Managing a Scripted Upgrade

Your downloaded materials include everything needed to prepare for, and then execute, scripted upgrades of the various server(s) needed in your implementation.

One script (and its support files) may either be used for a single-server implementation, or used repeatedly for a multi-server implementation with only a small configuration difference for each server.

A separate script can also implement Flexera Analytics as part of your implementation.

The instructions in this section assume that you have unzipped the downloaded installer and support files to a file share that is accessible from all the servers you want to configure (as described in Download the Materials). If this is not the case, make a local copy of the entire unzipped archive on each server.

Important: You must download and unzip the archives to a high level folder such as C:\Temp\FNMSDownloads\ to avoid creating long file paths that may exceed the windows path limit of 260 characters and cause an error when running PowerShell scripts.

Typical workflow for scripted upgrade

Remember: Databases must exist before you start scripted installation (see Upgrade/Create Databases for details).
Keep in mind the block diagram of servers you planned for your logical application server, as discussed in Design the Final Topography. The summary workflow is:
  1. Optionally, set up encryption for credentials to be referenced in the answer file(s) (see Prepare Encrypted Credentials for Upgrade). If you choose not to do this, the relevant account name and password appear in the answer file(s) in plain text.
  2. Create an answer file containing all configuration details, based on the sample FlexNet Manager Suite answer file provided (see Prepare Answer File).
  3. Make a copy of the answer file for each server in your block diagram (such as the web application server, the batch server, and the inventory server), and modify the FEATURES setting appropriately in the answer file for each server. Of course, if you have designed a single-server implementation, you require only the one answer file.
  4. On each of your servers:
    1. Optionally, save the required command-line parameters as PowerShell variables (see Managing a Scripted Upgrade).
    2. Provide the correct answer file for this server's functionality.
    3. Run the supplied script with the appropriate command line (see Managing a Scripted Upgrade).
    The script completes both the installation and configuration required for each server.
  5. For Flexera Analytics, use a similar process:
    1. Customize the answer file, which in this case is an .xml file.
    2. Run the specialized script on your Cognos server (see Upgrading Flexera Analytics from FlexNet Report Designer).
    3. Configure the application server with the URL of your Flexera Analytics server.
    4. Ensure that one or more roles have been created to permit access.
    5. Add your Flexera Analytics server to your web browser's list of trusted websites.