Performing an Upgrade of SharePoint 2013

Thoughts on http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/fp142375.aspx
Upgrade Process for 2013: http://zoom.it/UA5Y#full

First: Prepare and Plan

• Plan for performance during upgrade
• Inventory Everything!
• Plan for site collection upgrade
• Create plan for current customizations during upgrade
• This is the NUMBER ONE THING that will need verification
• Clean up an environment before an upgrade
• Make sure everything is fixed (don't migrate broken stuff)
• Make sure it is clean (don't migrate unneeded) 

Then: Upgrade the Databases, Upgrade the Sites

• Use a trial upgrade to find potential issues
• http://zoom.it/Ips0#full
• Think about using Virtual Test Farms and/or Windows Azure
• Define this through scripting for consistency from virtual test to production
• Upgrade databases
• Copy Databases
• Upgrade Service App Databases First
• Create Web Applications, apply customizations, and Test-SPContentDatabase 
• Mount-SPContentDatabase
• Checklist for database-attach upgrade
• Upgrade site collections
• Site Collection Health Checks
• Try before you buy with Evaluation Site Collections
• Upgrade the Site
• Review upgraded sites
• My Sites: upgrde the My Site Host Site Collection and browsing MySites will trigger upgrade automatically

Verify and Troubleshoot

• Verify upgrade
• Troubleshoot database upgrade issues in SharePoint 2013
• Troubleshoot site collection upgrade issues
• Migrate from classic-mode to claims-based authentication
• This is another big one - make the move to claims-based authentication!

Side Note: Updating SharePoint (Patches and Service Packs)

• Be careful with updates - they take a while, and can break things.
• For Example: Service Pack 1 breaks Foundation Search
• ToddKlindt.com 
• take a look at bugs, notes, and regressions with
• Why SharePoint 2013 Cumulative updates take 5 hours to install
  (how to script shutting down services for a faster patch process)