Upgrading multiple products with one database instance....any tips?

[Peggy Garrett]

Currently running:
Jira v8.5.2
Confluence 7.1.2
FishEye and Crucible 4.5.3
Bitbucket v5.10.0
Bamboo v 5.15.5

Upgrading to:
JIRA: 8.18.2
Confluence: 7.12.5
FeCru: 4.8.7
Bitbucket: 7.15.1
Bamboo: 7.2.5

All of these server-based applications are hosted on individual respective servers.
All of these applications use PostGreSQL 9.4 databases hosted in one PostGreSQL instance located on the JIRA application server.  Which performs great so far.

Yes, I know server-based apps are going away.  Yes, we have a plan for migration next year.  These applications have to be upgraded now to support OAuth 2.0 for our connection to O365.  

Since I must upgrade to PostgreSQL 10 for JIRA 8.18, they are all getting upgraded.

My first concern is when I upgrade the database for JIRA, that will break the connection back to the older applications.  Will I run into issues when I run the installer for the upgrades of the other applications?

Any tips on how to make this go a little smoother?  

[Italo _Modus Create_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Peggy Garrett ,

I'm happy to know that you are planning your journey to Cloud!

You should consider having different databases instances for each application, this way you won't have this kind of issue, and database maintenance will impacts only one application, instead of impacting all products.

About your question, you will need to read the supported platforms for each application and understand if the target version supports PostgreSQL 10.

• Supported Platform JIRA
  
  • JIRA 8.18 (supports PostgreSQL 9.6, 10, 11)
  • JIRA 8.5 (supports PostgreSQL 9.4, 9.5, 9.6 , 10)
• Supported Platform Confluence 
  • Confluence 7.12 (supports PostgreSQL 9.6, 10, 11)
  • Confluence 7.1 (supports PostgreSQL 9.4, 9.5, 9.6)
• Supported Platform FeCru
  • FeCru 4.8 (supports PostgreSQL 9.4, 9.5,  9.6, 10, 11,12)
  • FeCru 4.5 (supports PostgreSQL 9.4, 9.5,  9.6)
• Supported Platform Bitbucket
  • Bitbucket 7.15 (supports PostgreSQL  9.6 - 13)
  • Bitbucket 5.10 (supports PostgreSQL  9.4 - 9.6, 10)
• Supported Platform Bamboo
  • Bamboo 7.2 (supports PostgreSQL 9.6 - 12)
  • Bamboo 5.15 (supports PostgreSQL  9.2-9.6)

By this quick analysis, I see that PostgreSQL 9.6 is supported in all related versions (current and target versions).

I think you should think on upgrade your PostgreSQL from 9.4 to 9.6 and then you should be good to upgrade all your applications to the desired target version without impacting the other applications.

Once you upgrade all your applications you can then upgrade the PostgresSQL from 9.6 to 10 since all upgraded applications support this database.

You should strongly consider to clone your environment and test this migration in a "staging" environment, so you can create a plan and document each step.

[Peggy Garrett]

Thanks for the review and suggestion for incremental DB update.  I am adding that to the plan.

[Peggy Garrett]

One follow-up question:  the second DB upgrade from 9.6 to 10...is there a compelling reason to do this?  Is PostgreSQL 10 far superior to 9.6?

[Italo _Modus Create_]

@Peggy Garrett , I don't think you will have an extraordinary performance improvement.

I would say you would have performance improvements by migrating to Cloud rather than upgrading the database :) 

[Peggy Garrett]

:D  Duly noted.  

[Joshua Sneed Contegix]

Hi Peggy,

Upgrading the DB will impact all of the applications. Find out which DB versions are supported by all of the applications, apps that do not support the new DB version will break or throw errors. It is possible to get most (if not all) Atlassian apps to work with a newer version of Postgres by upgrading the app's DB driver.

Tips:

• Success is in planning/testing.
• Back up everything.
• All apps have to come down for DB upgrade; upgrade all apps if maintenance window and your stamina allows.
• Get a Partner to assist/perform.

Cheers!

[Peggy Garrett]

All fine points, thank you.