Overview
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When a MessageGuard appliance nears storage capacity, K12USA will provide an upgraded replacement appliance
with increased disk space (typically 4× the capacity) to ensure uninterrupted email archiving.
This upgrade is performed with minimal downtime and does not impact live mail flow until the final cutover step.

Schools only need to rack, power, and connect the appliance to the network—no IP configuration is required.

This article explains:

• What to expect when an upgrade appliance is shipped
• What to do when the appliance arrives
• How the data migration works
• Common issues that may prevent K12USA from accessing the new appliance

What to Expect with Your Upgrade
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• The replacement MessageGuard appliance is typically 1U rack-mountable
• Your existing MessageGuard remains active during most of the migration
• Email continues to be archived normally until the final cutover
• A temporary IP address is used during migration (configured by K12USA prior to shipment)

Before the Appliance Ships – Information We Need
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Before shipping the upgrade appliance, K12USA will request the following:

1. Preferred shipping timeframe
   • The appliance should be installed soon after delivery
2. Temporary IP address
   • This is used by K12USA to configure the appliance prior to shipment
3. Shipping address confirmation

What To Do When the New Appliance Arrives
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Step 1: Rack and Power the Appliance
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• Mount the new MessageGuard appliance in the rack (1U)
• Connect power
• Connect the network cable to the same LAN/VLAN as the existing MessageGuard

No configuration is required by the school.
The appliance already has the temporary IP address applied.

Step 2: Power On and Verify Connectivity
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• Power on the appliance
• Allow several minutes for the system to fully boot
• Confirm the switch port shows an active network link

Step 3: Notify K12USA Support
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Notify K12USA Support at
support@k12usa.com or
877-225-0100.

Once the appliance is:

• Powered on
• Connected to the network

Data Migration Process (Performed by K12USA)
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1. Remotely access the existing MessageGuard appliance
2. Connect to the new upgrade appliance
3. Begin copying:
   • Archived email data
   • Indexes
   • Database content

⏳ This process may take several days, depending on archive size.

📧 During this time, the current appliance continues processing email normally.

Final Cutover (Brief Scheduled Downtime)
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1. K12USA schedules a short cutover window (typically about 1 hour)
2. Email delivery is briefly paused
• Your mail server will queue incoming messages
3. Recent email and database changes are finalized
4. The old appliance is shut down
5. The original IP address is assigned to the new appliance
6. Normal email processing resumes on the upgraded system

Common Issues: Why K12USA Support Can’t See the New Appliance
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If K12USA support cannot access the new MessageGuard after installation, the most common causes include:

Why K12USA Support Can’t See the New Appliance
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If K12USA support is unable to access the new MessageGuard appliance after it has been installed, the issue is almost always related to internal network configuration, not the appliance itself.
Many schools use Microsoft-based networks (Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft DHCP/DNS), and the most common causes align with well-documented Microsoft networking scenarios.
Below are the most frequent reasons this occurs and what to check.

1. Network Placement or VLAN Mismatch
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• The new appliance must be connected to the same network segment as the existing MessageGuard
• If the switch port is assigned to a different VLAN, the appliances may not be able to communicate

This is the most common cause when the appliance powers on but is unreachable.

2. Temporary IP Address Is Not Reachable (Duplicate IP Conflicts)
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The upgrade appliance ships pre-configured with the temporary IP provided by the school.

Please verify that:

• The IP address is valid for that subnet
• The switch port is assigned to the correct VLAN
• The IP address is not already in use on the network

Microsoft KB (Duplicate IP issues):

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/fix-duplicate-ip-address-conflicts-on-a-dhcp-network-d68499da-69a3-da3b-4630-d17e502adf50

3. DHCP or Network Infrastructure Issues (Microsoft Networks)
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Even when an appliance uses a static IP, DHCP-related issues on Microsoft networks can affect routing, ARP resolution, or internal reachability.
If your environment uses Microsoft DHCP, reviewing scope health and bindings may help identify conflicts or misrouting.

Microsoft Learn – DHCP troubleshooting guidance:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/troubleshoot-dhcp-guidance

Microsoft Learn – General DHCP troubleshooting steps:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/troubleshoot/troubleshoot-dhcp-issue

4. Firewall or Internal Network Restrictions
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Internal firewalls, access control lists (ACLs), or security policies may block:

• Management traffic
• Communication between the existing and new MessageGuard appliances

This applies whether you use Windows Defender Firewall or a third-party firewall.

Microsoft Learn – Windows Firewall with Advanced Security troubleshooting:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/troubleshoot-windows-firewall-with-advanced-security-guidance

5. DNS Resolution Issues (If Hostnames Are Used Internally)
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In some Microsoft-based environments, DNS configuration issues can interfere with reachability testing or name resolution.
If your IT team relies on internal DNS, validating DNS health may help.

Microsoft Learn – DNS name resolution troubleshooting (Server):

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/troubleshoot-dns-name-resolution

Microsoft Learn – DNS client resolution troubleshooting:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/networking/troubleshoot-dns-client-resolution-issues

Microsoft Learn – DNS server troubleshooting:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/networking/dns/troubleshoot/troubleshoot-dns-server

6. Appliance Still Booting or Physical Connectivity Issues
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• Initial boot may take several minutes
• Confirm:
  • The appliance is fully powered on
  • Link lights are active
  • A known-good Ethernet cable and switch port are in use

Important Notes
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• The replacement appliance does not require customer-side configuration
• Do not change IP addresses or power down the existing MessageGuard unless directed by K12USA support
• Once the appliance is reachable, all migration steps are handled by K12USA

Need Assistance?
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Technical assistance is free and unlimited with an active MessageGuard subscription.

📧 support@k12usa.com
📞 877-225-0100