Upgrading to the latest version
A new application update is released periodically, typically at the end of every calendar quarter. Upgrade to the new application update regularly to take full advantage of new features and application fixes as well as to be compliant with subcapacity licensing requirements. Additionally, intermediate fixes are released when some security vulnerabilities need to be addressed.
Upgrading policy
The upgrading policy is intended to help you achieve correctness of reports of license metric utilization and to reduce the number of changes to endpoint components, which in turn reduces the total cost of maintenance. License Metric Tool components should be upgraded according to the following policy.
- License Metric Tool server
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Plan to upgrade the License Metric Tool server to the latest application update once per quarter. Upgrading the server gives you access to new features as well as data aggregation and reporting capabilities. It also ensures currency of the software catalog that allows for properly classifying the discovered software.
- Scanners, VM Manager Tool, Scans Relay and BigFix® components
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You do not need to proactively upgrade the scanners, VM Manager Tool instances, Scans Relay or BigFix components to the latest version every quarter. Upgrade these components when their existing versions:
- Do not support a virtualization technology, operating system, processor, or a hypervisor. For more information, see the following links:
- Have security vulnerabilities. For more information, see: Security enhancements.
- Have defects that affect license counting as indicated in Known Issues and defect fixes.
- Are no longer supported in general or in a specific scenario.
Upgrading paths
- Application updates
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Upgrading the License Metric Tool server directly to the latest application update is possible for eight versions back.
For older versions, you need to use the intermediate installer and upgrade the server to the application update that is available on Fix Central. Then, you can upgrade the server to the latest application update.
- For application updates between 9.2.36 and 9.2.43, upgrade the server directly to application update 9.2.44.
- For application updates earlier than 9.2.36, upgrade the server to the intermediate version first. For more information, see: Upgrading from old versions.
- Intermediate fixes
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Upgrading the License Metric Tool server to an intermediate fix is possible only within the scope of the same application update. For example, you can upgrade to intermediate fix 9.2.43.1 from application update 9.2.43, but not from application update 9.2.42.
Other considerations
Do not manually upgrade Java or WebSphere Liberty Profile that are part of License Metric Tool. If these components have known security vulnerabilities, upgrade the License Metric Tool server to the latest version.