Sun Java System Application Server Enterprise Edition 8.2 Upgrade and Migration Guide

Upgrade Tool Functionality

The Upgrade Tool migrates the configuration, deployed applications, and certificate databases from an earlier version of the Application Server to the current version. The Upgrade Tool does not upgrade the binaries of the Application Server. The installer is responsible for upgrading the binaries. Database migrations or conversions are also beyond the scope of this upgrade process.

Only those instances that do not use Sun Java System Web Server-specific features are upgraded seamlessly. Configuration files related to HTTP path, CGI bin, SHTML, and NSAPI plug-ins are not be upgraded.


Note –

Before starting the upgrade process, make sure that both the source server (the server from which you are upgrading) and the target server (the server to which you are upgrading) are stopped.


Migration of Deployed Applications

Application archives (EAR files) and component archives (JAR, WAR, and RAR files) that are deployed in the Application Server 7.x/ 8.0 environment do not require any modification to run on Application Server 8.2.

Applications and components that are deployed in the source server are deployed on the target server during the upgrade. Applications that do not deploy successfully on the target server must be migrated using the Migration Tool or asmigrate command, and deployed again manually. For information on migrating applications using the Migration Tool, refer Chapter 6, Migrating from Application Server 6.x/7.x.

If a domain contains information about a deployed application and the installed application components do not agree with the configuration information, the configuration is migrated as is without any attempt to reconfigure the incorrect configurations.

Upgrade of Clusters

While upgrading a configuration containing clusters inApplication Server 7.x, specify one or more cluster files or the clinstance.conf files. In Application Server 8.x, the clusters are defined in the domain.xml file and there is no need to specify separate clusters. Another notable difference is that in Application Server 8.x, all the instances within a cluster reside within the same domain and therefore, in the same domain.xml file. In Application Server 7.x, the instance forming a cluster could span more than one domain.

Transfer of Certificates and Realm Files

The Upgrade tool transfers certificates from the source certificate database to the target. The tool supports conversion of JKS certificates to NSS certificates. The tool transfers security policies, password files from standard, file-based realms, and custom realm classes. Refer Before You Upgrade for specific requirements for providing passwords for the certificate databases.

Upgrade Log

An upgrade log records the upgrade activity. The upgrade log file is named as the upgrade.log and is created in the domains root where the upgrade is carried out.

Upgrade Rollback

If an upgrade in progress is cancelled, the configuration before the upgrade was started is restored.