Integration Strategies

Updating DEI Software

DEI periodically updates each software product to add features, improve performance, and fix bugs.  This technical note explains when and how you should update your DEI software.

When to Update

Although DEI recommends that you use the latest release available, if the version you have is working well then you may wish to stick with it.  However, you must update your software under any of the following conditions:

You are having problems and wish to receive technical support.

A newer version may already address your issue.  DEI only supports the latest release.

You were running a trial that has expired.

Once trial software expires, you must download new copies from DEI.

Your license configuration or binding has changed.

Changes to the configuration of your purchased software, such as changing the binding of a server license, require that you download a new copy from your customer download site.

You wish to take advantage of new features.

Features available in new versions of the software generally require that you update both the client and server software.

Newer servers are generally backward compatible with older clients.  So if you update your server software, older clients should continue to operate as before.

Newer clients may not be compatible with older servers.  You should update your servers first, before distributing new clients.

What has Changed

Each release includes a ChangeLog file explaining what has been updated.  You can find the ChangeLog in the download package, on the product trial download page, or in the left margin of your customer download site.

You can also assess the nature of an update by comparing the version numbers of current and previous releases.  See Tech Note 0001 for instructions on finding version numbers and the Revision Codes chapter of the documentation for how to interpret them.  Remember that the Package version is not the same as the Component versions of the individual executables.

In some cases, a release may only contain changes to some components and not others.  For example, a release may update just the installer scripts and not the executable applications.  Some updates may also apply only to certain platforms and not others.  The ChangeLog for each product will explain these distinctions.

The online documentation available via DataExpedition.com always applies to the latest release of the software.  If you are using an earlier version, you must refer to the documentation that was packaged with that version for accurate instructions.  Note that the search function always takes you to the online version.

What to Update

DEI generally recommends that all installations of a product be updated with each new release.  However, this may not be practical for large deployments.  Check the ChangeLog to see which components have been updated to assess how you should distribute new updates.  For example, if only the server component of a product has been updated, there may be no need to distribute new clients.

Since newer servers are generally backward compatible to older clients (see above), existing client users can take their time in updating their software.  Older clients may not have access to all the latest features, but they should continue to work with newer servers.  Just make sure they are updated prior to seeking technical support for them.

Where to Get an Update

Most DEI software is distributed as both time-limited trials and purchased licenses.  Trial and test packages end with a 'T', purchased production packages end with a 'P'.  If you are a licensed customer installing software in a production environment, make sure the package you install ends with a 'P'.

The following links will allow you to download the most recent update for each product.  Open trials can be downloaded by anyone.  Extended trials require a username and password, which you can obtain from our sales department.  Licensed customers are assigned a username and password at the time of purchase which provides access to a secure download site for all purchases.

If you are an end-user or client of a licensed customer, you may need to obtain your software from your system administrator.  Likewise, if you purchased DEI software through one of our resellers or sales partners, you may need to obtain updates from them.

How to Update

If you are a licensed customer, verify that your technical support contract is up to date.  If your support period has lapsed, then the latest version available at your download site may not be the latest release.

Update servers first, then clients last.  Download the appropriate package for each platform from your customer site or trial download link.  To avoid mixing components, DEI strongly recommends that you save and extract the downloaded package into an otherwise empty folder.

When updating an existing installation, the installer may ask you several questions about which components to update.  If your license configuration has changed, you must enter a new license code.  Otherwise, if asked whether you want to enter a new code, you can answer 'n' to retain the existing one.  If you have made custom changes to any of the support files, you will probably want to answer 'n' when prompted to overwrite them.  If you answer 'y', they will be replaced with new default versions.

For major or feature updates (increments to the first or second version number), you may wish to review any custom configuration files and compare them to the new example files.  New features may change how you want to configure the software.

Troubleshooting

The most common problem encountered in the updating process is accidentally installing or running an older version of the software.  The following steps can help you avoid problems:

Verify Package

Make sure you have obtained the correct package for your platform from the correct source.  See Where to Get an Update above for details and links.  In some cases, you may obtain your packages from a reseller or your network administrator.  Remember that package names ending in 'T' are trials which will expire.  Only packages with names ending in 'P' are perpetual.

Save to an Empty Folder

Always download and extract new packages into an empty folder, not your desktop.  If you are using Windows, make sure you Extract all files from the archive: do not just browse the contents.

Do Not Move Components

Do not drag or move files out of the extraction folder.  Use the installation scripts or copy individual files.

Verify License Codes

If you get startup errors about expiration or invalid license codes, or are repeatedly prompted to enter a license code, make sure that you are using the correct code for your software.  If you have made changes to your license configuration, your codes may have changed and you will need to download a new list.  See Tech Note 0007 for more information about license binding.

Verify New Versions

After installation check the server logs to verify that the new version is running.  Check server and client binaries to make sure they are the correct version.  See Tech Note 0001 for instructions on finding version numbers.

Verify User Paths

Check that end-users are actually running the same version as you.  By default, unix clients are installed into /usr/local/bin.  But if a user does not have that component in their path or if they have installed binaries in other locations, then they may end up running an outdated version.

Review Setup Instructions

Review the Setup chapter of the product manual.  Pay particular attention to the Connectivity and License sections, as these are the most likely to be affected by an update.

If you encounter problems, please contact DEI Technical Support or your local reseller for assistance.