Migrating to TM1 v9.5.1 or TM1 v9.5.2?

[abcuser]

Hi,
we are currently having some stability problems with TM1 v9.5.0 server. At least one's per week TM1 server crashes and we are also having some other problems. Now we were planning to migrate to v9.5.1, but today I see new release of TM1 v9.5.2 was announced.

I have also searched the IBM fix-central for Cognos TM1 fixes (click on Continue button to get all TM1 fixes available), but it looks like the only fixes available are for v9.4.1 and no fixes for v9.5 series.

What is recommended upgrade from v9.5.0? To v9.5.1 or v9.5.2?
Regards

[comma]

This is interesting. Currently I'm using 9.5.0 as well, and just yesterday I tried to upgrade to 9.5.1 and hit some problems.
And now I just found out that the 9.5.2 has been released.

I'd like to here some thoughts about this too, to which version should I upgrade to? 9.5.1 or 9.5.2?
If 9.5.1 is preferred, then I'm going to post my problem during the installation.

[Paul Segal]

I guess the standard advice is not to put a new point release directly into production, but either do some substantial testing on it first or wait until other forum users have done so and reported on results. If you have to upgrade now, then 9.51 would seem to be the logical choice given it has a number of hot fixes and other uses have reported good if not perfect results for it.

Regards

[Steve Vincent]

other than that press release there is zero information on 9.5.2 anywhere. none of the links they provide even mention it so i'd stay well away for now. i did some testing with 9.5.0 and 9.5.1 a while ago and i never had stability issues but did find client issues which 9.5.1 solved. personally, i'd go with 9.5.1.

[kpk]

other than that press release there is zero information on 9.5.2 anywhere.

You can download the latest documentation from IBM site (including NFG with references for the changes in the manuals).
Kind Regards,
Peter

[lotsaram]

From my understanding 9.5.2 is a MAJOR release which implements cube data versioning trees. This should virtually eliminate locking and the need in prior versions to partition high concurrency planning models into multiple data entry sub-cubes in order to prevent locking and preserve performance with lots of write-back users.

This is a major change to say the least. It should be AWESOME (once the bugs that I'm sure are there are ironed out) but my advice would be to test very well and regression test everything before deploying to a production environment

[mattgoff]

9.5.2 changelog: https://www-304.ibm.com/support/docview ... s=swgimgmt. Very long list for an incremental/sub-minor release....

[stephen waters]

in general, if you have an existing system you should be cautious about upgrading to a brand new software release unless there is some specific functionality you need.

With Version 9.5.2 in particular I would be especially cautious since I think the release is much more significant than the incremental naming (9.5.1 -> 9.5.2) suggests. There are major changes\enhancement to the database locking and processing which look very good but may take some time to settle down. The last time they made such significant changes was Ver 9.0 -> Ver 9.1 (admittedly pre-IBM days) and many on the forum will remember how painful that was.

One reason to go 9.5.2 provides Excel 2010 (32 bit) support (see https://www-304.ibm.com/support/docview ... 27020888#1). Several of our clients have been waiting for this for some time. Another reason is if you have immediate need of the new locking mechanism. Otherwise I suggest you upgrade to 9.5.1, applying all the hotfixes, which should give you a stable, established platform. Look at 9.5.2 in a few months time when any rough edges have been smoothed out.

[abcuser]

Otherwise I suggest you upgrade to 9.5.1, applying all the hotfixes, which should give you a stable, established platform.

I would like to have a stable environment. Where can I get hotfixes for 9.5.1? I have looked at fix-central, but there are no fixes available.

[marco]

I would like to have a stable environment. Where can I get hotfixes for 9.5.1? I have looked at fix-central, but there are no fixes available.

See: http://www.tm1forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3142

[abcuser]

Marco, thanks for link.

I am just wondering what is your basic principle about hotfixes. Should I install the latest hotfix 14 on top of tm1 v9.5.1? Is there any info about what bugs where fixed in this hotfix?

[Michel Zijlema]

I am just wondering what is your basic principle about hotfixes. Should I install the latest hotfix 14 on top of tm1 v9.5.1?

See http://www.tm1forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=3143

Is there any info about what bugs where fixed in this hotfix?

See http://www.tm1forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3142

Michel

[Steve Vincent]

specifically 9.0 and 9.1 are no longer supported by IBM. if that is important to you and you need office 2010 support (in both cases for us that is yes) then 9.5.2 is the only option. its a scary one tho...

[yyi]

what ibm presented at the forum today if i can recall is (didn't take notes):-

• cube locking removed = PI = paralell interface of some sort ... (no queues in writing except new metadata)
  security on [] reserve = prevent others overwriting data while you're writing
  cpu core utilisation up = many users == many cpu's active
  heaps of new front end tools & added features = ev, contributor, architect, cognos, widgets, blue nose, admin assist...
  but still more r&d investment at ibm labs
  some companies already with 9.5.2 in production

i'm still staying with 9.4 for now, maybe until next week..

[stephen waters]

specifically 9.0 and 9.1 are no longer supported by IBM. .

Steve.
Sorry to be picky but that is not correct. Ver 9.0 and 9.1 are not under "Active" support but they are still supported. What this means is that IBM will not issue any further patches\hotfixes for 9.0 and 9.1 so, if a customer comes across a bug in those versions, they will be told they have to upgrade to a currently supported version.

