A Practical Experience in Transitioning from CDH to CDP

Introduction

Transitioning from Cloudera Distribution Hadoop (CDH) to Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) is a journey that involves careful planning, execution, and learning from the experience. This essay reflects on the practical experience of this transition.

Preparation

The first step in this journey is preparation. This stage is akin to packing for a long trip. You need to review the supported upgrade paths, requirements, and versions for your upgrade. It’s like checking the route and weather conditions for your trip. During this process, you might encounter roadblocks such as incompatible software versions or insufficient system resources. These are similar to finding out that a bridge on your route is under repair or that your vehicle might not have enough fuel for the journey.

Upgrade Cloudera Manager

The next step in our journey is upgrading Cloudera Manager to version 7.4.4 or higher. This stage can be compared to ensuring that your vehicle is in good condition before embarking on the journey. You need to ensure that all services managed by Cloudera Manager are in good health before starting the upgrade. It’s like making sure that the engine, brakes, and other critical parts of your vehicle are functioning properly.

During this stage, you need to be cautious of potential downtime. It’s like being aware that there might be traffic jams or road closures along the way.

Upgrade CDH to Cloudera Runtime

Once Cloudera Manager has been upgraded, you can then use it to upgrade CDH to Cloudera Runtime 7 or from Cloudera Runtime to a higher version of Cloudera Runtime. This stage is like finally setting off on your journey.

If you’re upgrading a working CDH platform, special care must be taken to ensure data integrity. It’s like making sure all passengers are wearing seat belts and all luggage is securely fastened.

Post-upgrade Transition Steps

After reaching your destination (i.e., after the upgrade), there are post-upgrade transition steps that need to be performed for the components deployed in your clusters. These steps are like checking into a hotel and making sure everything is in order after a long journey.

In conclusion, transitioning from CDH to CDP is not just a technical process but also a learning experience. It requires careful planning, execution, and learning from each step of the process. But with proper preparation and by following the correct procedures, this transition can be made smoothly and efficiently, providing valuable insights and experiences along the way.