NAV upgrade 3.6 to 5.0 sp1

Cindy101

Hello Mibuso,

I'm about to start an upgrade for a client and am pretty nervous. I've done plenty of research but have yet to do a full upgrade (let alone 2 versions at once!) and am hoping somebody can tell me if I've got all the steps right.

Here goes:

1. Upgrade to version 4 sp 3
A. Get a set of all the needed objects
1) Customized client 3.6 objects
2) Base 3.6 objects
3) Base 4.0 sp3 objects
B. Merge customized 3.6 objects with version 4 objects
1) For this I'll be using MergeTool (http://www.mergetool.com)
2) This seems mostly straight forward, base 3.6 + custom 3.6 + base 4.0 -> custom 4.0
C. From here I'll be applying the objects to the copy of the clients DB, replacing all
D. Now I should run the 4.0 sp3 upgrade toolkit to do data modifications (not too sure about this, still need to find some
documentation?)
E. At this point I should have a function 4.0 sp3 version of their DB and should repeat all the steps for 5.0 sp1
2. Upgrade to version 5.0 sp1
A. Get a set of all the needed objects
1) Customized 4.0 objects
2) Base 4.0 objects
3) Base 5.0 objects
B. Merge customized 4.0 objects with 5.0 objects
C. Apply custom objects to client 4.0 DB
D. Run 5.0 sp1 upgrade toolkit - perform the data modifications
E. I should now have a functioning version 5.0 sp1 copy of the client's DB
3. Testing, Testing, Testing
4. Give the DB to the client for more Testing Testing Testing
A. Run the two in parallel to find any problems/differences
B. Fix any problems along the way
5. Find a good time (probably over a weekend) to apply the 5.o sp1 set of objects to the live database
A. Back up the live database
B. Apply the object set
C. Run the upgrade toolkit for data modifications
6. Go LIVE!
7. Have some drinks...

If somebody could critique the list, maybe point out shortcuts or where I might be going wrong it would help out immeasurably!

Thanks in advance

PS
We have allotted 2 weeks time for just the DB/objects conversion phase, with another couple weeks set aside for testing, does this sound about right?


PPS
Some things I've learned so far posting for posterity's sake
- Swap 1.B.2.c with 1.B.2.d
- Swap 2.c with 2.d
- THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE between version w1 and NA

ara3n

A couple of questions.

How many objects have been modified?
why to 5.0 sp1? you can go to 2009 classic. Think of it as 5.0 sp2.


Also have you read this thread?

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=32286


It will save you time on merging the objects twice.

Cindy101

Thanks for that post, I may do a last minute switch to 2009 classic

With the classic version I don't need to bother with the pages and layouts? This was one of the reasons we chose sp1, though not practiced I am pretty familiar with the standard upgrade process.

Also it looks like I'll be getting by with only one merge (whew!) and then 2 uses of the upgrade toolkit.

As for the modified objects it doesn't look all too bad
213 total objects modified
109 that are < 50,000 ID range

Would it be easier with this set to re-implement the changes, or to do a merge?

* Another question - This client has multiple companies(8) in their DB, are there special steps needed for these? I am only familiar with upgraded one company.

ara3n

If it's only about 100 objects modified, then it's straight forward merge and upgrade.
Don't need to re implement.

How big is the db?

as far as 8 companies, you'll have to run this data upgrade 8 times from 3.6 to 4.x and then from 4. to 2009.


You don't need to mess with pages. Leave them as is.

Cindy101

Looks like the client wants to stick with sp1. Fine by me that means more work in the future 8)

The DB isn't all too big, the backup (native) is about 2.5 gigs, and I expanded it to an 8 gig restore.

I figured there had to be a catch with all the companies, but it seems the toolkit kind of just does it's thing automatically, so once everything is merged it shouldn't be too bad.

Thanks a ton for all the help!

ara3n

Have you tried to explain to the client the difference?
Why do they want to be on 5.0 sp1?

There are a lot of bugs that are fixed in 2009.

navhero

Hi Cindy101, ara3n and everyone else,

Cindy101, hopefully you get through your task successfully by now . If you have any advice, please share .

