TM1 - backwards compatibility?

[mrnara]

One TM1 server where I am is running v10.1, while another is still at v9.5.x
When I tried to use my v10.1 TM1 Architect (client) to connect to the older server, I got a dialog box that said "TM1 version is incompatible".
Unfortunately, the 2nd server may not be upgraded to v10 anytime soon.

Q1. Is there some backwards compatibility mode/setting to enable a newer TM1 Architect to connect to an older server?
Q2. Would an older TM1 Architect client (v9.5.x) work with the newer v10.1 server?
Q3. Can 2 TM1 Architect client versions (v10 and v9) be installed on the same PC?

Thanks.

[Mike Cowie]

Rule of thumb when you have different TM1 Client and Server versions:

Older TM1 Client connecting to Newer TM1 Server:
OK, as long as you have ClientVersionMinimum parameter in TM1S.CFG that covers the older client version being used against your newer server.

Newer TM1 Client connecting to Older TM1 Server:
NEVER possible, with the possible exception of hot fixes, I believe. This will simply not work with the version differences you're talking about unless IBM have changed something recently that I'm unaware of.

I don't know of a way to make TM1 install alongside an older/newer version of TM1 unfortunately. However, you may be able to grab a loose files copy of the 9.5.x client version from another machine (e.g., grab a copy of the BIN folder and all subfolders from a 32-bit 9.5.x install) and launch Perspectives/Architect from it as a temporary workaround. I often keep multiple versions of TM1 loose files around for this type of situatiion, though I will admit that this doesn't work as well when installing newer TM1 versions as it used to in TM1 9.0 and earlier. However, that may have more to do with incompatibility/issues with newer Excel versions (2007+) and older TM1 versions.

So, if possible you should keep the TM1 client version at a level that is at or lower than the oldest TM1 Server version you are running. I realize this can get in the way of testing newer TM1 client versions, which is why you can either try the loose files approach mentioned above or get a separate test client machine/VM environment that you can use to try out the newer TM1 client without disturbing your ability to still work with your older TM1 Server as long as you're mixing TM1 Server versions.

Hope that helps.

Regards,
Mike

[lotsaram]

I think Mike was too quick on the copy/paste. So to clarify/correct and avoid confusion.

Newer TM1 Client connecting to Older TM1 Server:
NEVER possible, with the possible exception of hot fixes.

[Mike Cowie]

Lotsa:

Thanks, corrected below.

-Mike

[Mike Cowie]

Interestingly enough, this was just posted today on IBM's website:

Can different versions of TM1 co-exist on the same machine ?

[Andy Key]

Or, perhaps that document should have said...

Question

Can different versions of TM1 co-exist on the same machine ?
Answer
Yes they can, it involves copying files around manually, but if you are only interested in multiple versions of TM1 server and Architect/Perspectives and don't mind using the latest installed version of TM1Web it is easy, although Installing two versions of TM1 on the same machine has never been supported for 9.x versions, and this does not change for version 10.1.

From the manual IBM Cognos TM1 Installation and Configuration Guide 10.1.0 :<Link removed for brevity>
It is written :
Upgrading to Cognos TM1 10.1 from version 9.0.x, 9.1.x, or 9.5.x requires a full manual uninstall, and then a full installation of 10.1 as we couldn't be bothered to write the uninstallation routines. Also, if we make YOU perform the uninstall first then the painfully slow installation of 10.1 won't seem quite so bad. If you do NOT manually unistall the 9.x version you WILL end up with two versions of TM1 on the same machine even without the manual copying of files noted above.
This either means it is not possible to have two TM1 versions working at the same time on the same machine or we have once again failed to proof read a document before we put it on the web site, as we have an 'either' but we don't have an 'or', and anyway we have now decided that it IS possible to have two TM1 versions working at the same time on the same machine.

[lotsaram]

Necromancing an old thread here, but interestingly this just came through in an IBM notifications feed
http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.w ... wg21957871

Problem(Abstract)
Can you implement a rolling TM1 upgrade so that the TM1 Clients can be upgraded on a different schedule than the TM1 Servers?

Resolving the problem
TM1 version mismatches are to be avoided unless instructed by IBM Support.
A 10.2.2 Client should not be connected to a 10.2 Server and vice versa.

Different fix packs levels between Client and Server are more productive.

A 10.2.2 FP3 Client should be able to connect to a 10.2.2 FP2 Server and vice versa.

When it comes to TM1 Components, TM1Web is more flexible on version mismatches than TM1 Contributor Web or Perspectives.
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This technote is sloppy and one can only hope that the technote and link in its current form is short lived. Yes occasionally something slips through quality control but this technote is downright misleading and in part downright wrong. Up until now at least older client has always been able to connect to newer server (99.x% of the time without issue), not so vice versa, newer client cannot connect to older server. Yes the technical writers may not have direct experience with the product but surely it doesn't hurt to ask someone who does...