Administration Guide > Installation > Upgrade Installation > FAQ - Zero Downtime Upgrade

FAQ - Zero Downtime Upgrade

As of version 11.2 of the Automation Engine you can upgrade your AE system without any downtime using the Zero Downtime Upgrade (ZDU).
Here you find answers to the most common questions concerning this mode as FAQ.

FAQ

Q: I'm on a version prior to 11.2 (for example 10 or 11.1). Can I upgrade with ZDU to 11.2?

A: No, version 11.2 is the minimum base version for Zero Downtime Upgrade.

Q: I want to install a 11.2 hotfix or service pack into my 11.2 system in future. Can I do that with Zero Downtime Upgrade?

A: Yes, service pack upgrades with ZDU are supported as of version 11.2.

Q: Can I use the new features already during the compatibility mode?

A: Yes, if you are logged in with a new UI in a new session after upgrade.

Q: Are users forced to re-login to the new system?

A: They have to re-login with a new UI at any time during parallel mode for freeing base version CPs and being able to use target version features.

Q: How do we know that jobs from the base version are completed?

A: In 11.2 the action FINALIZE returns a message, if base version work processes are not idle yet. In later versions a monitoring view will be available in the ECC.

Q: How long do I have to stay in compatibility mode?

A: As long as you need to test the target version to feel comfortable with it and to free base version CPs from active connections.

Q: Are there performance impacts, while the Automation Engine system is being upgraded?

A: Yes, base version processes will slow down to about two-thirds of their normal performance.

Q: Is there a lot of databaseA database is an organized collection of data including relevant data structures. load to be expected while the upgrade is in progress?

A: No

Q: Are there possibilities to optimize load balancing during the upgrade?

A: With a completely duplicated environment/infrastructure. See best practice.

Q: Do I need a separate database for the compatibility mode?

A: No

Q: Do I need to duplicate my infrastructure during the upgrade (including ports for CPs, network connections, etc.)?

A: Possible, depending on your choice how to setup the second environment. See best practice.

Q: Can I install the new version onto the same infrastructure?

A: Yes, depending on your choice on how to setup your upgrade environment. See best practice.

Q: By default, Automic supports 5 CPs. If I have to double that, what do I have to do?

A: You follow the same steps as in previous versions.

Q: Will the database contents be duplicated?

A: No

Q: Can I rollback my database, if the upgrade is not successful?

A: A system rollback is possible, but a rollback of the database is not necessary, as all base version data will be retained.

Q: What happens, if for example a new field or option gets added to an object type in a new product version?
How is that handled in each state of the compatibility mode during upgrade?

A: New fields or tabs are not visible as long as the user is connected via a base version UI. Default values will be used for invisible options. New values will be ignored in case of a rollback.

Q: What happens if the system is in compatibility mode, still running with the base version CPs/WPs as active environment, and a user logs on to a new UserInterface. Will he see the new features already?

A: No, new features will not be visible before processing was upgraded to the target version and a re-login has been performed.

Q: What happens with my long running jobs, if I switch to the new version while the job is running? Will the target version WPs/CPs or the base version WPs/CPs continue the processing?

A: As far as possible target version WPs take over processing. If necessary for technical reasons, for example for a task in status "Generating", base version processes are used.

Q: If I have an extremely long running job and I want to finalize the upgrade, what should I do with that job? Can I restart the job in the target version system?

A: It is not necessary to cancel active jobs, as they do not block the step FINALIZE.

Q: A job is started with 11.2 and execution failed, for example. Can I restart the job with the new version? Is there a difference, if I press "Restart" in the base version UI or in the target version UI?

A: A Restart is possible at any point in time and will not differ across versions.

Q: Can I monitor jobs from both UserInterface versions?
(For example, can I monitor jobs running on the old WPs/CPs from within the new UI? Can I monitor jobs running on the target version WPs/CPs from within the base version UI?)

A: Yes, you can.

Q: Can I see, what currently gets processed in which WP/CP versions?

A: This will be possible in future versions.

Q: If I am a user in the recently updated UserInterface during compatibility mode, would I be able to use the new feature already?

A: Yes, based on the assumption that the option UPGRADE was executed successfully beforehand, which starts the parallel mode.

Q: If I log on to the base version UserInterface during parallel mode, will I be able to see the jobs started in the target version UI as well?

A: Yes.