Double hop upgrades - Tips and Suggestions

[avillanueva]

Considering a double hop upgrade from 12.02. to 13.1. I need to stop briefly at 13.0.2 before continuing on but seeing if we can chain this together.  What are some things to look out for? I believe I would need to plan for two target hosts and databases right? Is it just as straight forward as running the upgrade manager twice or should there be deep validation in the intermediate upgrade? In people's experience who've done this, is it 2X or 1.2x harder?

[BenLoosli]

I would do it in 2 steps. 12.0.2 to 13.0.2 then to 13.1. But with 13.1 have a short life, wait for 13.1.2 or 14, I always wait until the XX.Y.2 release comes out before going to the XX release. If you have a business reason for using 13.1, then that negates the waiting for a long term release.

I can't see why PTC does not allow a direct 12.0.2 or 12.1.2 release directly to 13.1.x.

[avillanueva]

Thanks @BenLoosli and @MikeLockwood. Linking in this thread: Windchill 13 Support End Date. Still digesting info from the conference. Odd that support calendar shows short dates for 13.1.0. Same question why no overlap unless they keep changing dates as they go. Looks like 13.1.2.0 should be out Q4 with 4 year support per presentations. "We will support upgrades from one Supported version to another". Caveat is "Standard Support" only. I need to get off 12.0.2 but do then we are looking 13.1.2 in 2026 just as they switch to yearly version schema. They need to publish more future date information with planned overlaps.

[d_graham]

@BenLoosli 

For what it's worth upgrade form 12.1.2.0 to 13.1.0.0 is supported.

[MikeLockwood]

I've done 10.x > 11.x > 12.x for clients twice.

One was on AWS and it was easy to create temp servers for the intermediate.

The other had inhouse physical servers, and we tried to put both 11 and 12 on the same VM; major hassles attempting to get the correct Oracle version to be invoked by Oracle commands.  Ended up w/a separate VM for 11 temp.

In general, nothing tricky that I can suggest on this - just grind thru the steps twice. Label all exported files carefully.  Don't need publishing set up on the intermediate.

[d_graham]

It's 1.1x harder. And by harder, I mean just more time not really harder.

How's WinDU looking on the 12.0 Windchill?

I'd install both 12.1 and 13.1 on the same machine using the default ports for both installations. You're only going to be running one at a time so same ports are appropriate.

This also means just one installation of Amazon Corretto or Oracle Java.

Same for the dBs.  Different machine that the Windchill server but one dB software installation with two dBs (12.1 and 13.1)

You're going to script the db dump exports and imports so that part is no big deal.

You're going to script copying the vaults so that no big deal.

Go for it!

[avillanueva · Accepted solution]

Thanks everyone. I had not considered getting on 13.1.2 (which will not be out until later this year) as a more stable target. Timing does not work so I think a single hop might make sense with a shorter timeline to upgrade again in 2026. @BenLoosli, based on what I saw at the conference with yearly version upgrades and 1 maintenance update in the midyear, it might make sense to get on the 14.1, 15.1 track. There will never be a second maintenance release in the future.