This article is a guide for performing an ODX and TimeXtender upgrade. If you are interested in learning what has changed in the software, you can review the Release Notes.  

Upgrade Steps:

1. Upgrade ODX Server
2. Download & Install the latest version of TimeXtender
3. Activate the Software
4. Import Settings from Previous Installation
5. Upgrade your Repository database
6. Deploy, Execute, & Validate
7. Review Performance Recommendations
8. Reconfigure your Services
9. Upgrade Subsequent Environments 
10. Troubleshooting

Pre-Upgrade Considerations:

• It is not required to uninstall existing versions before upgrading. 
• It is recommended to backup your repository database and all SQL databases in your project prior to upgrade.
• If you are moving to a new server or changing the database platform you should ensure all prerequisites are installed. 
• If you are using the ODX Server, you must Install & configure the latest version of the ODX Server first. 

Considerations for upgrading Multiple Environments

To handle a multiple environment transfer, the two environments involved in the transfer must be using the same version of TimeXtender. Here is the recommended process for upgrading multiple environments. 

1. Upgrade Dev - Deploy, Execute, & Validate all is working. 
2. Upgrade Test - Deploy, Execute, & Validate all is working.
3. Transfer Dev -> Test - Deploy, Execute, & Validate Test to ensure all is working.
4. Upgrade Prod - Deploy, Execute, & Validate all is working.
5. Transfer Test -> Prod - Deploy, Execute, & Validate Prod to ensure all is working.

You can wait as long as desired between steps. However, you must do them in the above specified order. 

Upgrade ODX Server

On all servers, user accounts and multiple environment setup (if any) :

1. Ensure Development has stopped
2. Ensure all Deployments have completed
3. Ensure any executions are not running on any environment (check Scheduled Executions)
4. Stop Scheduler & Server service on all Environments and set to Disabled as you will be installing new versions of these services.
5. [Right-Click ODX] shut down ODX Service (from within TimeXtender)

ODX

1. Download the latest version of ODX Server
2. Install the latest version of ODX Server
3. Configure ODX Service (follow the prompt on last step of install)
   • (If needed) Acquire correct ODX Repository Secret from Portal here: Repositories - TimeXtender Portal
4. Ensure you select the same ODX Project as previously used
   • You can see ODX Project with most recent activity here: Projects - TimeXtender Portal
5. Complete configuration steps
6. Start the ODX Service (prompt on last step of install)

For more details, review Configure the ODX Server – TimeXtender Support

Download & Install the latest version of TimeXtender

Download TimeXtender

Activate the Software

Once you launch the software, you will be required to Activate with a License Key. You can find your license key in you current installation of TimeXtender under Help>License Information.

Important: If your application server does not have access to the internet then you will need an offline activation file. To obtain an offline activation file, send your request along with your active license key and the newer version# of TimeXtender to support@timextender.com, or you can download an offline activation file by navigating to you product license in the Portal as long as your license supports offline activation AND you have the necessary permissions in the Portal. 

Download an Offline Activation File for a License

Import Settings from Previous Installation

Next, you will have the option to import settings from a previous version,  such as repository database connection properties, accent color, and version detail prompts etc.

Upgrade your Repository database

Once you connect to your existing repository you will be asked asked to upgrade your repository database.  This process will make the necessary adjustments to the database to support the newest version as well as create a backup of repository database in case you need to roll back to previous version of TimeXtender.

TimeXtender will ask you to select the method for upgrading the repository. Web service is typically recommended, however, if your server does not have internet access use Local files. 

We will reconfigure our services at a later step. 

Deploy, Execute, & Validate

At this point it is recommended to open your project and run a differential deploy and execute to ensure the changes to the project if any is updated. Run each area one at a time if the project is very large. If you run into some issues after the upgrade please review Common Upgrade Issues to identify a solution. 

Review Performance Recommendations

Newer versions of TimeXtender come with improved features and scripts to increase performance. The Performance Recommendations module can analyze your project and provide recommendations using these new improved features. You can learn more about Performance Recommendations in the User Guide.

To see your the performance recommendations for your project, Right click on the Project Node > Performance Recommendations > Find...

Of course, once confirmed you will need to Deploy & Execute your changes to apply. 

Reconfigure your Services

If you have any running services in this environment now is the time to reconfigure those services. 

Click on the Tools menu > Windows Service Setup.

Stop any previous versions of the service

Once the windows service setup window opens, identify the scheduler service for the previous version.

1. Right click the previous version of the service > click Stop 
2. Rick click the service again > click Edit Service
3. Change the Startup type to Manual
   1. Note the Username of the Service account, you will use this in the next step.

Assign the Service Account to the correct Project Repository

New Installations of TimeXtender point to a default ProjectRepository name. After upgrading you will need to ensure your service accounts are pointing to the correct repository database. The steps below explain how to link the service account with the correct project repository database.

1. Log into windows using the service account that will be used to run the service and launch TimeXtender. Alternatively, you can navigate to the timextender.exe application file in the installation directory and press Shift+Right-Click and choose Run as different user.

2. 

3. Enter the credentials for the Service Account and click OK. This will run the TimeXtender application as the Service Account user.

   

4. Once TimeXtender launches for the first time as this Server Account, you will have the option to import settings from a previous version. Select the previous version and TimeXtender will import the Repository connection settings as well. 
   If you do not see this prompt, go to Tools > Options > Project repository and point to the correct project repository database. 
5. Close the TimeXtender application.

Start newly installed version of the service

1. Identify the newly installed version of the scheduler service. 
2. Right click > Edit Service
3. Enter the Username and Password of the service account
4. Set the startup type as Automatic
5. Check Start/restart service when I click 'OK'
6. Click OK

Note#1: 

After upgrade and modifying the service account, when you attempt to start the new Scheduler service, and it stops again after a while (can be several minutes) then please review and repeat the steps above under the section Assign the Service Account to the correct Project Repository.

Note#2: If you receive the following error, it is likely because the service is connected to a repository that has not yet been upgraded. This is likely the case if you are running multiple environments on the same server. 

You will need to upgrade the other repository database before this service will start.

Upgrade Subsequent Environments 

It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you perform proper testing and validation procedures after upgrading to ensure all systems are operating properly before upgrading subsequent environments. 

Post-Upgrade Steps

1. Check/Edit all ODX Data Sources and ensure those are pointing to the latest available provider.
2. After a successful upgrade, disable previous version of ODX service or uninstall previous version of ODX Server

Troubleshooting

If you run into other issues during the upgrade process please review Troubleshooting Upgrade Issues.

CData Providers

When upgrading from version prior to 20.5.x new folder paths are created after upgrade.  As a result, you will need to edit and refresh CData sources.  Review update CData Data Sources and point them to the new provider. 

Note:

The providers installed from Tools -> Manage CData providers are installed in the folder below.  Those are used in a Business Unit data source.

C:\ProgramData\TimeXtender\TimeXtender\CData Components\ 

The providers installed from ODX Data Sources -> Manage Data Source providers include both CData and TimeXtender providers.  Those are installed in the folder below, and are used in an ODX data source.

C:\ProgramData\TimeXtender\ODX\Components\CData\