I know of users who have been told by sales guys they have to upgrade from 9.0 because it is not supported and, as a result, they have to migrate to 9.5 enterprise licensing and pay for it. Neither of these statements is true.

Having said our current advice is go 9.5.1 unless you need Excel 2010 support or have performance problems with high numbers of inputters, in whcih case consider 9.5.2 but test thoroughly.

[tomok]

Ver 9.0 and 9.1 are not under "Active" support but they are still supported. What this means is that IBM will not issue any further patches\hotfixes for 9.0 and 9.1 so, if a customer comes across a bug in those versions, they will be told they have to upgrade to a currently supported version.

I think you are confusing "support" with "legally allowed to use". There is a difference. Ver 9.0 and 9.1 are no longer supported, meaning IBM will not help you with any issues you may have with it. This has nothing to do with whether or not you can legally run the software. I'm pretty sure the licensing structure on those version(s) gave you the right to use them until hell freezes over, if you so desire. The current licensing structure may be different.

[stephen waters]

I think you are confusing "support" with "legally allowed to use". There is a difference. Ver 9.0 and 9.1 are no longer supported, meaning IBM will not help you with any issues you may have with it....
Tomok

I am not confusing "support" with licensing ( which is a bit of a speciality of mine ). IBM will support Ver 9.0 and 9.1, ie answer questions and queries, provide workarounds if possible but will not provide new patches. If you have a software bug with these versions they will tell you to upgrade to an actively supported version before they will address the bug. In IBM speak this is "Inactive" support as opposed to "Active" support. See IBM statement below

Support status of Active or Inactive indicates what type of support services are available to supported customers for a particular software version – see details below. Cognos' policy is to provide fixes only for active versions of our software, therefore we highly encourage customers to upgrade to an active software version.

and for versions under Inactive support ...

# You can continue to log cases, however we highly encourage you to upgrade to the latest Active release of the product. At Cognos’ discretion and provided resources are available, we will endeavor to answer questions or provide workarounds to issues encountered with Inactive software versions.
# You can still access all the resources and information on http://www.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/customercenter/ including product downloads (active versions), documentation and Supportlink magazine, as well as search for solutions to common issues in our Knowledge Base.

Obviously it is preferable to be under an actively supported version. But if the choice is between an older, stable version with very few bugs under Inactive support or a recent version with far more bugs under active support you need to take take both factors into consideration.

They also have categories of "Matured" and "Vintage support". Not sure about those ...

Anyway, coming back to 9.5.2, the features look good, though seem to be aimed at higher concurrency rather than improved calculation speed per se. Lets see how it performs in testing over the next couple of weeks.

[tomok]

IBM will support Ver 9.0 and 9.1, ie answer questions and queries, provide workarounds if possible but will not provide new patches. If you have a software bug with these versions they will tell you to upgrade to an actively supported version before they will address the bug. In IBM speak this is "Inactive" support as opposed to "Active" support.

Perhaps I didn't word it quite right. Of course they'll answer your questions. If you ask them what day it is I suppose they'll tell you that too even though they don''t support the earth's date system. Just out of courtesy they'll answer the obvious stuff. However, if it gets even the littlest bit technical you'll be told you need to upgrade (I know because I've had several clients that were told that by IBM for things I thought were not that difficult to answer). In my book that does not qualify as "support" of any type, regardless of whatever IBM has printed somewhere.

[Alan Kirk]

IBM will support Ver 9.0 and 9.1, ie answer questions and queries, provide workarounds if possible but will not provide new patches. If you have a software bug with these versions they will tell you to upgrade to an actively supported version before they will address the bug. In IBM speak this is "Inactive" support as opposed to "Active" support.

Perhaps I didn't word it quite right. Of course they'll answer your questions. If you ask them what day it is I suppose they'll tell you that too even though they don''t support the earth's date system. Just out of courtesy they'll answer the obvious stuff. However, if it gets even the littlest bit technical you'll be told you need to upgrade (I know because I've had several clients that were told that by IBM for things I thought were not that difficult to answer). In my book that does not qualify as "support" of any type, regardless of whatever IBM has printed somewhere.

Amen to that. 9.0 and 9.1 went off "active" (and I use the term loosely) support at the end of last year. But prior to that, when was the last:
- Bug fix;
- Patch;
- Service pack

released for either of those then-actively "supported" versions? 9.0 SP3 U9's release notes show a date of 4 February 2008, almost 3 years before "active" support ended. Can't remember what the last release of 9.1 was, but I know I haven't seen any SPs for it for quite some time. Neither version was bug or issue free, but the "support" for them was always "upgrade to 9.4" or "upgrade to 9.5", depending on when it was offered.

I've always regarded the version support as being "We'll look at it, but we won't fix it if it's older than a certain age, we'll just tell you to upgrade". Maybe, possibly, if you came up with a reproducable bug that would cause the server to crash into a flaming heap of ashes without fail they might look at releasing a patch, but even then it'll be more likely to be "upgrade to 9.5.2 first".

Because after all, upgrading to a new version without investing a tanker-load of time in testing is always a risk-free proposition. Errr, isn't it?

[Martin Ryan]

But prior to that, when was the last:
- Bug fix;
- Patch;
- Service pack

That trend is set to continue. IBM mentioned at the 9.5.2 launch that there will not be a service pack for 9.5.1. There'll be a service pack for 9.5.2 scheduled for the end of the year. Presumably there'll be a fair few hot fixes between now and then.