How to upgrade GPA to a new GPA version

When a new version of NetIQ Group Policy Administrator (GPA) is released the option does exist to upgrade, from at least one previous version back, to the current version. This method allows you to retain your existing offline repository as well as existing GPA Repository security settings. More specific documentation on the previously supported versions of GPA can be found on the NetIQ Support Web Site: https://www.netiq.com/documentation/ .

Before starting the upgrade process, ensure that your existing environment is fully supported within the new version of GPA. Further information about the requirements can be found in the Group Policy Administrator guide, located on the NetIQ Support Web Site: https://www.netiq.com/documentation/ . You will need to ensure that your existing GPA Server, GPA Console and GPA Repository are installed on a supported version of Microsoft Windows as well as Microsoft SQL Server as well. It is important to ensure the environment is fully supported by both the existing version of GPA AND the new version of GPA. Once the upgrade to the new version of GPA is complete, other environment changes or upgrades can be made at that time. Once your existing environment meets the requirements for both the existing version of GPA and the new version, you can start the upgrade process.

1. Run the Setup.exe from the NetIQ Group Policy Administrator installation kit locally on the Windows OS hosting the GPA Repository.
   1. This may be installed on the Windows Server OS on which the SQL Server hosting GPA Repository or installed on another Windows Server OS.
   2. The GPA Repository component will be listed in the NetIQ Group Policy Administrator installer, which is accessible from the Windows Add / Remove programs menu on the local Server OS.
2. The OS hosting the NetIQ GPA Server will have a NetIQ Group Policy Administrator Server Service on the local OS.
   1. The GPA Server component will be listed in the NetIQ Group Policy Administrator installer, which is accessible from the Windows Add / Remove programs menu on the local Server OS.
3. Run the Setup.exe from the NetIQ Group Policy Administrator installation kit locally on any Windows OS with NetIQ Group Policy Administrator Console installed.
   

• NetIQ Technical Support recommends that you logon to the Windows OS hosting the GPA Repository and GPA Server as the AD account running the NetIQ Group Policy Administrator Server Windows Service.
  • During the install this account will need to have full SysAdmin rights to the SQL Server hosting the GPA Repository database.
• NetIQ Technical Support recommends that you have a full database backup of the GPA Repository and also a full OS back up or VM snapshot of the Windows OS hosting both the NetIQ GPA Server and NetIQ GPA Repository.

For details on how to move the GPA Repository database to a new SQL Server, please see KB 7016783