Qlik Replicate Upgrade Instructions for Windows and Linux: 2022 and 2023

[Steve_Nguyen]

This article aims to guide the user through the backup and upgrade procedure of Qlik Replicate from 2022.5 to 2023.11 and 2023.5 to 2023.11 on Windows and Linux platforms.

Beginning with Qlik Replicate version 2023.5, Qlik Replicate no longer uses the serviceconfiguration.xml file.

Content:

• Upgrading Qlik Replicate on Windows
• Method One; Full Task Backup
• Method Two; Task Configuration and Server Configuration Backup
• Revert or Rollback
• Rollback with Backup Method One:
• Rollback with Backup Method Two:
• Upgrading Qlik Replicate on Linux
• Method One; Full Task Backup
• Method Two; Task Configuration and Server Configuration Backup
• Revert or Rollback
• Rollback with Backup Method One:
• Rollback with Backup Method Two:

Upgrading Qlik Replicate on Windows

Before you begin upgrading Qlik Replicate, choose one of two possible methods. Each begins with a different Backup strategy. The backup strategy decides whether or not you can resume tasks after the upgrade.

Method One; Full Task Backup

This is the recommended method. It allows for tasks to be resumed should a restore be necessary. However, if the data folder in your Qlik Replicate environment is too large to allow for a full backup, refer to Method Two as outlined below. 

1. Stop all Qlik Replicate tasks and instances
   
   
2. Backup the Qlik Replicate data directory by copying (not moving) it to a location outside of the product folder. This can be a separate drive or a backup drive.
   
   
3. Run the Qlik executable to upgrade (QlikReplicate_<version-build>_ X64.exe) with elevated permissions (Right-Click, Run as Administrator).
   
   
4. Start all Qlik Replicate instances and resume your tasks. After verifying that the upgrade has succeeded, the backed up data folder can be removed.
   
   

Method Two; Task Configuration and Server Configuration Backup

This method does not retain the task working stage. Tasks will require a full load in case of a restore. 

1. Open an elevated Windows command prompt
   
   
2. Navigate to the product bin directory, such as: <PRODUCT_DIR>\bin
   
   
3. Run:
   
   repctl -d alternate_data_directory_path exportrepository
   
   Where [-d alternate_data_directory_path] is required if the Qlik Replicate data directory is not in its default location.
   
   Example:
   
   ~\replicate\bin > repctl -d “D:\application\replicate\data” exportrepository
   
   This example command extracts the Qlik Replicate tasks and server configuration to a file called Replication_Definition.json stored in ~\data\imports.
   
   
4. Run the Qlik executable to upgrade (QlikReplicate_<version-build>_ X64.exe) with elevated permissions (Right-Click, Run as Administrator).
   
   
5. Verify that the upgrade has completed successfully.

Revert or Rollback

If you encounter any issues, revert back to your previous version of Qlik Replicate using one of the two methods below, depending on which backup strategy you decided originally.

Rollback with Backup Method One: 

1. Stop all Qlik Replicate tasks and Qlik Replicate services, such as the Replicate Server and Replicate UI server
   
   
2. Uninstall the Qlik Replicate product
   
   
3. Overwrite the data directory with the data directory which was previously backed up
   
   
4. Using the earlier version, reinstall the product to the same product directory and data folder
   
   
5. Once installation is completed, log in and resume the tasks
   
   

Rollback with Backup Method Two: 

1. Stop all Qlik Replicate instances
   
   
2. Uninstall Qlik Replicate using the the Windows Add/Remove Programs feature
   
   
3. Rename the data directory to data_backup
   
   
4. Install the earlier version
   
   
5. Once installation is complete, open an elevated (administrator) Windows command prompt
   
   
6. Navigate to the product bin directory, such as: <PRODUCT_DIR>\bin
   
   
7. Run the following command:
   
   repctl -d [data=data-directory] importrepository json_file=Full path to the exported *.json file
   
   Where [data=data-directory] is only required if you installed the Replicate data directory to a non-default location.
   
