Database upgrades

Database upgrades change the structure of your database to add new features. Usually, you will upgrade all security files and databases, but there might be occasions when you need to keep some databases in an earlier iBase format.

Important: Between backing up and upgrading the databases, you must not allow any users to access iBase security files or databases. Locking users out of the database after the backup ensures that no data loss occurs in the unlikely event that you encounter problems during the upgrade.

If there's a reason why you cannot upgrade a particular database (for example, you might share it with another organization that is not in a position to upgrade), you can still selectively upgrade other databases. Be aware that when you upgrade a security file, you must also upgrade all databases secured by that security file. To upgrade a subset of databases that are secured by a single security file, you must copy the security file and move the database that you want to convert to a new location.

Note: Copying a security file that's in SQL Server format requires that you also copy the security database to a new instance of SQL Server.

To perform an upgrade of an iBase database and its security file:

  1. If your security file is in SQL Server format, ask the database administrator to bring the security database online following the successful backup.

  2. Open the security file in iBase Designer to start the upgrade.

  3. Ask the database administrator to bring the log file and the main database online.

  4. Open the main database in iBase Designer.

  5. When prompted, select the Upgrade option to initiate the upgrade.

    During the upgrade process, iBase Designer displays a series of warning and status messages that you must acknowledge in order to continue.

    Note: If you don't see a prompt, a database upgrade is not required. However, the version number that you see might still change.

  6. Ask the database administrator to change the upgraded database to multi-user mode, and allow the users back in to the database.

When the upgrade is complete, you can only roll it back by reverting to your backups of the connection files and SQL Server databases.

Additional actions for users of iBase Scheduler

If you're planning to perform a staggered upgrade, enable iBase Scheduler to perform its imports and exports by either starting the Scheduler service or reactivating the Scheduler triggers, using the iBase Scheduler Configuration tool.

Note: If multiple iBase databases are using the Scheduler, an alternative to stopping the service is to deactivate any Scheduler triggers that operate over the databases you are updating. This will ensure that scheduled imports for the other databases continue unaffected.

Additional actions for replicated databases

If you're planning to perform a staggered upgrade, ask your SQL Server database administrator to reconfigure replication between the servers before allowing any users to access the database again.

Note: When making any changes to the database, you should ensure that database replication has been stopped by the SQL Server DBA before the changes are carried out. Replication of the audit log is optional, but if you have chosen to replicate it, the SQL Server DBA must stop replication on this database too.