Upgrading software and migrating applications

You use the Datacap installation program to upgrade Datacap 8.0.1, 8.1.0, and 9.0 Datacap software to Datacap 9.0.1. Your customized code might not be retained from the previous version.

Before you begin

For hardware and software requirements, see System Requirements: Hardware and Software Requirements for IBM® Datacap, Version 9.0.1.

About this task

Attention: Information on migrating V9.0 applications to 9.0.1 can be found at http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21973739.

Upgrade a production client/server environment by installing Datacap software on newly provisioned computers and migrating the application to a new environment. You can upgrade Datacap software in place (without removing an existing older version) in non-production environments by installing Datacap 9.0.1 on a computer with Datacap 8.1 or 8.0.1. Complete the following general steps to upgrade and migrate your Datacap applications. Each step can require some extensive installation or customization tasks.

Procedure

To upgrade software and migrate applications from a previous release:

  1. Configure a Datacap 9.0.1 test environment:
    1. In a non-production development environment, install Datacap 9.0.1. It is possible to install Datacap 9.0.1 on a system with existing Datacap software installed. Use this installation to deploy, configure, and test any modifications.

      You might also use new interfaces that are available on Datacap 9.0.1. For example, since Version 8.0.1, the Datacap Web Client and IBM Content Navigator administrative clients replaced the Datacap thick client. For installation details, see Installing, configuring, and running Datacap in a client/server environment .

    2. Review the installation topics that describe the export and import of encryption keys. You must have FIPS encryption as of version 8.1.0 for password protection.
    3. Migrate and copy your customizations from your previous Datacap environment to this test environment.
    4. Open Datacap Studio and determine whether any existing rules or actions were eliminated or deprecated in the new release. Deprecated actions are designated as Private and they cannot run in the Test tab in Datacap Studio. But they can run in your updated applications. In a subsequent release, remove these deprecated actions from the application.
    5. Modify your customized settings as needed.
    6. Update the code and customized user interfaces that were not fully migrated to maintain your current level of function.
    7. Apply any new features in the updated software version that you want to implement.
    8. Test your updated applications and configuration in the development environment against your current production system. You run this parallel testing to validate features, performance, connectivity, and volume throughput. For example, ensure that program communication works as intended between servers and clients, web or otherwise. FIPS encryption is new as of Datacap 8.1.0 and is documented in the client/server installation topics. Encryption keys must match on all computers in the configuration to protect passwords for program-related accounts.
  2. Configure a Version 9.0.1 production environment:
    1. Install and verify the new version of Datacap software on computers that are not running current Datacap software. For installation details, see Installing, configuring, and running Datacap in a client/server environment.
    2. Copy the migrated or newly customized applications from your test environment to the newly installed release. For details on migrating database information, see Copying the application to the Datacap server.
    3. Test and verify the functions of the new configuration before you deploy it into production.
    4. Ensure that users can connect to the newly updated production-ready configuration.
    5. Switch to the newly configured system for production use. For example, you might disable user activity permanently on the previous production system and ensure that new server IP addresses are correctly designated.