Upgrade Semarchy xDM

This page provides a summary of the process for upgrading the Semarchy xDM platform from earlier versions.

Before the upgrade

Review the documentation

Before starting the upgrade, consider the following:

  • Refer to the latest release notes to stay informed about new features, bug fixes, and more.

  • Familiarize yourself with the installation instructions and system requirements for Semarchy xDM.

  • Understand any major changes that could affect your upgrade, and make sure to review the pre-upgrade actions before starting the upgrade process.

  • Depending on your current version, certain actions may be required after the upgrade. Make sure to review the post-upgrade actions before starting the upgrade process.

Understand major, minor, and patch versions

Version numbers in Semarchy xDM are expressed in the following format: <major_version>.<minor_version>.<patch_version> (e.g., 5.1.5).

An upgrade may be a major upgrade, a minor upgrade, or a patch. The differences between the old version number and the new version number define the type of upgrade.

  • A major upgrade takes place as soon as the major version differs. Major versions include major feature changes, and typically require upgrading the repository and data location. For example, upgrading from 4.3.3 to 5.1.0 is a major version upgrade.

  • A minor upgrade takes place when first digit remains the same but the second differs. Minor versions include minor feature changes, and typically require upgrading the repository and data locations. For example, upgrading from 5.0.3 to 5.1.0 is a minor version upgrade.

  • A patch is applied when only the patch version differs. Patches do not require upgrading the repository or data locations. For example, upgrading from 5.1.0 to 5.1.5 is patching.

Although the process is the same for all types of upgrades, be aware that the repository and data location upgrade steps may be skipped for patches.

Unless specified otherwise, the upgrade path between two versions of Semarchy xDM is direct. You do not need to install intermediate versions.

Select the upgrade path

The upgrade supports two paths:

  • An in-place upgrade consists in installing the new version of Semarchy xDM in place of the previous version and upgrading the existing repositories. With this method, you can revert the environment to its original state by restoring the backup of the server folders and database schemas.

  • An out-of-place upgrade consists in replicating the existing Semarchy xDM environment and upgrading the copy. The original environment remains unchanged.

You may choose one of the other paths for your infrastructure. This choice depends on your IT infrastructure policies for upgrading.