Changing the feature level and metaschema version

Changing the HCL Compass feature level and metaschema version can take several hours. The process changes the schema repository and all associated user databases. Typically, new tables are added to all databases, and new columns might be added to existing tables.

As part of upgrading the HCL Compass feature level, perform the upgrade on a test system first, and perform it again on production databases. At a high level, the process is as follows:
  1. Prepare your environment.
  2. Back up all of your databases.
  3. Create a test bed based on production databases.
  4. Upgrade the test bed and validate that the upgrade was successful.
  5. Create new databases for the production system.
  6. Upgrade the production databases and verify that the upgrade was successful.

Performing in-place upgrades of the feature level

The default method for upgrading the feature level of a schema repository or user database is to create an empty database container, then use the Maintenance Tool to upgrade from the existing database to the new database with the higher feature level.

You can perform an in-place upgrade to feature level 6 or feature level 7. In this method, the new version of the database is written back onto the original database file, replacing the old database structure.

The advantages of this method are that you do not need to create a new empty database and you do not have to point clients or servers at the new database. The disadvantages are that you cannot restore the database to its previous state and the database is not available to users until the upgrade process is complete. You must back up a full copy of the database and store it at another location before you can upgrade the database.

For more complex environments the risk of this method might outweigh its benefits.