2023-Nov-03-R11.1a

Patch Your System via Auto-Update

After the deployment, minor or major releases will be published and become available for users to enhance the system. Patches and minor releases can be applied via auto-update, for example, updated from v10.1 to v10.1.1. However, for major releases, the system cannot be upgraded automatically. For instance, v10.0 cannot be automatically upgraded to v10.1, and the system admin needs to perform the upgrade manually following the respective upgrade guides.

A patch or minor release may contain updates to platform resources and/or framework components. Knowledge Cloud (KC) manages both the framework components and the platform resources in terms of defining and publishing the patch release. 

The patching process may:

  • replace/delete/add files 
  • change the config file
  • upgrade database data
  • upgrade rpm packages on the Linux server
  • restart services
  • execute the database upgrading
  • check the system's health 
  • check disc space
  • backup files
  • roll back the release if the update fails

Platform resources can be downloaded and installed automatically if your NetBrain system is connected to the Internet. And for Framework resources, the software update package must be downloaded from NetBrain Customer Portal, manually uploaded into the system and then system updates need to be scheduled accordingly.

Differences between framework resources and platform resources:


Platform Resource Framework Resource
Resource Definition Resources that are created by the script languages such as Python The framework components are often created by the compiled programming languages such as C++, C# and Java
Examples System Driver, Qapp, Network Intent (NI), etc. DLLs
Require systems or services to restart? NO YES
Can it be silently updated? YES NO. Requires the system admin to set up the schedule

NetBrain system Auto Upgrade flow consists of the following steps:

Information Tip:  You can refer to the List of Resources to view which types of platform resources can be downloaded and applied automatically .
Information Note: Only users with System Management permissions can perform the following actions.
  1. Check the Latest Version
  2. Download Package from NetBrain Customer Portal
  3. Upload Package to NetBrain System
  4. Schedule Update
  5. View Update Status
  6. View Update History

 Desired Outcome: The version of system resources is the latest.

Check the Latest Version

Follow the steps below to check the available releases from NetBrain:

Information Note: The following steps only apply to the NetBrain system (Web API Server) with an Internet connection to a public License Server.
Information Note:  If the Web API Server has no Internet access, please skip checking the latest version and proceed directly to download the package from the NetBrain customer portal.
  1. Log in to the System Management page.
  2. On the System Management page, click the  start menu > System Update.
  3. Enable the Automatically check the latest version checkbox. You can click Check Update Now to see if there is a new version available.
    Information Note: After the check box Automatically check the latest version is enabled, users with the 'system management' privilege will receive a notification via email when a new version becomes available.
    Information Note: The Web API Server must have Internet access with NetBrain public License Server to perform the Automatically check the latest version and Check Update Now.
    Information Note: In order to download and install platform resources automatically, you need to enable the Automatically check the latest version check box, as well as the Download and Install Platform Resources Automatically check box.

  1. When this check is enabled, the NetBrain system will check whether a minor release, a patch, a customized built-in, a customized resource or common platform resource updates have been published since the last time check (either auto or manual check). The latest available version will be displayed with the release note.
  2. If a release or patch is available, click Get Latest Version to Download Package from NetBrain Customer Portal after reviewing the Release Note.

Download Package from NetBrain Customer Portal

Follow the steps below to download the system upgrade package from NetBrain Customer Portal:

  1. Click Get Latest Version on the NetBrain System Management page, you will be redirected to the NetBrain Customer Portal. 
  2. Log into the NetBrain Customer Portal with your username and password.
  3. Confirm the required info and click Generate Package.
    Information Tip: Required info includes the License ID, Framework Version, Common Repo Version, Customized Built-in Resource Repo, and Customized Resource Repo.
    Information Tip: If you don't want to download the update package for framework components, enable the Exclude Framework Patch check box.
  1. Click Resource Package Link to download the package to your local drive.
  2. Keep note of the password for the next step- Upload Package to NetBrain Workstation.

Upload Package to NetBrain System

Follow the steps below to upload the system upgrade package to NetBrain system:

  1. Log in to the System Management page.
  2. On the System Management page, click the  start menu> System Update.
  3. Click Upload Latest Version.
  4. Click Browse and select the system upgrade package (.zip file).
  5. Enter the password and click Upload.

    Information Tip: With the Discard Uploaded Version button, you can discard the previously uploaded update package and delete the system update task before the scheduled task is executed.

Schedule Update

Follow the steps below to schedule the system update:

  1. Log in to the System Management page.
  2. On the System Management page, click the start menu> System Update.
  3. (Optional) Select which system admin(s) will receive the email notifications when the update succeeds/fails.
    Information Note: By default, all admin users will receive the notifications.
    Information Note: The system admin refers to users with system administrator or system management privilege.


