Upgrade Semarchy xDM

This page provides a summary of the process for upgrading the xDM platform from earlier versions.

Before the upgrade

Review the documentation

Before starting the upgrade, consider the following:

  • To stay informed about new features, bug fixes, and more, see the latest release notes.

  • Familiarize yourself with the installation instructions and system requirements for xDM.

  • Understand any major changes that could affect your upgrade, and make sure to review the pre-upgrade actions before starting the upgrade process.

  • Depending on your current version, certain actions may be required after the upgrade. Make sure to review the post-upgrade actions before starting the upgrade process.

Understand release versions and types

Semarchy xDM releases are identified by a version number and a release type (e.g., 2023.1.0 LTS).

Version number

Version numbers in xDM are expressed in the following format: <major_version>.<minor_version>.<patch_version> (e.g., 2023.1.0).

The first two numbers reflect the year and quarter of the first GA release for a given minor version. For example, xDM 2023.2 was released in the second quarter of 2023.

Patches increment the <patch_version> number. For example, patches for the initial 2023.2.0 release are numbered 2023.2.1, 2023.2.2, etc.
Although these patches occur later in time, the first GA release date for 2023.2 remains unchanged.

Release type

Releases also have a release type:

  • Mainstream support (MS) releases occur quarterly and introduce new features. MS releases accelerate the availability of new features for customers who want access to the latest improvements and enhancements as soon as possible.

  • Long-term support (LTS) releases typically occur every year and consolidate features introduced by the previous MS releases. They are maintained and supported for a longer time. LTS releases provide an option more suited for slowly changing environments, or for customers who prefer a fully supported environment for an extended time without having to apply upgrades other than patches.

The first release date and the release type define the end-of-maintenance and end-of-support for a given release.

For additional information regarding LTS and MS release types, see our Global support policy on the Semarchy website. This page also lists release dates and support timelines for each release.

Major, minor, and patch upgrades

Upgrades may be categorized as major, minor, or patch, depending on the changes in the version number.

  • A major upgrade is indicated by a change in the major version number. Major upgrades involve significant feature changes and typically require repository and data location upgrades. For example, upgrading from 5.3.0 to 2023.1.0 represents a major upgrade.

  • A minor upgrade is indicated by a change in the minor version number, while the major version number remains the same. Minor upgrades include smaller feature changes and typically require repository and data location upgrades. For example, upgrading from 2023.1.0 to 2023.2.0 represents a minor upgrade.

  • A patch is indicated by a change in the patch version number only. A few exceptions aside, patches do not require repository and data location upgrades and are easily reversible. For example, upgrading from 2023.1.0 to 2023.1.3 represents a patch upgrade.

    Although the process is the same for all upgrade types, repository and data location upgrade steps can generally be skipped for patches.

Unless otherwise specified, the upgrade path from one version of xDM to another is direct. You do not need to install intermediate versions.

Select the upgrade path

The upgrade supports two paths:

  • An in-place upgrade consists in installing the new version of xDM in place of the previous version and upgrading the existing repositories. With this method, you can revert the environment to its original state by restoring the backup of the server folders and database schemas.

  • An out-of-place upgrade consists in replicating the existing xDM environment and upgrading the copy. The original environment remains unchanged.

You may choose one of the two paths depending on your IT infrastructure policies for upgrading.

In-place upgrade

The in-place upgrade path is as follows:

  1. Review and perform the pre-upgrade actions.

  2. Stop all server instances and connections.

  3. Backup your installation.

  4. Install the new server version.

  5. Configure the new server.

  6. Start one new server instance.

  7. Upgrade the repository.

  8. Upgrade the data locations.

  9. Restart all server instances.

  10. Perform the post-upgrade actions.

Out-of-place upgrade

The out-of-place upgrade path is as follows:

  1. Review and perform the pre-upgrade actions.

  2. Stop all server instances and connections.

  3. Backup your installation.

  4. Duplicate your database schemas.

  5. Install the new server version.

  6. Configure the new server.

  7. Start one new server instance.

  8. Upgrade the repository.

  9. Upgrade the data locations.

  10. Restart all server instances.

  11. Perform the post-upgrade actions.