Check-list for an upgrade

Step

Comments

Locate the Breaking changes section in the upgrade notes and make your notes about how to check and adjust your system for such breaking changes.

Create a test bed server to test the upgrade before installing it on the production servers. It can be a GN4 server clone (optionally require a temporary license).

Use a Windows 10 or Windows 7/8 laptop with SQL Express for such testing.

Install all required prerequisites. Look at the Download GN4 files and prerequisites chapter to find the files and prerequisites.

This step is optional, but highly recommended.

In a temporary folder, download new applications, system and custom add-ins.

Expand the applications and system add-ins in appropriate folders on the test bed.

Expand the standard custom add-ins in a temporary set of folders.

This is to avoid overwriting of your custom add-ins

Compare standard custom add-ins with your custom add-ins, and make sure that all the Imports correspond.

Do other changes if needed.

Attempt to compile add-ins.

OPTIONAL STEP

Turn on the Option Strict for the custom add-ins projects and then recompile.

If there are errors, fix them before proceeding. See Add-ins and upgrades for further info.

This protects you again bad surprises during production.

The Strict option will catch many errors during compile time.

Compare your custom workflows, XSLs and other configurations with the standard ones, understand the differences and make necessary changes.

This applies especially on the data import and export.

Compare your schema with the standard one and merge yours with the standard one.

Compare your Editorial_UpdateConfig with the standard Editorial_InstallConfig and merge changes

DO NOT ADD THE DATA IMPORT SECTION of the standard Editorial_InstallConfig to your Editorial_UpdateConfig.

Perform the system upgrade, using the merged Editorial_UpdateConfig.

Do not use the EDITORIAL_INSTALLCONFIG for an upgrade. It will wipe out your custom items!

Perform the thorough test of the basic functionalities on the test system, especially and at least:

•Create a new edition from template.

•Import ads to new edition.

•Merge wires to an article, one wire for each special type you normally use (plain text wire, sport table, TV program, stock exchange), etc.

•Publish an article to Web (if applies).

•Create a sample page in Fred using the usual page designer steps and check everything works.

•Print to PDF.

•Perform final printing and make sure that the naming convention of the output files is still ok.

•Test all your custom scripts, e.g. page jump scripts etc, to make sure they still work as before.

Add more tests here related to the main operations in your system

When all previous is done and ok, you're ready to upgrade the production system to the new build.