Typical software upgrades are almost without exception Synchronous Upgrades. In fact, Hyland coined the term “Synchronous Upgrade,” since it stands in contrast to a strategic upgrade process which is unique to OnBase.
We document, support, and recommend an Incremental Parallel Upgrade Process (IPUP). This unique approach and competitive advantage involves upgrading a small number of components of a solution at a time, reducing the scope of risk. Downtime is much shorter than during a synchronous upgrade, since the only time the system is completely unavailable is during the database upgrade. Next, additional components of the upgraded version are deployed in parallel with current version components, in staged increments, and access to the legacy version implementation remains available as a fallback until the entire process is complete.
At a high level, an Incremental Parallel Upgrade consists of three phases:
- Test the upgrade. Perform an IPUP in a test environment and test after each increment. During this phase, identify and document each step of the process.
- Begin the IPUP in the production environment. After each incremental step, test and allow enough time to assess the progress. Prepare for the next increment. Repeat this step until all servers, clients, processes and licensed products are accounted for. During this phase, a system-wide freeze should be placed on all major configuration changes.
- Perform post-upgrade cleanup. Legacy implementations and software are removed. Once the environment is stable, future product deployments and upgrades can be planned.
Administrators have the option to migrate logical segments of users at a planned time, ensuring that many portions of their workforce will not be exposed to the risk of outage at any one time. The Incremental Parallel Upgrade Process itself does not include a specific deadline for system cutover; it can take place over a short or an extended period of time, often between 30 and 90 days. OnBase database architecture has always been designed to support this approach, which has been used successfully both internally and by customers for years.
Every Incremental Parallel Upgrade requires close collaboration with your support representative. Please consult with your support representative before and during any upgrade process.
Specific modules are discussed later in this document. These discussions only supplement—and do not replace—other sources of OnBase information and documentation. This document should be reviewed before planning any IPUP.