Preparing the AE Database

As a system administrator, you prepare your database for the upgrade.

Important! As of version 24, the AE DB must be configured to use UTF-8. For more information, see Migrating AE Databases to UTF-8.

This page includes the following:

General Information

When changing the version of the Automation Engine, the AE DB Load utility processes and monitors all the required steps for changing the database. This is necessary because it also modifies data that cannot be changed with SQL. All steps that the utility processes during the upgrading process are logged in the uc_upd.txt file.

The upgrading process comprises of several stages:

  1. Planning the conversion time and creating a plan for a possible re-conversion. Never change to a new Automation Engine version without having planned a re-conversion scenario
  2. Make a backup of the AE database and all the components' directories.
  3. Upgrade your system step by step WITHOUT using the new functions.
  4. Only use the new functions when every component has been converted to the new version and after a particular system-monitoring period.

Each stage consists of many small steps. Your AE system is not upgraded all at once but step by step. The old components are not overwritten and the new files are installed in separate directories. Only the AE database is directly upgraded with the utility AE DB Load. This method has two main advantages:

  1. You can quickly re-convert to the old AE-component version if problems occur in your system environment. Therefore, there is almost no risk for your processing.
  2. Depending on the size of your AE system, the complete upgrading process can take some time. The advantage of upgrading step by step is that you can do so in individual and shorter periods which makes it easier to coordinate the upgrading process with other departments and processes. And it is also easier to locate errors that might occur.

First, upgrade your test system. Possible problems can so be recognized and solved before they occur in your production system. Test the individual upgrading steps, thereby setting up a plan for upgrading your production system.

Please note that:

  • The AE system is not available while the database is being upgraded.
  • After each step of the upgrade installation, it is essential to monitor the new components for some time. Only continue the upgrading procedure when they have proven to run stably.
  • The upgrading process recommended enables production to be continued in the old Automation Engine version at any time. The only requirements are a parallel installation of the components and the provision of a second database instance.

Maintaining the AE Database

It is recommended that you maintain your AE database with the utilities and database-specific tools regularly. For more information, see Automation Engine Database.

However, if you do not do it regularly, you should make sure you reorganize your database before you upgrade it. The smaller the database, the faster the upgrading process to the new Automation Engine version will be.

Carefully read the AE Scripts that refer to the AE database and prepare adjustments (such as tablespaces). In doing so, you see the actions that will take place and respond to them in the database and on the computer on which the database has been installed (for example, by providing disk space).

These scripts are provided in the directories IMAGE:DB\GENERAL\<version> and IMAGE:DB\<database type>\<version>. The UC_UPD.txt is especially important as it contains the database schema that you need to load for the upgrade. For more information, see AE DB Load.

Duplicating the AE Database

For company-critical processing in the AE system, it is best to duplicate and back up your database. In doing so, you may leave one of the databases unchanged and easily re-access your old database, if any problems occur in your system environment.

The database can be duplicated in different ways:

  • For smaller databases: Duplicate the database in offline mode. This can be done during the upgrading process of the core components. During this time, the AE system is not available anyway.

  • For larger/complex databases: Upgrade in online mode before the core components are upgraded.

Inform your database-administration group because the current log files must be stored in the duplicated database.

See also: