Upgrading system with a new GN4 update
Contents
Each now and then Miles 33 releases GN4 updates. See About GN4 updates and GN4 updates summary.
To get bug fixes, you need to update the GN4 system with the latest update.
The upgrading steps depend on the system layout, and on displacement of GN4 folders.
This topic assumes that there are more IIS servers, one Exalead server, one Back4 server and ClickOnce deploying set up; the server's OS is 64-bit, but the ClickOnce deployment is 32-bit. Your system may have a different layout and different steps may be needed.
Follow the specified order of operations.
Note: if you often update your system with the daily versions, and want to automate the installation of patches, you may want to use custom batch files, downloaders and unzippers. An example of a good scriptable downloader is NCFTP client while a 7z unzipper has a good command line.
More generic information are in Upgrade GN4 server and in Upgrade GN4 clients. See also Command file for IIS server upgrade with ClickOnce regeneration.
Upgrading steps
The following steps ASSUME YOU ALREADY DID THE SUCCESSFUL UPGRADE OF THE TEST SYSTEM! If you did not try to upgrade a test system first, do it before proceeding here!
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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. |
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Expand the applications and system add-ins in appropriate folders on the test bed. |
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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. |
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Attempt to compile add-ins. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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. |
Download the system updates from the Tera FTP server. This includes 32-bit version of applications for the 32-bit ClickOnce package, 64-bit version of applications for IIS and Back4 servers and 64-bit Web servers version for IIS servers. Install all required prerequisites. Look at the Download GN4 files and prerequisites chapter to find the files and prerequisites. |
In this step compare all your customized files (schemas, configuration files such as TED/FRED/SHELL4_TABITEMS and TED/FRED/SHELL4_CONFIG, modified workflows etc) with the standard versions, identify the differences and decide how to merge changes. |
In this step just copy the system update files, even in zipped archives, to all servers. |
Extract GN4bin.zip to the folder where you compile add-ins. Extract GN4bin_64.zip to the folder where you compile add-ins. Assuming you're upgrading to the version XX, these will probably be the C:\TERA\GN4\RELXX\BIN and C:\TERA\GN4\RELXX\BIN64. |
Extract zip with system add-ins to the folder where you keep the add-ins sources. Assuming you're using version XX, this will probably be the C:\TERA\GN4\RELXX\SRC\GN4ADDINS. |
Copy your custom add-ins in the subfolders of the folder where you keep the add-ins sources. It is highly recommended to use a versioning software to keep track of all customizations on files on your system. This includes schemas, configuration files such as TED/FRED/SHELL4_TABITEMS and TED/FRED/SHELL4_CONFIG, modified workflows and custom add-ins. A good examples of versioning software is SVN or GIT. For SVN we offer a server storage that includes the regular backups. |
Compile the GN4add-ins in C:\TERA\GN4\REL6\SRC\GN4ADDINS and check that there are no errors. You may need to "rebuild all". Note: at this point you cannot start the GN4 applications to verify if they work, as the servers are not yet updated. |
Select all files in the C:\TERA\GN4\REL6\BIN folder and copy them over to the server where you keep the ClickOnce generator source folder. |
FROM THIS STEP YOU NEED TO LOG OUT ALL USERS FROM THE SYSTEM!
In the Administrator Command Prompt window, execute iisreset / stop on all IIS servers. |
Use the Services applet of the Control Panel to stop Tera Back4 service on all Back4 servers. |
The procedure typically involves the reload in the database of all merged configuration files. This includes schemas, configuration files such as TED/FRED/SHELL4_TABITEMS and TED/FRED/SHELL4_CONFIG, modified workflows etc. |
Follow the procedure to generate updated ClickOnce package on the server with ClickOnce generator. 1/ Switch to the folder C:\Tera\GN4\ClickOnceGenerator. 2/ In the Administrator command prompt window, run C:\TERA\GN4\streams.exe -s -d C:\TERA\GN4\BIN_32 3/ In the Administrator command prompt window, run BuildClickOnce.bat C:\Tera\GN4\WEB\ClickOnce\GN4apps\apps C:\Tera\GN4\BIN_32 4/ Copy folder: C:\Tera\GN4\WEB\ClickOnce to other IIS servers. |
Copy the updated ClickOnce package on all IIS servers, overwriting the existing one. |
Extract the appropriate version, typically 64-bit, of GNPORTAL files in the GNPortal folder under C:\TERA\GN4\WEB folder, overwriting all existing files. |
Extract the appropriate version, typically 64-bit, of GN4 files in the C:\TERA\GN4\BIN folder, overwriting all existing files. |
Re-register COM files. |
Rebuld GAC on all IIS server but not on BACK4 servers. |
In the Administrator Command Prompt window, execute iisreset / start |
Use the Services applet of the Control Panel to start Tera Back4 service. |
Load the compiled add-ins in database. |
INFORM ALL USERS THAT THEY CAN LOG ON TO THE SYSTEM.
