Upgrading to Laserfiche 12

Performing an upgrade from a prior version of Laserfiche to Laserfiche 12 is a straightforward process. There is no need for a manual migration. Instead, the necessary updates both to the application itself and to existing repositories, processes, and so on will be completed in place the first time the server applications are started after the software upgrade. While the length of time this will take varies depending on your specific implementation, it is not generally a lengthy process, as volume contents and other very large components of the suite are not affected. If you are familiar with the process of updating to Laserfiche 10 or 11, this update will be familiar to you.

When updating, your back-end data for fields and templates will remain unchanged, despite the new features for those repository elements. Your existing templates can be used with Laserfiche 12 without any manual migration or modification. They will also still be compatible with earlier versions of supported Laserfiche applications as normal when connected to the Laserfiche 12 Server, but new features will not be available.

Once you have upgraded your Server installation to Laserfiche 12, the Repository Server will be able to automatically update the database for you. This update process will happen the first time the Laserfiche Repository Server 12 attempts to load a Laserfiche 8, 9, or 10 repository.

The update process happens behind the scenes, and does not require any user input. It is performed in place, and does not create a new database. When the update is complete, your repository will be compatible with the Laserfiche 12 Server. This process may take some time, depending on the size of your repository and the speed of your Laserfiche Server computer. While it is happening, the repository will be unavailable and the Administration Console may appear unresponsive. Do not stop or restart your Laserfiche Server service during this time, as that will cause the process to restart when you restart the service.

Note that the update happens automatically when the version 12 Server loads the repository. If you do not want the update to happen immediately, you should unregister your Laserfiche repository before upgrading your Server. It will not be updated until you register it again. (It will also not be available for use by the Laserfiche 12 Server until that time.

Note: If your repository is on Laserfiche 6 or 7, see Laserfiche 6 or 7 Migration Utility.

Important: The Laserfiche 12 update occurs in place, and does not create a new database. Therefore you should ensure that you have a working backup before updating the database.

Planning Your Upgrade

You can (and are encouraged to) upgrade directly to Laserfiche 12 from versions of Laserfiche prior to Laserfiche 11. For example, if you are using Laserfiche 9, you can and ideally should upgrade directly to Laserfiche 12 without needing to first upgrade to Laserfiche 10 or 11.

Laserfiche 12 supports the same operating systems, web browsers, and database engines as Laserfiche 10 and 11. You will not need to update these components for use with Laserfiche 12. For more information, see Specifications.

Before you begin, consider:

  • Are any changes to the system needed, in addition to the upgrade? See System Design for details.
  • Will you need to reindex your repository upon upgrading? See Reindexing the Repository After an Upgrade for more information on determining whether this will be necessary.
  • Are your backups are up to date and tested? See Backup and Recovery for more information.
  • What amount of downtime is acceptable, if any, and when is it feasible?

You will also want to ensure that you have spoken with all relevant stakeholders. This may include database administrators, IT, project managers, in-house training, and process designers.

Support for Previous Versions

It is not necessary to upgrade all of your Laserfiche applications at the same time. We recommend upgrading your Laserfiche Directory Server implementation first, followed by the Laserfiche Repository Server. From that point, you can upgrade other products in any order you prefer. Older client applications of supported versions will be compatible with Laserfiche 12, so users will be able to continue working with these applications.

Although the initial release of Laserfiche 12 will not include new versions of all applications, you can still use Laserfiche 11 products with your Laserfiche 12 system. For example, though some applications will not have new versions available at the initial release, all currently-supported versions of these products will be able to work with to the Laserfiche 12 Server. You can also use prior versions of products that do have a Laserfiche 12 release, to facilitate an incremental deployment. For example, if you upgrade your Laserfiche Server first and plan for a later upgrade of the Web Client or Forms, the Laserfiche 11 versions of those products will still be able to connect to the Laserfiche 12 Server. Note, however, that some features may not be available when using a Laserfiche 11 product with Laserfiche 12.

For information on supported versions and the Laserfiche end-of-support policy, see Laserfiche Product Support Lifecycle.

Performing the Upgrade

To perform the upgrade, you will need to launch the relevant product setup file and run it on the computer whose Laserfiche installation you are upgrading. For more information, see Product Installation. Any necessary updates to the repository database and other resources will happen automatically at the end of the installation.