Overview

This article explains the phases of upgrading the Jive hosted instance to a major product version. It also outlines the essential considerations you need to make while deciding to upgrade and the scheduling considerations.

Information

Major Upgrades follow a somewhat similarly structured but considerably longer process to Hosted Minor or Point Upgrade Process. There are two reasons for this disparity which are both fairly time intensive:

• A new set of production and UAT instances are created to support the major upgrade.
• Existing data and settings are transferred from your existing instance to the new instance.

Upgrade phases

There are three main phases to a major upgrade:

1. New Instances Built (Launch)
   • The first phase is when the new instances are built. This happens behind the scenes and is mostly invisible to you.
   • We also perform a Data Copy, where data from your existing Production instance is copied to the new Production instance and any available Jive-supported modules are installed. The purpose of this is to give you time to explore and get familiar with the changes in the software while having your existing data available.
   • During this initial phase, customizations will not be carried over.
   • At this point, your original instances remain active and untouched.
2. Test-Run
   • The Test-Run phase includes another refresh of the data from your existing Production instance. The purpose of this phase is to flesh out any issues resulting from the difference in Jive versions (particularly in regards to customizations as they are also carried over in this phase). At this point, your original instances remain active and untouched.
3. Go-Live
   • The Go-Live is the actual transition from your previous production instance running as your live site, to the new production instance taking its place. This happens after all the necessary testing and tweaks have been made during the Test-Run phase.

The last two phases can take between a few weeks to months to complete depending on various factors which include:

• Customizations
• Authentication changes
• Functionality testing

Below is a diagram that helps depict the unique phases your instances go through as you launch and undergo a major upgrade.

Scheduling

• You need to reach out to your Account Manager/Executive for scheduling the upgrades as per Planning a Jive Hosted Instance Upgrade. They will then help you in coordinating the upgrade efforts with the Professional Services team who will perform the upgrade.
• The entire process can take anywhere from a few hours to several hours or more, depending on the database size. Upgrades for most communities finish within a 2-6 hour range.
• The timing for the Go-Live will be coordinated with you once the Test-Run phase is successfully completed. We typically require 2-4 weeks' notice to secure a preferred time slot for the Go-Live.