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

FAQ - Zero Downtime Upgrade

As of version 11.2 of the Automation EngineThis component drives an Automation Engine system and consists of different types of server processes. you can upgrade your AE system without any downtime using the Zero Downtime UpgradeA special function in the Automation Engine, which is meant to enable system upgrades between major versions, minor versions or service packs without the necessity of closing down the AE system at any point during the 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-loginAn Automation Engine object type that stores account credentials used by agents on target systems. 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 actionActions are predefined building blocks for recurring activities. They are commonly used for managing third party systems or in deployment scenarios. FINALIZE returns a message, if base version work processes are not idle yet. In later versionsAn application version holds zero or more deployment packages and may have dependencies to zero or more application versions of the same (or to different) applications a monitoring view will be available in the ECCAbbreviation for the Enterprise Control Center.

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 doubled environmentAn Environment consists of Deployment Targets which represent your endpoints. Different environments are used for different phases in the software delivery cycle, for example Development, QA, Staging, Production. An environment is typically set up once and used by several applications./infrastructure. See best practice.

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

A: No

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

A: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 have to conduct 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 typeAn individual object is provided for the individual activities: There are User, UserGroup, Notification, Cockpit, CodeTable, Documentation, Event, Agent, FileTransfer, Group, Include, Job, Workflow, Calendar, Login, Client, RemoteTaskManager, Schedule, Script, Server, Sync, Variable and TimeZone objects in a new product version?
How is that handled in each stateThe state a package or a task currently is in. of the compatibility mode during upgrade?

A: New fields or tabs are not visible as long as the userIn the Automation Engine, a user is an instance of a User object, and generally the user is a specific person who works with Automic products. The User object is assigned a user ID and then a set of access rights to various parts of the Automation Engine system and product suite. These access rights come in the form of Automation Engine authorizations and privileges, Decision user roles and EventBase rights and ARA web application object rights. You can manage all these centrally in the ECC user management functions. See also, Unified user management. 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 UserInterfaceThis is the Automation Engine's graphical user interface. [Formerly called the "Rich Client", "RichGUI" and "Dialog Client."]. 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 jobAn Automation Engine object type for a process that runs on a target system. 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 taskAn executable object that is running. Tasks are also referred to as activities. in statusThis represents the condition of a task (such as active, blocked, generating). "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 restartA restart refers to the repetition of an object's execution. This action differs from a new start in some parts. 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.

 

 

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