Maximo Development,Support and Training : Upgrading to Maximo 7.6.1 from Maximo 7.6.0.x

Upgrading to Maximo 7.6.1 from Maximo 7.6.0.x

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Upgrading Maximo 7.6.0.x to Maximo 7.6.1 is like upgrading Maximo 7.5.0.x to Maximo 7.6.0.x:

Install a new SMP directory
Install new versions of WebSphere and/or DB2
WebSphere Application Server:
- If installing to a new server, configure WebSphere with Tivoli's process automatic suite configuration tool
- If installing to an existing server where Maximo is running, using WebSphere migration tools to recreate existing WebSphere 8.5.5.x profiles in WebSphere 9.0.0.7
Database:
- Db2: Follow Db2 instructions to upgrade the database server (if on the same server), the instances and Maximo database
- Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle database: ensure database version is compatible with Maximo 7.6.1
- For all databases: Use Tivoli's process automatic suite configuration tool to connect to existing Maximo 7.6.0.x database. See the Platform Configuration Matrix.

Environment being upgraded in this blog:

The server name is maxsup097, which you may see in some of the screen shots below.

Upgrade scenario notes for this blog post:

1. Since I intend to keep these step-by-step instructions limited to Maximo only, this post will not include WebSphere configuration or migration, or any database upgrade steps.

As can be seen above, I previously installed WebSphere 9.0.0.6 and deployed Maximo 7.6.0.x to it. I will apply WebSphere 9 Fix Pack 9.0.0.7 to bring it into line with the version distributed with Maximo Asset Management 7.6.1. Also, Maximo 7.6.1 may be run on WebSphere 8.5.5.13 or later using Java 8 as the default JDK.

However: Use of the version of Tivoli's process automatic suite configuration tool in Maximo 7.6.0.6+ is not supported, but may work with WebSphere 9.0.0.7. Likewise, the version of Tivoli's process automatic suite configuration tool in Maximo 7.6.1 is not supported, but may work with WebSphere8.5.5.13. In my less-than-exhaustive testing, I found the Maximo 7.6.1.x Config Tool did not detect a correct JMS Queue configuration (and was quirky with Microsoft SQL Server).

Part 0: Upgrade Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016. If at all possible, do not do this. Stand up a new server. It will take a lot less time. (I did it because I had several Maximo 7.6.0.x instances I wanted to test upgrade against and it was easier for me.)

Part 1: Install Maximo Asset Management 7.6.1. See Installing Maximo Asset Management 7.6.1 From Start to Finish Part 1 Only.

In Installation Manager, after installing Maximo 7.6.1 but before running the Config Tool, I added the following packages to the repository:

IBM Maximo Asset Health Insights 7.6.0
Asset Health Insights Feature Pack 7.6.0.5
IBM Maximo for Service Providers 7.6.3
Maximo for Service Providers Fix Pack 7.6.3.2

A Detour Into Installing Packages through Installation Manager

I did this rather than using the Launchpad to avoid prerequisite errors.While the available versions of both products will install to Maximo 7.6.1, they should be updated to the latest Fix Pack before configuring them. This means you will need to download and add the Fix Pack repository to Installation manager after you install the 7.6.x version.

To speed things up, I took a second approach: Bypass the Launchpad and install them at the latest Fix pack right off.

For each of the four packages above, I created a directory with a unique, expanded the main package, and moved the repository zip into the correct directory, for example:

Create directory ahi-760
Download Max_Asset_Health_Insights_760.zip
Expand .zip into Max_Asset_Health_Insights_760 directory
Move \Max_Asset_Health_Insights_760\AssetHealthInstallerRepository.zip into \ahi-60.
Create directory ahi-7605
Download 7.6.0.5-TIV-AHI-FP0005.zip
Move 7.6.0.5-TIV-AHI-FP0005.zip into ahi-7605

and so on. I don't actually need to move the FP into its own directory. Now I have a directory structure:

ahi-760
ahi-7605
sprin-763
sprint-7632

The resulting list of repositories:

IBM Maximo Asset Health Insights. There is an additional step that needs to be taken after installing AHI. Go to the tech note Updating the Maximo Asset Management IoT file. Follow the steps there to download and install the correct IoT configuration files.

IBM Maximo for Transportation 7.6.2: See the tech note Unable to install Maximo for Transportation 7.6.2. Installing Transportation requires following the steps I describe above.

Detour ends

After the repositories are added, click Apply and OK. Click on the big Install button.

Select the add-ons and Industry Solutions and install them to your new Maximo 7.6.1 instance. When installed, keep IBM Tivoli process automation engine configuration utility selected and click Finish.

Part 2:

Click on Configure a new Administrative Workstation to point to an existing Asset Management deployment.

On this screen I selected the WebSphere is already configured radio button. Do not check Bypass WebSphere validation.

Here's the blank Database Instance Information form...

...and here it is filled out, with the cursor carefully placed over the database name, m7609703.

and the same for configuring the Application server:

No J2EE security on my out-of-the-box Maximo:

Next, apply the deployment operations:

The new Maximo 7.6.1 directory is now configured as the Administrative workstation for the database called m7609703.

Another Detour: Backing up the Administrative Workstation.

Nothing has happened to the database or web application server yet. Before we upgrade the database, let's go over what to back up when backing up the administrative workstation.

1. The entire SMP directory. You don't have to back up the EAR files in \SMP\maximo\deployment\default\.

2. The entire Installation Manager shared directory, which contains all of the installed .zipp files. (.zipp is .zip with an extra p.)

but not the Installation Manager application directory, [which in this case I put into C:\IBM rather than C:\Program Files\IBM]. If you need to manually roll back or recreate rather than roll back to a snapshot of the Admin workstation, you will have to install Installation Manager anyway.

3. The hidden folder C:\ProgramData\IBM\Installation Manager. This folder contains the repository database of all of the products installed by Installation Manager.

End of Detour.

Interesting.

Taking Maximo 7.6.1 out of it, all I've done here is install Maximo, and Configure a new Administrative Workstation to point to an existing Asset Management deployment. These steps can be used independently. whenever you need to "move" the admin workstation or it goes missing somehow. Remember: The only irreplaceable piece of Maximo is the database.

Part 4: The Upgrade

While this will be the big part for Maximo users, it is not the big part for Maximo server administrators, which we just completed.