell" is multi-threaded and opens up some if not all of the following:
The DidITBetter MMC for the legacy event viewer and service control.
The Task Manager
A thread for Microsoft 365 update
A thread for Windows Critical updates
If needed, it will run the PowerShell to get the version of Exchange Online Module correct for automatic scheduled task permissions.
The Level 2 thread first will delete any temporary PowerShell files created during the execution of the automatic permissions scheduled task – those files the system has ever created or since the last L2 upgrade. It will also calculate the space savings to be mentioned in the Support Log it is automatically creating for today’s Level 2 session.
Next the Level 2 will prompt to update Add2Exchange. This thread will check to see if you have valid Software Assurance (SA) (within your Software Maintenance period). If it doesn’t say expired, you can continue.
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If the prompt states you are expired, you will have to - or may have already - renewed your Software Assurance to get the upgrade for free. If the SA is expired, after the installation you will have to open the Add2Exchange Console and submit a software license request using these procedures: License Key Product Activation Instructions.
License Key Product Activation Instructions
If the sync service account can receive email from Diditbetter.com, it should automatically license the system when it receives the email. If you need immediate syncing, please contact us and we will expedite and assist.
Upgrade Add2Exchange
The upgrade Add2Exchange Enterprise Edition routine stops the Add2Exchange Service automatically, and waits until the Add2Exchange Agent is at a point where it can stop and drop from memory. The Upgrade downloads the software and then unzip it and installs it for you. Sometimes the power shells lose focus and stop, you may have to go to the stopped PowerShell and press Enter for it to continue. If during the installation, you can answer any prompts if prompted, but there shouldn’t be any if the system has been recently updated.
The Level 2 thread also makes sure the version of Exchange Online is supported, then may spin off another thread to upgrade or downgrade it automatically.
When almost complete, the Level 2 pauses and prompts:
“When Outlook is done updating, press Enter to continue”.
Wait on continuing this until the second Outlook update thread is complete. When MSO updates are completed, you can press the button on the Control to continue.
The second thread is the Outlook update. It will undoubtably have an update to do since we turn off automatic updates when we are done.
Controlling updates like this keeps the entire installation “in band”, full supported and running optimally.
NOTE: The third thread will check for Windows Critical updates. If there are any and the computer policy allows, it will download and run all those. You will have to wait until this thread is completed as well, and closes before you tell the Level 2 thread to continue and then reboot to apply any updates.
In the original Level 2 PowerShell, when Outlook is done updating, you wait until completed and press Enter and the original thread will continue. Next it runs the “Setup outlook profile.ps1” PowerShell. This PowerShell is also located in the Outlook Tools in the DidITBetter Support Menu.ps1 and can and should be run manually if somehow you missed the Level 2 prompt to wait until done. The Outlook update has to be done in order to set up optimally since Microsoft updates their MSO to the original manifest. The Setup Outlook Profile routine are Outlook registry changes to set up Outlook optimally.
When all threads are done, go back to Level 2 and press Enter to continue after the Outlook Completed dialog, and next the service support log of what was done.
The final thing the Level 2 does is checks for a pending reboot (pending file rename key) to see if a reboot is required.
If there was an office update, there will always be a reboot pending.
Before you Reboot, open Outlook and answer any prompts. DO NOT select to use the new OUTLOOK, and answer any notifications. Once done, close outlook and let it send and receive without interruption.
Reboot the machine
The system should automatically log in.
Next, if licensing was expired, open the Add2Exchange Console and submit a licensing request.
Next, view the relationships. If they are in alert because of licensing, and you have paid for the renewal, the keys will be sent within 24 hours.
If the relationships are in alert – but not because of licensing - and they shouldn’t be, right click an alerted relationship and select Confirm all alerted relationships. When prompted, select yes to update folders.
If there are relationships in the trash for older users, from the top dropdown, select Empty Trash Always and it will force delete of these alerted relationships for past users.
If there are relationships in alert for older offboarded users, please review and remove those users from our managed distribution lists – usually starting with a z with something like zpubcontactfoldersync. Yours will be different,
To see what distribution lists we manage, from the Top dropdown, select Relationship, then Relationship Group Manager and use the dropdown on the right for distribution lists and make a note of them. You could uncheck them from that interface, but that creates confusion. The best method to offboard is to remove terminated users from the AD or 365 managed distribution lists we use to create and remove relationships, and it will mark that relationship for deletion either when your AD syncs to 365 or immediately if on premises. The relationship for the offboarded user should begin to be removed a few minutes after you close the Add2Exchange Console and start the Add2Exchange Service.