Network Management

Prepare for an Orion Platform upgrade if you have custom code

Learn more about backing up custom code before upgrading the Orion Platform. When you upgrade, your custom code may be overwritten.

First published date

11/22/2018 12:15 PM

Last published date

4/29/2019 8:04 PM

Overview

This article provides tips about backing up custom code before an Orion Platform.

Important: You cannot roll back an upgrade. Always backup your database. See Back up the SolarWinds Orion database using SQL Server Management Studio. For additional upgrade recommendations, see Prepare to install or upgrade Orion Platform products. 

Product section

Network Performance Monitor

Resolution

You will likely NOT be affected if:

You use the Orion Web Console to write your own scripts for:

  • SAM templates*
  • WPM Players
  • Universal Device Poller (UnDP) monitors
  • Alerts (also includes those using the WIN32 utility)
  • Report (also includes those using the WIN32 utility)

*Only AppInsight templates are updated automatically during SAM upgrades. SolarWinds recommends checking THWACK periodically for updates to SAM's out-of-the-box (OOTB) templates. 

You use the Orion Web Console to change configurations such as:

  • Page customizations (for example, adding or removing widgets)
  • View customizations
  • Menu customizations
  • Color theme customizations
  • Custom header images

You WILL be affected if:

You manually changed files in the default Orion Web Console website directory (\inetpub\solarwinds\) on the Orion server. For example, you will be affected if you:

  • Changed .css files to customize colors, fonts, or formats.
  • Added your own .ascx and .ascx.cs files for page widgets.
  • Added image files to the website directory, or overwrote image files deployed by the Orion Installer.
  • Changed SolarWinds .aspx, .config, .cs, or .js files to perform additional logic beyond the out-of-the-box options.

How do I know if my environment has any of these changes?

  • You copy files to the Orion server after you upgrading or running the Orion Configuration Wizard.
  • You edit files manually after upgrades.
  • You run scripts on the website directory after upgrades.
  • You have files or folders in your website directory that are not in the default Orion website deployment.

What should I do? 

If you have custom code, we recommend that you:

  • Download a trial of the newest version to a test VM. Test and correct your code before upgrading on your production server.
  • Before upgrading, back up any customized files from your production server. All files will be overwritten by the upgrade process.

Disclaimer: Please note, any content posted herein is provided as a suggestion or recommendation to you for your internal use. This is not part of the SolarWinds software or documentation that you purchased from SolarWinds, and the information set forth herein may come from third parties. Your organization should internally review and assess to what extent, if any, such custom scripts or recommendations will be incorporated into your environment.  You elect to use third party content at your own risk, and you will be solely responsible for the incorporation of the same, if any.