  4. Click Schedule.
  5. After reading the information in the Notification window, click OK.
    Information Note: Ensure to run the system update pre-check tool to verify the environment readiness for the auto-update. 

  6. Review the license agreement, select the I have read the subscription EULA check box and click I ACCEPT.
  1. (Optional) Check the Enable Test Plan checkbox.
    Information Tip: You can leave the Enable Test Plan checkbox unchecked to skip the test plan.
    Information Note: Only users with domain and tenant access will be granted permission to run the test plan.
    1.  Click Select and specify the desired Tenant/Domain to perform Domain Health Check.
      Information Note: If there is more than one tenant or domain, step a must be completed before proceeding to step b.
      Information Note: If only one tenant and domain exists, the only Tenant or Domain will be automatically selected, and you can directly proceed to step b.
    2. Click Auto Test Group to specify the devices for the Device Live Access Test.

      Information Tip: The devices in the Auto Test Group are automatically selected according to the device type discovered by the system. You can also manually edit or delete any devices to suit your specific needs.
    3. Click Auto Test Application Folder to specify the application for Path Calculation  Test.

      Information Note: For the first-time definition or usage, the last used Application Paths (up to 5 paths) will be automatically copied to the Auto Test Application Folder. You can also manually change the auto-selected path in Application Manager.
  2. Set up the schedule to start the system update.
    3. Information Tip: You can edit or remove the system update task once it is scheduled.
  3. Click Submit to apply the above settings.
    Information Note: For the first-time definition or usage, a confirmation message will prompt if the selected tenant/domain does not have the application path. You can click Yes to dismiss the message and continue the update process.

View Update Status

The possible status of the auto-update is as follows:

Stage of the Auto Update Possible Status
Before the execution of Auto Update
  • Ready for schedule.
  • Ready for running.
  • Has a new system update package
During the execution of Auto Update
  • Running.
After the execution of Auto Update
  • The system is successfully updated to the new version.
  • The system is successfully updated to the latest version, but the user performs a manual rollback, and the rollback succeeds.
  • The system is successfully updated to the latest version, but the user performs a manual rollback, and the rollback fails.
  • The update fails, and the system is rolled back to the old version successfully
  • The update fails, and the system is rolled back but the rollback fails
  • The update fails at the beginning (due to insufficient disk space to perform auto-upgrade, unavailable component, etc.), and the rollback is not executed.
    Information

    Note:

    -For single/standalone patch packages (The last digit in the version number changes,  e.g., upgrading from 10.1.11.1 to 10.1.11.2), the rollback will happen automatically in the event of auto-update failures.

    -For packages with minor release patches (The third digit in the version number changes, e.g., upgrading from 10.1.1.0 to 10.1.3.0), please contact NetBrain Support for assistance if the auto-update fails.

View Update History

Follow the steps below to view the update history:

  1. Log in to the System Management page.
  2. In the System Management page, click the  start menu> System Update.
  3. Click View Update History.

The update history only records the releases the system is scheduled to update with. The update history table provides the following information:

  • Update From: the release number from which the system is updated.
  • Update To: the release number to which the system is updated.
  • Updated Time: (It could be one of the following.)
    • when the system finished/started the update
    • when the last available version was checked
    • when the rollback started/ended
    • when the scheduled auto-update was cancelled
    • when the package was uploaded successfully, but the update was not yet scheduled
    • when the update was scheduled successfully and the update is ready to run
  • Executor: the person to schedule the update
  • Action: upgrade, user rollback, or automatic rollback.
  • Status: one of the statuses in View Update Status.
  • Release Note: the link to the release note.
  • Installation Log: the link to the installation log.
  • Test Report: the link to the test results.
     
    Information Click the icon in the Upgrade From column and Upgrade To column, you can check the Framework Version and Repo Versions.

The List of resources 

The platform resources that can be downloaded and applied automatically:

Resource Name
Qapp GDR Properties Golden Baseline Dynamic Analysis Logic
Gapp Tech Spec Interface Type (Interface Name Translation)
Runbook Template Media Type Default Date View Template 
Data View Template API Plugin Object Tree Template
Parser Library SPOG URL NGSystem. Technology License Definition
Driver Visual Space Multi Source Mapping
Device Type Vendor Model Table Domain system settings
Device Icon & Picture Global Python Scripts (Built-in) Cloud type
Topology Link Type (IPv4, IPv6 etc.) Variable Mapping & Global Variable FIT (Feature Intent Template)
Generic Schema (Including Generic SSchema Icon) Platform Plugin Full CLI Command
CLI Command Template Beta Driver PV File
Open Driver / /