Before you upgrade IT Service Intelligence

Before upgrading ITSI, ensure you have reviewed the following requirements and completed the necessary preparatory steps to ensure a smooth transition.

In This Topic

1. Verify Your Upgrade Path
2. Review System Requirements and Known Issues
3. Utilize the Upgrade Readiness Dashboard
4. Perform Comprehensive Backups
5. Technical Preparations
6. Recommended Upgrade Sequence

1. Verify Your Upgrade Path

  • Version Support: ITSI supports direct upgrades from up to three versions prior to the version you are installing.
  • Step Migrations: If your current version is more than three versions behind, you must perform a "step migration" by upgrading to an intermediate version first.
  • Splunk Cloud Platform: If you are a Cloud customer, do not attempt to upgrade manually. You must coordinate with Splunk Support to schedule and manage your ITSI upgrade.

2. Review System Requirements and Known Issues

Before proceeding, consult the following documentation:

  • Compatibility: Check the ITSI documentation to ensure your current Splunk platform version is compatible with the target ITSI version you are installing.
  • Hardware: Verify that your environment meets the necessary ITSI deployment planning hardware specifications.
  • Release Notes: Review the Known Issues and Removed Features sections in the ITSI Release Notes to identify any potential impact on your specific deployment.

3. Utilize the Upgrade Readiness Dashboard

Before starting the upgrade, use the ITSI Upgrade Readiness Dashboard to identify and resolve potential issues. Navigate to the dashboard to scan your environment for upgrade-related errors. Correct all identified errors to ensure the environment is in a "clean" state before proceeding.

4. Perform Comprehensive Backups

Once the Upgrade Readiness Dashboard is clear, it is highly recommended (though optional) to take full backups and a diagnostic file to facilitate recovery if needed.

  • ITSI Full Backup: Go to Configuration > Additional Configuration > Backup/Restore within the ITSI app and create a full backup before proceeding.
  • Generate a Diagnostic File (diag): Create a Splunk diagnostic file to capture the current state of your instance. Generate a diagnostic file.
  • KV Store Backup: Perform a manual backup of the App Key Value Store. Back up and restore KV store.

5. Technical Preparations

If you are upgrading from a version older than 4.6.0 to version 4.6.0 or higher, you must disable the Rules Engine to allow for KV store migration.

  1. In Splunk Web, go to Settings > Searches, reports, and alerts.
  2. Set the App filter to All.
  3. Locate the itsi_event_grouping search and select Actions > Disable.

To maintain environment stability, follow this order:

  1. Upgrade Splunk Enterprise to a compatible version.
  2. Upgrade dependent apps and add-ons to compatible versions.
  3. Upgrade ITSI to the target version.
  4. Perform any version-specific post-installation tasks as noted in the documentation.