Upgrading components of License Metric Tool (BigFix scenario)

You can upgrade to License Metric Tool 9.2.35 from all 9.x versions. Upgrade of License Metric Tool consists of upgrading the server, VM Manager Tool, and the scanner as well as restarting actions created by fixlets that were updated. Upgrading the License Metric Tool server to the latest version is a one-click process for 8 versions back. For older versions, additional steps are required. You cannot upgrade between different operating systems.

1. Optional: If you have a test environment, you can first perform the upgrade in the test environment. For more information, see: Optional: Upgrading the License Metric Tool server in the test environment (BigFix scenario).
2. Verify whether your version of the database is supported by the new version of the License Metric Tool server. If it is no longer supported, upgrade the database.
   Ensure that the version of the database to which you are upgrading fulfills the following requirements.

   • It is supported by your current version of License Metric Tool and the one to which you are upgrading.
   • If you share the database between License Metric Tool and BigFix, the database version is supported by both applications.

   If you cannot fulfill these requirements or for more information, see the following links.

   • Upgrading the DB2 database (BigFix scenario).
   • Upgrading the MS SQL Server database (BigFix scenario).

   Note: If your version of the database is no longer supported, the Upgrade to the latest version of License Metric Tool fixlet is not relevant.
3. If you upgraded the database, log in to License Metric Tool and run the import. It is necessary to make the fixlet for upgrading the License Metric Tool server relevant.
4. Create a back up of the License Metric Tool database, installation registry, and the server files to be able to restore the server if the upgrade fails. For more information, see: Backing up the server.
5. If the computer on which the BigFix server is installed does not have the Internet access, update the fixlet site. Otherwise, the site is updated automatically after its new version is released. For more information, see: Updating the fixlet site.
   Note: To check whether you have the latest version of the fixlet site, see: Checking the version of the fixlet site.
6. Upgrade the License Metric Tool server. The easiest and preferred method is by using a fixlet. To use this method on Linux, the server must be installed by a root user. Alternatively, you can upgrade the server in interactive or silent mode.
   To upgrade the server with a fixlet, perform the following steps.
   1. In the BigFix console, go to Sites > External Sites > IBM License Reporting (ILMT) v9 > Fixlets and Tasks.
   2. Select Upgrade to the latest version of License Metric Tool, and click Take Action.
      If the fixlet is not relevant, check for the most common reasons. For more information, see: Installation and upgrade problems.
   3. Select the computer on which the server is installed, and click OK.
      To check the status of the upgrade in the BigFix console, go to Actions and look for the upgrade action. If the upgrade fails, check the logs. For more information, see: Server installation and upgrade logs. You can resume a failed upgrade after you solve the problem. For more information, see: Resuming a stopped or failed upgrade. To use the resume mode, you need the License Metric Tool installer. To download the installer, run the Download IBM License Metric Tool fixlet.

   During the upgrade of the server, new software catalog and PVU table are uploaded to License Metric Tool.

7. If the new version of the VM Manager Tool contains security fixes, fixes of problems that appear in your environment, or new features that you want to use, upgrade the VM Manager Tool to the latest version.
   • If you use the local VM Manager Tool, it is upgraded automatically during the upgrade of the License Metric Tool server.
   • If you use the central or distributed VM Manager Tool, see: Upgrading the central or distributed VM Manager Tool.
   • If you use the disconnected VM Manager Tool, see: Upgrading the disconnected VM Manager Tool.
   To check which type of the VM Manager Tool you have, log in to License Metric Tool, hover over Management, and click VM managers. Then, check the value in the Deployment Type column. Both disconnected and distributed VM Manager Tool are listed as Distributed.
8. If the new version of the scanner contains security fixes, fixes of problems that appear in your environment, or new features that you want to use, upgrade the scanner to the latest version.
   To update the scanner, perform the following steps.
   1. In the BigFix console, go to Fixlets and Tasks.
   2. Select Install or Update Scanner, and click Take Action.
   3. Select all relevant computers, and click OK.
   If you use disconnected scanners, update them as well. For more information, see: Updating the disconnected scanner (disconnected scenario).
9. If some of the fixlets were updated on the action site, and you want to use features for which running the new version of the fixlet is required, restart actions created by these fixlets. Otherwise, the new features might not work properly. View the fixlet version in the console to see which actions need to be restarted.
   To restart the actions, perform the following steps.
   1. In the BigFix console, go to Actions.
   2. Look for actions started by the fixlets that were updated, right-click each action, and click Stop Action.
   3. Run the updated version of the fixlets.
   For information about best practices related to restarting actions, see: Upgrading components of the BigFix platform (BigFix scenario).
10. To ensure that all changes are processed, run an import. In License Metric Tool, click Management > Data Imports, and click Import Now.
    Important: The first import after the upgrade might last longer because it includes the new software catalog.
11. Optional: Upgrade the BigFix platform. In most cases, upgrading the BigFix platform is not required as features of License Metric Tool are independent from the version of BigFix. Thus, your decision to upgrade the BigFix platform mainly depends on your business needs. For more information, see: Upgrading components of the BigFix platform (BigFix scenario).