CARRY OUT THESE STEPS TO UPDATE SERVERS WITH NEW 1.6 BUILD (WHEN SCHEMA DIDN'T CHANGE)
________________________________________________________ ON THE SERVER BRI-GN4-W01V-P - make sure no GN4 application is launched - stop Back4 service by executing net stop "tera back4" in the Administrator Command Prompt window.
A/ DOWNLOAD NEW FILES (x86 and x64) 1/ In C:\Miles33Install\DAILY, run download_and_deploy.cmd. 2/ Wait until download and deploy finishes.
B/ UPDATE LOCAL COMPILE FOLDER 1/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4bin.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\rel6\bin replacing all files (but not deleting all in the folder as the folder contains some extra files) 2/ Extract system add-ins to C:\TERA\GN4\rel6\SRC\GN4Addins 3/ Open C:\TERA\GN4\rel6\SRC\GN4Addins\GN4AddInsExpress.sln and rebuild all. New DLLs are created in C:\TERA\GN4\rel6\bin. 4/ Copy the entire folder C:\TERA\GN4\rel6\bin to \\bri-iis-w02v-p\c$\Tera\GN4\BIN_32, BUT NOT DELETING ALL FILES as the folder contain sup.tlx, sscebr.tlx and sscebr2.clx.
C/ UPDATE LOCAL BACK4 FOLDER 1/ make sure the Back4 service is stopped 2/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4bin_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files. 3/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4symbols_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files.
_________________________________________________________ ON THE SERVER BRI-IIS-W02V-P
A/ UPDATE CLICKONCE PACKAGE 1/ Switch to the folder C:\Tera\GN4\ClickOnceGenerator. 2/ In the Administrator command prompt window, run C:\TERA\GN4\streams.exe -s -d C:\TERA\GN4\BIN_32 3/ In the Administrator command prompt window, run BuildClickOnce.bat C:\Tera\GN4\WEB\ClickOnce\GN4apps\apps C:\Tera\GN4\BIN_32 4/ Copy folder: C:\Tera\GN4\WEB\ClickOnce to \\BRI-IIS-W03V-P.nngad.co.uk\c$\Tera\Web 5/ Copy folder: C:\Tera\GN4\WEB\ClickOnce to \\BRI-IIS-W04V-P.nngad.co.uk\c$\Tera\Web
B/ UPDATE LOCAL BIN FOLDER 1/ Stop IIS. 2/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4bin_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files. 3/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4symbols_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files.
C/ UPDATE WEB SERVER 1/ Expand C:\Miles33Install\daily\gnportal_64 in c:\tera\bin\web\ 2/ start IIS.
_________________________________________________________ ON THE SERVER BRI-IIS-W03V-P
A/ UPDATE LOCAL BIN FOLDER 1/ Stop IIS. 2/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4bin_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files. 3/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4symbols_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files.
B/ UPDATE WEB SERVER 1/ Expand C:\Miles33Install\daily\gnportal_64 in c:\tera\bin\web\ *update of server folder 2/ start IIS.
_________________________________________________________ ON THE SERVER BRI-IIS-W04V-P
A/ UPDATE LOCAL BIN FOLDER 1/ Stop IIS. 2/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4bin_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files. 3/ Extract C:\Miles33Install\DAILY\gn4symbols_64.zip to C:\TERA\GN4\bin replacing all files.
B/ UPDATE WEB SERVER 1/ Expand C:\Miles33Install\daily\gnportal_64 in c:\tera\bin\web\ 2/ start IIS.
_________________________________________________________ ON THE SERVER BRI-GN4-W01V-P 1/ Run Edadmin and load new DLLs in database. 2/ Try to run Ted, Fred, Edadmin |