FAQ - Zero Downtime Upgrade
In this page you find answers to the most common questions concerning the
Important! When upgrading to versions 12.3 and higher, please check the new port definition for all types of server processes and check for incompatibilities.
More information:
FAQ
Q: Is there a lot of database load to be expected while the upgrade is in progress?
A: No
Q: Will the database contents be duplicated?
A: No
Q: Do I need a separate database for the compatibility mode?
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 current version data will be retained. However, all database changes persist even if you use the rollback option.
Q: Are there performance impacts, while the Automation Engine system is being upgraded?
A: Yes, current version processes will slow down to about two-thirds of their normal performance.
Q: Are there possibilities to optimize load balancing during the upgrade?
A: With a completely duplicated infrastructure, see ZDU - Distributed Installation.
Q: How long do I have to stay in compatibility mode?
A: As long as you need to test the new version to feel comfortable with it and to free current version CPs from active connections.
Q: Do I need to duplicate my infrastructure during the upgrade (including ports for CPs, network connections, etc.)?
A: Possibly, depending on how you chose to setup the second environment, see ZDU - Distributed Installation.
Q: Can I install the new version onto the same infrastructure?
A: Yes, depending on how you chose to setup the upgraded environment, see ZDU - Distributed Installation.
Q: Are users forced to login again to the new system?
A: When in parallel mode, users still connected to the AWI instances of the current version must be disconnected, so that the CPs from the new version can take over. The users have to login to a new AWI instance to use new version features.
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 to the current version. Default values are used for invisible options. New values are ignored in case of a rollback.
Q: Can I use the new features already during the compatibility mode?
A: Yes, if you are logged on in a new AWI instance and a new session after upgrade.
Q: What happens if the system is in compatibility mode, still running with the current version CPs/WPs as active environment, and a user logs on to a new Automic Web Interface. Will he see the new features already?
A: No, new features will not be visible before processing was upgraded to the new version and a re-login has been performed.
Q: If I am a user in the recently updated AWI 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: Can I see which WP/CP versions are connected?
A: Yes, in the Processes & Utilization page of the Automation Engine Management section of the Administration perspective, see Processes and Utilization.
Q: If I log on to the current version during parallel mode, will I be able to see the jobs started in the new version as well?
A: Yes.
Q: How do we know that jobs from the current version are completed?
A: You can check their status in the Process Monitoring perspective, in which you can also apply filter criteria to check the ZDU version, see Process Monitoring Perspective and Filtering Tasks.
Q: A job is started in the current version and the execution failed. Can I restart the job with the new version?
A: A Restart is possible at any point in time and will not differ across versions.
Q: What happens with my long running jobs, if I switch to the new version while the job is running? Will the new version WPs/CPs or the current version WPs/CPs continue the processing?
A: As far as possible new version WPs take over processing. If necessary for technical reasons, for example for a task in status Generating, current 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 new version system?
A: It is not necessary to cancel active jobs, as they do not block the step FINALIZE.
Q: Can I delete the entries in the Database page of the upgrade wizard?
A: You can delete some of them.
When you reach the Database page in the upgrade wizard, the Automation Engine has already deleted old entries that were no longer required. The Automation Engine cannot or should not delete some of the remaining entries. Here is how you find out if you can delete them:
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Entries with RunID
In the Process Monitoring perspective, check if the current version still has tasks running. Check also for tasks that just ended. You could use a filter that checks all statuses in the current version. If there are tasks still running, you have to wait for them to end. If there are tasks that just ended, you have to deactivate them.
If the Process Monitoring perspective does not list tasks from the current version, you have to check the RunIDs of the entries that are displayed in the Database page of the upgrade wizard, paying special attention to the status of those tasks. Sometimes, if the status of a task has been manually modified, the new status is displayed in the Process Monitoring perspective but not in the statistic. Therefore, the system does not recognize that the tasks ended. If the upgrade wizard has entries with an active status but the Process Monitoring perspective does not list them, you can delete them.
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Entries without RunID
Entries without RunID typically show connections between Users and the system. Check if there are Users that are still connected to old Communication Processes (CPs). You can do so by checking the list of server processes or the User connections. If there are Users still connected, you can either wait for them to disconnect themselves or you can disconnect them yourself.
Once there are no more User connections to old Communication Processes (CPs), you can delete the entries from the Database page of the upgrade wizard.
See also: