1. What this document is for

This document explains what to validate after MC Upgrade and how to triage common failures.

Use it immediately after deployment before handing the environment to testers or end users.

Do not treat the upgrade as complete until the checks in this document pass.

2. When to use this document

Use this document:

• Immediately after the installer finishes.
• Any time you need to determine whether the environment is safe to hand off.
• Any time a failed run needs first-pass troubleshooting.

3. Step 1 - Validate installer completion

In the installer summary, confirm:

• No failed blocking steps.
• No pending/retrying steps left unresolved.
• Final state indicates successful completion.

If any blocking step failed, move to troubleshooting section before retesting.

4. Step 2 - Validate application availability

1. Open the configured MC URL.
2. Confirm login page loads.
3. Sign in with an admin account.
4. Validate key pages load without startup/configuration errors.

Optional but recommended:

• Sign in as a regular user.
• Validate expected access level and basic workflow actions.

5. Step 3 - Validate host and service health

Confirm:

• IIS site binding/host header matches expected websiteHostName.
• Required MC services are running.
• Install directories and expected files exist under install path.
• Logging path is writable and receiving entries.

6. Step 4 - Collect logs for change record

Even on success, archive upgrade evidence:

• logs\installLog*.txt
• logs\deploy-log-*.log

For failed upgrades, also capture:

• Failed step name
• Error message text
• Time of failure
• Server name and environment

7. Troubleshooting quick matrix

7.1 SQL authentication or connectivity errors

Checks:

• Verify serverInstance is correct.
• Verify SQL auth/integrated auth values.
• Verify network/firewall connectivity.

7.2 Website unavailable after upgrade

Checks:

• Validate IIS binding and host name.
• Validate DNS/hosts mapping from the test client.
• Validate app pool and required services are running.

7.3 File path or permission errors

Checks:

• Confirm installer was run as Administrator.
• Confirm install/log/image paths exist and are writable.
• Confirm endpoint security is not blocking file writes.

7.4 Gather Variables populated incorrect values

Checks:

• Re-validate source environment values.
• Correct visible values manually before deploy/redeploy.
• Do not proceed with known incorrect variable values.

8. Post-upgrade sign-off checklist

Approve handoff only when all are true:

• Installer summary is successful.
• MC login page is reachable.
• Admin sign-in succeeds.
• MC workflows/pages open without blocking errors.
• Services/IIS checks pass.
• Logs are archived.
• Any incidents and resolutions are documented.

Once these checks pass, the environment is ready for tester/business validation.