SUNScholar/Upgrading/Repository Software
Contents
Introduction
This wiki help page assumes that you have used the three system setup procedures to install an Ubuntu server with DSpace software.
As a rule at Stellenbosch University library we only upgrade to DSpace during the Dec/Jan long holiday. We also run one version behind the latest version because we do not have expert Java and Web 2.0 skills in-house. So we stay just behind the bleeding edge.
Our next upgrade will be from DSpace version 1.7.2 to 1.8.2 in Dec 2012.
Procedure
Using an Ubuntu desktop, the program "meld" is installed. "meld" allows you to compare two folders for differences.
To do a comparison, the working version is copied to my desktop and the new version is extracted to my desktop as well.
Using meld I investigate all the differences and update the new version with new settings as appropriate.
When I am satisfied that the new version has most of my customisation from the old version, then I test on my development server.
I do more debugging on the development server as needed and then finally activate it on the production server and test.
On the production server we test for a couple of days. We let users know in advance that the production server will be offline for this period.
Please note: Radical changes between versions of DSpace make upgrades a very time consuming and risky process. Prepare yourself well in advance on a development server.
Backup Databases
After logging in as the "dspace" user, type the following to backup the databases. This must done before attempting any upgrade actions.
Create a backup folder.
mkdir /home/dspace/backup
PostgreSQL
Become the postgres user. Supply the "dspace" user password after hitting "Enter".
sudo -i
Become the "postgres" user.
su - postgres
Dump the PostgreSQL database
pg_dump dspace > /home/dspace/backup/pg-db-dspace.sql
Return to "dspace" user.
exit
exit
SOLR
Stop Tomcat
sudo /etc/init.d/tomcat6 stop
Backup the database
cp -R /home/dspace/solr /home/dspace/backup
Start Tomcat
sudo /etc/init.d/tomcat6 start
Database upgrades
This should be the 1st step of the upgrade process.
Each version of DSpace has changes to the database. To do database upgrades use the psql command. An example follows:
psql -U dspace -f /home/dspace/dspace-1.8.2-src-release/dspace/etc/postgres/database_schema_17-18.sql dspace
Before doing database updates, check that you have made a backup of the database. pgadmin is a good program to use for this.
Upgrade checklist
Features
Merge any configs from the following folders.
[dspace-source]/dspace/config
Good programs for doing config file and folder comparisons are listed below.
- http://meldmerge.org - For Ubuntu linux computers
- http://winmerge.org - For Microsoft Windows computers
Theme
Merge any "modules" configurations from the following folders. For example: If the new version has an updated Mirage theme, then check those updates with your customised version of the Mirage theme. See: Theme modification
[dspace-source]/dspace/modules/xmlui/src/main/webapp/
References
- https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSDOC18/Upgrading+From+1.7.x+to+1.8.x
- https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSDOC18/Upgrading+From+1.6.x+to+1.7.x
- https://wiki.duraspace.org/display/DSDOC18/Upgrading+From+1.5.x+to+1.6.x
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