I have the similar situation, that is upgrade from 3.6 to 5.0 sp1 (also 8 companies). Inventory and Jobs functionalities are not used (and no related posted data), so that should make upgrade little easier. On the other hand, there are a lot of customizations made.

I have a question about intermediate step (upgrade to NAV 40) and object merging. I am not sure how to approach this.
Seems to me like the logical step is (if I understood correctly) is to:
1. Copy all field modifications from existing 3.6 to fresh version of localized Cronus 40 (use Field table or txt merging if I came across license issue)
2. Make Objects40.fob from all objects from this mixed 40 version
3. Use Objects40.fob with Upgrade Toolkit to migrate data to intermediate NAV 40 (data migration should be performed 8 times for every company)

4. Use DB from step 3 as basis for Migration to NAV5 using Upgrade Toolkit (and objects merged for upgrade from 3.6 to 50)

Is this good approach to skip full object migration to 40?

Thanks

and thank you ara3n for replies on this and other topic

ara3n

Yep that's the approach. You got it right navhero.

David_Singleton

I would personally NOT recommend upgrading to NAV 2009. The version was meant for new clients, and really if you want to upgrade, then waiting for SP1 is a better option. Especially if the last upgrade was to 3.70, then the client has survived this long, they can surely wait a few more months and get a much better product.

NAV 2009 just has too many silly issues, that as soon as SP1 is released you will want to upgrade again.

ara3n

Yes Sp1 for 2009 has a lot of fixes. There are close to 1500 objects modified from 2009. Majority is pages and report but a lot of fixes.

It's being released in 3rd quarter.

navhero

Thank you very much for quick replies and clarification.

Cindy101

I'm T - 1 week from my final live cutoff of this project; during that very very long weekend I'll try to take some good notes on what exactly I'm doing and how long each step takes. More than likely I'll post those notes for the sake of me (for future upgrades) and the community (who has been so very valuable during this project).

David_Singleton

good luck.

Cindy101

For the sake of completion here are the notes I took over that so very long weekend (about 30 hours). Still working out some month end kinks, but all in all success!

Time/Description
5 Open 36 DB in 50 client
5 Compile all objects
* import upgrade toolkit 4.03 NA Local 3.6…..1
25 Run form 104001 Upgrade 4.00 Step1 - Transfer data for each company
* Run form 104001 - Rename Tables
* Run form 104001 - Delete Objects
110 Import merged 4.0 objects
70 Run 2nd upgrade toolkit fob - transfer data
* Import Roles and Permissions
* Delete Unused tables
30 Delete upgrade toolkit - might have to remove data from temp tables in each company
* CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE A 4.0 DB
* Import 40-50 upgrade toolkit
100 Run Transfer data on each company
* Import the updated toolkit change
140 Run Transfter Data on all companies
* Run upgrade form - Delete objects
60 Import merged 50 objects
* Import the 2nd toolkit fob
10 Set up Office integration
* Run form 104048
500 Transfer Data on all companies
5 Import 5.0 roles and permissions
5 Run codeunit 2 for each compnay
10 Open form 531 for each compnay
10 Add database keygroups - copy from vanilla 50 db
10 Update permissions table - make sure xmlport and menusuite are added to the option string list
5 run form 104002 - delete unused tables
* Delete data from tables 104001..2 in all companies
90 Database test for everything but the last checkbox
1 Import migrate.fob
400 run codeunit 104010

Note that this is leaving out the merge processes, and quite a lot of fixes inbetween - it's just the conversion weekend notes.

All in all my only complaint was that my Nintendo DS ran out of juice on Sunday, and that we went with a fixed bid on this project. Up to the conversion our estimate was spot on, but waaaay to much stuff popped up afterward which ate up a lot of time.

Oh and make SURE the client gives you a nice machine to work on, my station was a bit on the slow side (as the times may show).

ara3n

It's good to hear that you finished the upgrade. Having a good hardware definitely helps with the timing. And thanks for the updates. I'm sure a lot of people will find this useful.