Disclaimer: The following represents tribal field knowledge collected from a variety of experienced sources and does not reflect any official IBM recommendation. Credit is given to the IBM Cognos Analytics Advocacy Guild for contributing to the information provided. Come back on occasion, as we may add to this information over time.

[edited April 16, 2019 to provide clarity regarding installation of product components versus content store repository]


I was kicking around this topic a few weeks ago with some of my colleagues, and we had a lively debate comparing the pros and cons of the different upgrade installation approaches. At one point, one of us mentioned how great it would be if we shared this information with all of you.

In the comments below, tell us what you think. Do you have anything else you might add to this list? Did this help you with your upgrade planning activities?

The Burning Question:  Should I perform my IBM Cognos Analytics upgrade using an “over-the-top” or “separate install” approach?

All in all, the answer to this depends. If you are simply adding a minor enhancement or fix pack, then the “over-the-top” approach likely fits your needs. For example, if you are upgrading from IBM Cognos Analytics version 11.0.12 to 11.0.13, then the consensus seems to be that this is the smoothest & quickest method. It also represents less risk given the small number of enhancements and fixes that are contained in the pack as compared to a separate installation and configuration requiring full regression testing.

However, if you are pursuing a more feature-rich upgrade, or skipping a dozen release versions, then this answer requires more consideration. This blog is not intended to tell you which method to choose. Rather, use it as information in your arsenal to help you make this important decision.

Regardless of the method you choose, always remember to take and test full backups of the supporting databases (content store, audit store, notification, human task, etc…).

Pros and Cons of “over-the-top” versus “separate install” are below:
**This table applies to version 10.2 to 11.1 or 11.0.x to 11.1

Terms in matrix columns:

1. In-Place Install = applying the newer version over top of the existing version
2. Separate Install = installing the newer version of the software in a separate location
3. Over-the-top Content Store = using existing content store (copy), upon upgrade, new version alters the existing tables
4. New Content Store = using an empty database, letting the new version create its own tables fresh