MIGRATION TO Helical Insight EE version 4.1.1.18666GA

Here we will cover the steps about how to migrate your Helical Insight application from an Older version to Helical Insight EE version 4.1.1.18666GA. (released on 24 Aug 2021). With this specific version we have migrated globalConnection.xml to database resulting in better performance and concurrency, pagination at the metadata level and fixing of some other bugs at the Adhoc interface level. You can read in detail on release notes.

Before starting the migration, please take the backup of the following files/folders:

  1. Helical Insight Repository (this contains all reports, dashboard and work related files). Take the backup of entire hi-repository folder except the “System” folder.
    • Path in Windows : 
      “.....\hi\hi-repository”
    • Path in Linux : 
      “...../hi/hi-repository”
  2. Take the backup of globalConnections.xml file. This file consists of all the database connections that we create and save.
    • Path in Windows : : 
      “.....\hi\hi-repository\System\Admin\globalConnections.xml”
    • Path in Linux : 
      “...../hi/hi-repository/System/Admin/globalConnections.xml”
  3. User Role Management migration.
    NOTE : This step is applicable when you migrate from an older versions before 4.0 (i.e. version 3.1 GA onwards and upto version 4.0). From version 4.0 onwards the user role management schema is changed, hence migrating userrole mgmt db from older to this newer will not work as it is.
    • If you have implemented SSO then skip these steps else follow the below steps.
    • These steps are required if you are migrating from version 3.1. This is because the dbschema of user role management of version 4.1 is different from version 3.1.
    • Here we take the back up of user role information from 3.1 and map it to 4.1 , store it over there.
    • Here we are assuming that the user role management is still present on derby. If you have migrated userrole mgmt to some other db, then again these steps are not required. Once you install version 4.1.1.18666GA then directly refer to this blog to shift user role mgmt from derby to the other db of your choice.

    NOTE: If you have migrated from Derby to some other database to store user role management and other information, please take the backup of that accordingly.

    • Download this zip file “Derby-Data-Migration.zip” and extract it.
    • Copy the user role management data present in derby from your current 3.1 instance version of derby folder in the below path into folder “Derby_Data_Migration\derby_3.1”. This is the folder which has just been created as soon as you had extracted the zip on Step a
    • Open command prompt in the current folder and run the “HelicalInsight4.1_DerbyMigration.jar” using the below command in command prompt
    • Java –jar HelicalInsight4.1_DerbyMigration.jar
    • Once the process is done it will show the below text in the console prompt THE PROCESS IS ENDED [Not actionable step-for understanding]. In the folder “Derby_Data_Migration\derby_4.1” now we have the backup of user role management which is compatible with version 4.1
  4. Take the backup of your license file, the name of the file is hdi.license file.
    • Path in Windows : : 
      “..\hi\apache-tomcat-7\webapps\hi-ee\hdi.licence”
    • Path in Linux : 
      “../hi/apache-tomcat-7/webapps/hi-ee/hdi.licence”
  5. Also take the backup of any external jars or Settings you have added, any white labelling files, any custom changes made in charts, any new drivers added, any custom settings in server.xml, any customizations changed in charts.

NOTE: In your case the location may be different based on the Helical Insight Installation directory.

INSTALLATION OF HELICAL INSIGHT 4.1.1 GA:

Please follow below mentioned steps to install Latest Helical Insight version and restore the backup just taken:

Step 1: Uninstall Helical Insight application. Learn here how to uninstall Helical Insight

Step 2: Get the newer Helical insight version 4.1.1 by registering and downloading on company website.

Step 3: Install Helical Insight application by following the blog.

Step 4: Now replace the globalConnections.xml file, hdi.license file, hi-repository folder (OTHER THAN SYSTEMS), hi-ee database at their respective folders. Any other custom changes that have been made, take the backup of those files or folders and replace at their respective locations.

IMP: Please note that do not restore entire hi-repository folder since it has got a system folder also. Restore everything from hi-repository except system folder so that Helical Insight application continues to work.

Step 5: Go to the path 

"....\hi\db\"

. Take a backup of this folder and delete whatever is present in that folder. Copy the db folder from the path “Derby_Data_Migration\derby_4.1” and paste into 4.1.1 server db path 

“............\hi\db\”

.

Note: Helical Insight by default comes with derby database which stores cache and user role information. In case if you might have migrated to db other than derby like MySQL etc …please follow the below steps :

  • Go to the globalConnections.xml file 
    (“……\hi\hi-repository\System\Admin”)

    .

  • In this globalConnections.xml file , check whether connection id “1” points to any database other than derby by going to the datasources page and checking the connectionId. If connection id=1 points to derby only then simply restart the server and skip the below steps. If it points to something else then please open the settings.xml file 
    (“…..\hi\hi-repository\System\Admin”)

    .

  • In settings.xml file , go to the line no:517 , where you find a tag 
    < ForceMigrationDataSource >
  • By default it is 
    < ForceMigrationDataSource > false < ForceMigrationDataSource >.

    Change the value from false to true.

  • Restart the server.
  • Note: after restarting the server please again change it back to false i.e. 
    < ForceMigrationDataSource > false < ForceMigrationDataSource >

Step 6: Any custom changes like white labeling, charts customizations changes, dbfunctions changes, dbdrivers, server.xml etc please compare and restore at their respective paths.

Please reach out to us at support@helicalinsight.com in case of any assistance

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