Upgrading to the latest version of Rocket DevOps isn’t just about staying current, it’s about unlocking new features, improving performance, and ensuring your workflows run smoothly and securely. In this Rocket Software Forum post, you’ll find best practices, step-by-step instructions, and expert tips to help ensure your upgrades remain seamless.
Note: Access to Rocket Community Portal is required to perform these tasks.
Step 1: Check OS Compatibility
You can find the compatibility charts for all Rocket DevOps products within Rocket Community Portal > Documents > Rocket DevOps Compatibility Charts. You must ensure the version you are upgrading to is supported by your current OS version.
Step 2: Obtain Product Upgrade Documentation
The steps to upgrade to the latest Rocket DevOps version can be found within Rocket Community Portal > Documents tab > Follow path based on product:
RDOi: Click the tile for DevOps core for IBMi > Open the Rocket DevOps core for IBMi Installation Guide > Navigate to the Prepare to Install or Upgrade section
RDOe: Click the tile for DevOps core for enterprise > Open the Rocket DevOps core for Enterprise Installation and Upgrade Guide for IBMi Servers > Navigate to the Prepare to Install or Upgrade section
We encourage that you read the documentation completely before starting your upgrade.
Step 3: Confirm Special Upgrade Requirements
Before you upgrade, there are mission critical steps that must be completed, or your upgrade has a high likelihood of failure. These steps must be performed in advance of the upgrade, and again right before your upgrade, to ensure no new issues have been introduced.
DevOps core for IBMi:
Per the section "Checking File Constraints Before Upgrade," run the constraint-checking program LMIVALCST well before and before your upgrade. This will help ensure troubleshooting of potential errors has taken place before your upgrade, and preferably during normal business hours.
Note: If your source version is 8.2B specifically, you must review the special instructions for upgrading from LMi V8.2B in the Checking File Constraints section regarding the potential need for PTF180626. If applicable, this PTF would need to be applied before the upgrade from 8.2B.
DevOps core for enterprise:
Upgrades from earlier Enterprise releases include complex database changes. We highly recommend you take advantage of the complimentary pre-upgrade verification run on a Rocket test server before upgrading from earlier versions. Please allow us 10 business days to complete the test.
Enter Rocket Community Portal > click on Knowledge Base tab > locate the following articles:
> How To Save ALSCCTL & AFFTCTL on the IBM i for Aldon Security Server and LMe Upgrade Verification and/or Troubleshooting Database Issues
> How To Create a Save File on the IBM i and FTP the Save File to a PC
> How to Upload Large IBMi Save Files to the Rocket FTP Site
Please ensure you have opened a case with Technical Support for all associated upgrade activity/questions. Once you have uploaded your file to the FTP site per the previously mentioned KB Articles, please update your case to inform us by providing the exact file name.
DevOps core and Enterprise Integration:
To determine if the link between RDOi and RDOe is active, and to confirm if your version of RDOi is compatible with your version of RDOe, you can check the following information to help dictate if an RDOi/e upgrade must be performed simultaneously or at different times.
To determine if you are actively utilizing the integration between RDOi and RDOe, you can check the results from your host IBMi with the following query:
select * from AFFTCTL/CMSREG where rowvertyp=0
To determine your current version of RDOi and RDOe, you can check the following data area from your host system where the product is installed:
RDOi: DSPDTAARA ACMSLIB/ACMSVER
RDOe: DPSDTAARA DTAARA(AFFTLIB/AFFTVER)
Step 4: Download the Product Images
You can download the latest images for upgrade from Rocket Community Portal > Downloads >
> DevOps core for IBM i
> DevOps core for Enterprise
> DevOps portal
Note: The upgrade may require multiple steps. Consult the Upgrade Documentation to confirm.
Step 5: Obtain License Keys
License keys are based on a combination of software version, hardware serial number, and hardware model number. If this information changes, new permanent license validation codes will be needed.
1. Check Existing License Information:
RDOi: Sign on to the RDOi Host > ADDLIBLE ACMSLIB > ALDINSTALL > Option 5 against RDOi to display installation data > Position the cursor on the message at the bottom of the screen and Page Down through the messages to determine current licenses for all feature codes.
RDOe: Sign on to Security Server > Click on Manage Products and Instances > Click on RDOe instance > Click on License > Confirm license value information
2. Request for Permanent License Keys:
Permanent license key requests must be submitted via the form located here:
https://www.rocketsoftware.com/products/rocket-devops/request-validation-code
After form submission, a new case will be populated in our system for processing. Approval from your Account Executive team may be required before providing new permanent licenses, which could take at least 24-48 hours.
3. Obtain Temporary 30-Day License Keys:
For immediate access to a license, and so your upgrade activities are not delayed, you can self-generate temporary 30-day keys by following these steps:
Login to Rocket Community Portal > Click on the License Keys tab > click on License Key Generator and complete the form using the DevOps product family.
Additional Topics
Housekeeping:
Please consider performing housekeeping in conjunction with your company retention policies by reviewing DevOps Housekeeping knowledge base articles available via Rocket Community Portal > Knowledge Base > Search for the any of the following keywords:
> RDOi Housekeeping Recommendations
> Housekeeping recommendations for Rocket DevOps core for Enterprise (RDOe)
After Hours Support:
If you plan to complete the upgrade outside of standard support hours (M-F, 8 AM-5 PM for your region), we offer at no cost after-hours severity-1 support. For after-hours severity-1 support, please call us at +1 781-577-4323 and press 1 to reach Technical Support. A phone call is required, as cases are not actively monitored outside of normal business hours.
Customer Solutions:
Technical Support is available for troubleshooting issues with your Rocket DevOps software or provide question/answer sessions regarding current product documentation. Should you prefer a more hands-on approach from Rocket for your upcoming activities, our Customer Solutions team can perform and/or guide you through the process. Let us know if you'd like a service quote and we'll help you get started.
