Server upgrade

At Berkeley Bridge we update the software 3 times a year. After such a release, the webservers/webservices must first be updated before the Studio can be updated. The Studio will give a warning if the server has a lower version than the Studio. Although a lower version will be able to understand a .mdl file (the file format used for the decision trees), chances are that the model uses functionality not yet implemented in the server.

If there is a new version of the Studio, all clients who have an internal server will receive an Email. In that Email there will be a link to the four possible downloads and a link to their updated presentation layer.

Downloads

The following set of downloads will be offered on an update:

  • Complete 32-bit server: This is a complete install of a 32-bit version of the server. This includes a default presentationlayer. Only used if there is no server installed already.

  • Complete 64-bit server: This is a complete install of a 64-bit version of the server. This includes a default presentationlayer. Only used if there is no server installed already.

  • Update 32-bit server: This install overwrites only the .exes and the .dll files with the 32-bit version. If you execute this installation file, you must provide the same location as where the server resides. The presentation layer will not be affected.

  • Update 64-bit server: This install overwrites only the .exes and the .dll files with the 32-bit version. If you execute this installation file, you must provide the same location as where the server resides. The presentation layer will not be affected.

The 32-bit version is almost never used in production, since 64-bit software has better (more) memory management and therefore is able to serve more sessions concurrently.

Upgrade server

To upgrade a server, please download the 32-bit or 64-bit variant of the update. If you have a Webserver, stop the server, if you have a Webservice, stop the webservice, by starting services.msc on the Windows Server.

Stopping the service
Stopping the service

When the service or server has stopped running, start the upgrade by executing the provided update file. After you have accepted the agreement, make sure you select the same folder as where the to-be-upgraded server is.

Selecting the folder
Selecting the folder

Just press next until you see the following screen. Do not start the webserver.

Upgrade finished
Upgrade finished

Now the server-software is upgraded to the newest version, but the work is not done yet, please continue with ‘upgrade presentation-layer’.

Upgrade presentation-layer

The server opens a http(s) port, and serves the pages of the presentation-layer. These HTML and JavaScript pages are in the html folder of the installation. The standard operation mode is AJAX, the server uses JSON to communicate with the JavaScript code running in the browser of the client. If the browser has no Javascript-engine, the server will fall back to pure HTML/CSS.

If the server is upgraded, the presentation layer has to be upgraded as well. The look and feel of the layer is stored in parameters on our internal Berkeley network. If bugs or features are added, a new presentation layer will be created by those parameters.

You have received a link to the presentation layer by Email. That link will be to a .zip file. Sometimes there is a description folder like ‘external’ or ‘prod’ in there, if that is the case, enter that folder. Now you will see at least the following files.

Files in zip file
Files in zip file

There are layers which have more .xsl files in the root, not just login.xsl. Select all the .xsl files and html folder, and copy them to the folder where the upgraded bbwebservice.exe and bbwebserver.exe are.

Overwriting the files
Overwriting the files

If you have done this, you can start the webserver or webservice again. You now have the latest version running.