Migrating to IBM Connections 5.0

Migrate a production installation of IBM® Connections 4.x to IBM Connections 5.0. For any version of IBM Connections prior to version 4.0, you must migrate to version 4.0 before migrating to version 5.0.

Before you begin

  • Ensure that your environment meets the hardware and software requirements for IBM Connections 5.0 and any interim fixes or Cumulative Refreshes (CRs) you plan to install. For more information, see the IBM Connections system requirements topic.
  • Decide on a migration strategy and deploy additional hardware if needed.
    • A side-by-side data migration strategy minimizes the downtime of your production environment but costs more in terms of hardware resources because you keep your older data active during migration. You install IBM Connections 5.0 and its supporting products on new hardware for testing before deploying the new release. This is the strategy used by most enterprises.
    • An in-place data migration strategy minimizes costs because you do not need to deploy new hardware. However, it causes more downtime because you take the deployment offline to migrate to IBM Connections 5.0, using the same hardware you used for the previous release. You must uninstall IBM Connections 4.x and if applicable, Cognos Business Intelligence, before installing the new release.
    • A file-based repository is commonly used for administrative user accounts. When the data is moved from one WebSphere deployment to another, the unique IDs for the file-based repository users effectively change, causing these users to look like different users if stored in the Communities database. As such, Communities might generate MemberDuplicateLoginIdExceptions since it has apparently found two distinct users sharing the same login id. To avoid this problem:
      1. Run the following command from a wsadmin prompt: execfile('communitiesAdmin.py')
      2. For each file-based repository user, run: CommunitiesMemberService.syncMemberExtIdByLogin("<login name>"), for example: 
        CommunitiesMemberService.syncMemberExtIdByLogin("wasadmin")

About this task

If possible, set up a test environment and simulate the migration process. Correct the cause of any errors that occur and then migrate your production environment.
Note: IBM Connections 4.0 GA, 4.0 with Cumulative Refreshes (CRs), 4.5 GA, and 4.5 with CRs can be migrated directly to version 5.0.

Procedure

Complete all steps that apply to your deployment.

  1. Advise users about any possible outages. For more information, see the Informing IBM Connections users of a migration or update topic.
  2. Back up your current deployment, including databases, FileNet® software, and customized files and settings. For more information, see the Backing up IBM Connections, Saving your customizations, and Backing up Cognos Business Intelligence reports topics.
  3. If you created an optional terms and conditions agreement for the media gallery or used a custom video player in 4.5, back up those files. See Preparing to migrate the media gallery topic.
  4. Stop IBM Connections 4.x.
  5. Export IBM Connections 4.x artifacts. For more information, see the Exporting application artifacts from IBM Connections topic.
  6. Migrate your IBM Connections 4.x data. For more information, see the Migrating data from IBM Connections 4.0 or 4.5 databases to 5.0 topic.
  7. Optional: Uninstall IBM Connections 4.x. This action is recommended if you are installing version 5.0 in place. It is not necessary if you are installing version 5.0 on new hardware.
    Note: Uninstalling IBM Connections 4.5 will also remove your FileNet deployment. Save the FNGCD and FNOS databases of IBM Connections Content Manager; you will connect to these older databases during the IBM Connections 5.0 installation.
  8. Optional: Uninstall Connections 4.0/4.5 Cognos® BI. This action is recommended if you are installing Cognos BI in place. It is not necessary if you are installing Connections 5.0 Cognos BI on new hardware.
  9. Upgrade IBM WebSphere® Application Server to the latest supported version that is needed for the latest Cumulative Refresh or interim fixes. For more information, go to the Installing maintenance packages, interim fixes, fix packs, and refresh packs in the WebSphere Application Server information center.
  10. Complete the Pre-installation tasks that are relevant to migration. For more information, see the Pre-installation tasks topic.

    Some of the Pre-installation tasks describe how to create databases or populate the Profiles database. You do not need to complete those particular tasks because the migration process automatically completes them.

  11. Install IBM Connections 5.0. For more information, see the Installing IBM Connections 5.0 for migration topic.
    Note: To migrate Connections Content Manager, select the application during installation and select New deployment, even though you are migrating. This selection migrates the integrated version of FileNet to IBM Connections 5.0. When you are prompted to enter the database information, connect to the FNGCD and FNOS databases of IBM Connections Content Manager 4.5.
  12. Migrate your content stores. For more information, see the Content store migration topic.

    Reuse the extracted file content that is stored at the location pointed to by the EXTRACTED_FILE_STORE WebSphere variable. You can achieve this by copying the contents of EXTRACTED_FILE_STORE location on the 4.x system to the EXTRACTED_FILE_STORE location on the 5.0 system as part of the content store migration.

  13. Import IBM Connections 4.x artifacts. For more information, see the Importing application artifacts to IBM Connections 5.0 topic.

What to do next

Perform any of the following applicable tasks as needed; in particular take note of the Post-migration tasks: