Alteryx Server Upgrade !

[dikshit_luthra]

Hello Everyone,

I need to upgrade my Alteryx server and designer. And in order to do so, I have the Alteryx documentation with me, but if someone already had done server upgrade and maintained a TO-DO list/task , will be of great help as I don't want to miss any step.

Any excel or any check points maintained. 

Kindly share, I am doing server upgrade first time. 

Thanks in advance !

[carlosteixeira]

Hi @dikshit_luthra  how are you doing?

I've been doing some upgrades in the last months following the below steps and have been lucky with this.

Make Backups

1. Download all workflows (by gallery API) (just to get one backup in case you have any problem)
2. Pick up existing python packages (PythonPackages workflow)
3. Pick up existing R packages (Rpackages workflow)
4. Pick up RuntimeSettings (stays on C:\ProgramData\Alteryx)
5. Pick up Connections if you have (stay in C:\ProgramData\Alteryx\Engine)
6. Pick up the configuration files for each user of the machine, if you have (stays in C:\users\<user>\Appdata\Roaming\Alteryx\Engine)

1. Saves with prints all configs of Alteryx settings in 1 word file to see
   1. Some configs can have very long text, in such cases that print cannot catch everything, it is good to copy the text properly to the word as well.
2. Saves in the word file the Alteryx designer screen with the license that the machine has and the email you are looking at in the Partner Data License (option within manage licenses)
3. Saves in word file also an AlteryxService print, if it is running with another user (Task Manager > Services >Properties>AlteryxService properties>Log on)
   1. If you are running with a different account, you must ask the customer for the password before the upgrade

Preparing for installation

1. https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Server-Knowledge-Base/Alteryx-Server-Upgrade-Guidelines-Che...
2. Download the installer of the new version
3. Check if gallery has any job running, if you have, need to be canceled.
4. Stop AlteryxService
5. Perform MongoDB backup procedure (emongodump)
   1. To find out which mongo address is being used, go to Alteryx Settings>Controller>Persistance and check the address of the Data folder  
6. Take down any other user who is also connected from the server
7. Remove all scheduled workflows or workflows running manually

(https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Server-Knowledge-Base/Alteryx-Server-Pre-Upgrade-Checks/ta-...)

Installation and settings

1. Open Installer of the new version of the server (run the installer as admin)
   1. Point the installation to the same folder you are currently installed in
   2. Check for predictive tools to be installed
   3. Check to perform MongoDB migration (if embedded)
2. After installation, verify that Alteryx Designer has the previous licenses correctly.
3. Check that the post installation settings are the same as the pre-installation settings (prints saved in the word file of steps 2, and 4)
   1. It is recommended to perform the configuration below if you do not have a previous configuration
   2. 
   3. It is recommended to enable the Engine as "Both Engines" in engine>General
   4. Default number of processing threads = total of processors +1
4. Check if the gallery is actually online again and it's working
5. If the new gallery does not display the admin function, try signing in by using the gallery URL directly by adding "admin" at the end
6. Clean cache and cookies
7. Check gallery settings
8. Upload simple in-out flow from the designer to the gallery to test whether it's moving streams correctly

Post-installation procedures

1. If the environment has CreW macros, make sure that with the update the tools are still there
2. Run python and r libs check streams (CheckPythonPackages and CheckRPackacges streams)
3. Install Python packages (Install_Python_Packages)
   1. It is recommended to first seek to install packages that appear to be security-related (e.g., cryptography and bcrypt)
4. Install R packages (flow Install R Packages)
   1. The Jeeves package, if it appears, usually does not update even though it has been discontinued
5. If the server has gone to version 2020.1 or higher, install the Alteryx Server Usage report to be able to analyze the server

Hope this help you!

[dikshit_luthra]

Hi carlosteixeira 

This is very helpful, will definitely follow all these steps.

Just one more thing, do you have any specific commands for backup , restore as well.

I'll try to modify the same and complete the task .

Thanks 

[carlosteixeira]

Hi @dikshit_luthra 

to backup/restore mongo, you can follow this steps:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Server-Knowledge-Base/Alteryx-Server-Backup-and-Recovery-Pa...

Best regards

Carlos A Teixeira

[dikshit_luthra]

Hi carlosteixeira

Really appreciate. Thanks !

[dikshit_luthra]

Hi carlosteixeira ,

Can you please assist , if we just need to upgrade to Alteryx Admin designer new version , as we do not have any server with us , just an Alteryx Admin designer license. What are the steps involved, do we require any backup or not in this case .

Version working : 2019.3.5

[carlosteixeira]

Hi @dikshit_luthra 

In the case of upgrading only Alteryx Designer, you do not need to make any backups, just install the new version.
If you want to be conservative, and if you have python or R packages installed, it would be worth making a list with what packages you have and after the upgrade install them again.

Other than that, nothing else.

Hugs

[dikshit_luthra]

Thanks carlosteixeira 

[dikshit_luthra]

Hi carlosteixeira 

Thanks for providing your input and valuable time.

Just one question :

1. As already using Admin designer, so the new version that I should download should be ADMIN only.!?

2. what if I download both admin and non-admin latest versions. 

3. will my license key work both on production as well staging environment, I do not have Alteryx on my staging but we require to do so . 

[carlosteixeira]

Hi @dikshit_luthra follow my answers:

Thank you for providing your input and valuable time.

Just one question :

1. As I'm already using the Admin designer, so the new version I should download should be just ADMIN.!?

Depends on what you want to do.
If you are using the ADMIN version and want to keep only that version, you download the ADMIN version and install it.

If you want to have two versions, one more current and another version, in your case, you would need to download NON-ADMIN, as @JosephSerpis  said in the other post you will have two versions installed at the same time on the machine.

2. what if I download the latest admin and non-admin versions.

3. my license key will work in both the production environment and test environment, I don't have Alteryx in my test but we need to do this.

No, your license key will only work on a single machine, in the case of two versions on the same machine as mentioned above the license will work on both (they are on the same machine). If the installations are on separate machines (dev and prod environments) you will need two licenses, one for each machine.