This documentation supports an earlier version of BMC Helix IT Service Management on-premises deployment.To view the documentation for the latest version, select 23.3.04 from the Product version picker.

Staged upgrade process

Controlled distribution status for on-premises upgrades

Based on the changes related to container-based deployment and platform convergence, the on-premises upgrade approach is significantly different from past ITSM upgrades. Upgrading requires use of a staged upgrade approach, leveraging a parallel system environment and BMC Helix Data Manager.

To effectively plan and schedule your upgrade to version 21.05.02 or 21.3, BMC requests that you utilize the BMC Assisted MIGration Offering (AMIGO) program. You can open an AMIGO case by calling Customer Support @ 1-800-527-1813, or clicking this link.

Upgrading to version 21.05.02 or 21.3 requires a staged upgrade approach that utilizes a parallel system environment and BMC Helix Data Manager. BMC Helix Data Manager requires a password to download. Contact your account manager to obtain the password.

The staged upgrade process is used to upgrade your Remedy ITSM and associated Service Management applications to  BMC Helix Service Management 21.3.06 containerized platform.

Staged upgrade process refers to a process of creating a parallel system, performing a fresh installation, migrating workflows, migrating data, and  running delta data migration. In this process, you perform the following actions:

  1. Perform an installation of an out-of-the-box BMC Helix Service Management 21.3.06 platform and the applications that you want to install.
  2. Migrate your workflow customization and overlays.
  3. Migrate your data from your current production environment to your new environment by using BMC Helix Data Manager (HDM) and data migration utilities.

For example, to upgrade your existing Remedy ITSM from the 20.02 version to BMC Helix Service Management 21.3.06 containerized platform, you must perform a fresh installation of BMC Helix Service Management 21.3.06, and then migrate the existing workflows and data by using BMC Helix Data Manager.

Supported source databases from which you can migrate product data to the 21.3.06 version are PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL, and Oracle.

Supported target databases are PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL, and Oracle. The following is the list of versions from which you can migrate product data to the 21.3 version:

Product Name

Versions

BMC Helix ITSM

8.1, 9.1, 18.05, 18.08, 19.02, 19.08, 20.02, and 20.08

BMC Digital Workplace

19.x and later versions

BMC Digital Workplace Catalog

20.02, and 20.08

BMC Helix ITSM: Smart IT

2.0 and later versions

BMC Helix ITSM: Smart Reporting

20.02 and later versions

An overview of the staged upgrade process is shown in the following image:

Staged upgrade.png

Before you begin

Make sure that you prepare for the upgrade.

End-to-end staged upgrade process

The following table provides a sequence to upgrade your existing platform and applications:

Task

Action

Role

Reference

Create a database copy

1

Create a database copy of your current production system.

System Administrator


Create a staging system

1

Set up your environment for a fresh deployment.

System Administrator

2

Download the installation files and a key to access the container images from EPD.

System Administrator

3

Create your Harbor repository and synchronize it with Docker Trusted Repository (DTR).

Important: Make sure that you note your Harbor username and password to use the credentials while performing the installation.

System Administrator

4

Prepare your database.
Important: Make sure that the database name starts with a character and does not contain the dot character. You can specify numbers and only the following special characters in the name:

  • Dollar $
  • Hash #
  • Underscore _

System Administrator

5

Set up the BMC Deployment Engine.

Important: Make sure that you note your Jenkins, Ansible, and Git username and password to use the credentials while performing the installation.

System Administrator

6

Install the platform and application components.

Important: Do not install Smart Reporting while performing a fresh installation of BMC Helix Service Management if you are using  either of the following source and target databases for Smart Reporting data:

  • Both source and target databases are Microsoft SQL databases
  • Both source and target databases are Oracle databases

To upgrade Smart Reporting with Microsoft SQL or Oracle databases, see Upgrading-Smart-Reporting.

System Administrator

7

Deploy your custom plug-ins.

System Administrator

Migrate and reconcile workflows and integrations

1

Migrate customizations to your new target system.

System Administrator

Prepare to perform data migration

1

Take a back up of the target database after your customizations are migrated.

Database Administrator


2

Download and import migration packs.

System Administrator and BMC Support

3

Configure BMC Helix Data Manager to connect to the source database.

System Administrator and BMC Support

4

Configure BMC Helix Data Manager to connect to the target database.

System Administrator and BMC Support

5

Prepare bespoke data migration.

System Administrator and BMC Support

6

Perform optional form analysis and approval enrichment mappings.

System Administrator and BMC Support

7

Prepare target system for data migration.

System Administrator and BMC Support

Data migration

1

Perform BMC Helix ITSM data migration.

System Administrator and BMC Support


2

Perform BMC Helix Digital Workplace data migration.

Important: Perform BMC Helix Digital Workplace data migration by using the Export-Import utility. You do not need to export and import data by using BMC Helix Data Manager.

System Administrator and BMC Support

3

Perform data BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalog migration.

System Administrator and BMC Support

Migrating BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalog data in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation

4

Perform BMC Helix ITSM: Smart IT data migration.

System Administrator and BMC Support

Migrating data for Smart IT in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation

5

Perform BMC Helix ITSM: Smart Reporting data migration.

Important: Perform this step if you are using the following source and target databases for Smart Reporting data:

  • The source database is Microsoft SQL, and the target database is Oracle.
  • The target database is a PostgreSQL database.

To upgrade Smart Reporting with Microsoft SQL or Oracle databases, see Upgrading-Smart-Reporting.

System Administrator and BMC Support

Migrating data for Smart Reporting in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation

6

Perform post-migration activities.

Important: In BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalog application, the Enhanced Catalog page displays the BMC Helix Digital Workplace Catalog source environment related values. Make sure that you update the values with the target environment values.

System Administrator and BMC Support


Completing post-migration steps in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation


7

Back up your target database.

To preserve data integrity, make sure that you back up your target database before you start the AR System server; verify that there is no test data in the system; and roll back the database after testing.

System Administrator and BMC Support


Emulated cutover and UAT

1

Perform emulated UAT cutover activities.

System Administrator

User acceptance test phase in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation

2

Perform delta data migration.

System Administrator

Running a delta data (incremental) migration job in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation

3

Perform production cutover activities.

System Administrator

User acceptance test phase in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation


Go live activities

1

Perform go live activities.

System Administrator

Go-live phase in BMC Helix Data Manager documentation

 

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