   Example:
   
   ~\replicate\bin>repctl -d "c:\Program Files\Attunity\Replicate\data" importrepository json_file="c:\Program Files\Attunity\Replicate\data\imports\Replication_Definition.json"
   
   
8. Restart your Qlik Replicate Server and UI server services from Windows Services
   
   
9. Reload (full load) your tasks
   
   

Upgrading Qlik Replicate on Linux

Before you begin upgrading Qlik Replicate, choose one of two possible methods. Each begins with a different Backup strategy. The backup strategy decides whether or not you can resume tasks after the upgrade.

Method One; Full Task Backup

This is the recommended method. It allows for tasks to be resumed in case of a restore. However, if the data folder in your Qlik Replicate environment is too large to allow for a full backup, refer to Method Two as outlined below. 

1. Stop all Qlik Replicate tasks and instances
   
   
2. Backup the Qlik Replicate data directory by copying (not moving) it to a location outside of the product folder. This can be a separate drive or a backup drive.
   
   
3. Run the upgrade:
   
   rpm -U[vh] areplicate-<version-build>.x86_64.rpm
   
   
4. Start the Qlik Replicate instances and resume your tasks

Method Two; Task Configuration and Server Configuration Backup

This method does not retain the task working stage. Tasks will require a full load if a restore is necessary.  

1. Source the arep_login.sh to pick up the libraries:
   
   source /opt/attunity/replicate/bin/arep_login.sh
   
   
2. From the Qlik Replicate Command Line Console, run the following command:
   
   /opt/attunity/replicate/bin/repctl -d data-directory exportrepository
   
   Example:
   
   repctl -d /software/attunity/data exportrepository
   
   This will create a json file in ~/software/attunity/data /imports if successful.

3. Run the upgrade, example:
   
   rpm -U[vh] areplicate-<version-build>.x86_64.rpm
   

Revert or Rollback

If you encounter any issues, revert back to your previous version of Qlik Replicate using one of the two methods below, depending on which backup strategy you decided originally.

Rollback with Backup Method One: 

1. Stop all Qlik Replicate tasks and Qlik Replicate services
   
   
2. Stop the service: /opt/attunity/replicate/bin/areplicate stop
   
   
3. Uninstall Qlik Replicate: rpm -e areplicate
   
   
4. Overwrite the data directory with the previously backed up data directory
   
   
5. Using the version you had installed previously, reinstall the product to the same product directory and data folder
   
   Example:
   
   user=attunity group=Attunity verbose=true debug=true nocredentials=true data=/opt/Attunity/replicate/data rpm -ivh areplicate-<version-build>.x86_64.rpm

6. Once installation is completed, log in and resume all tasks. 
   
   

Rollback with Backup Method Two: 

1. Stop all Replicate tasks and Replicate services.
   
   
2. Stop the service: /opt/attunity/replicate/bin/areplicate stop
   
   
3. Uninstall Qlik Replicate: rpm -e areplicate
   
   
4. Rename the data directory to data_backup
   
   
5. Using the version you had installed previously, reinstall the product to the same product directory and data folder
   
   Example:
   
   user=attunity group=Attunity verbose=true debug=true nocredentials=true rpm -ivh areplicate-<version-build>.x86_64.rpm

6. Once installation is complete, run the below command to restore tasks and server configuration:
   
   From ~/replicate/bin >
   
   
   • source /opt/attunity/replicate/bin/arep_login.sh
   • repctl -d [data=data-directory] importrepository json_file="Full path to the exported *.json file"
     
     Where [data=data-directory] is only required if you installed the Replicate data directory to a non-default location.
     
     Example:
     
     ~/replicate/bin>repctl -d "/opt/Attunity/replicate/data" importrepository json_file="/opt/Attunity/replicate/data/imports/Replication_Definition.json"
     
     
7. Restart Qlik Replicate: /opt/attunity/replicate/bin/areplicate restart
   
   
8. Login back in to UI and verify that all tasks and settings have been restored. Tasks will need to be freshly reloaded (Full Load).