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EMS Administration Guide

Upgrading from an earlier FortiClient EMS version

Upgrading from an earlier FortiClient EMS version

FortiClient EMS 6.2.0 supports upgrading from previous EMS versions as outlined inFortiClient and FortiClient EMS Upgrade Paths.

To ensure a successful upgrade, it is recommended you perform the upgrade on a staging server before upgrading the production server. The staging server is a test environment where you can run the latest FortiClient EMS version using your own configuration. You can create it before upgrading the production server, then shut it down after successfully upgrading the production server.

Note

When upgrading FortiClient EMS from 6.0 to 6.2.0, EMS retains the 6.0 license after the upgrade. However, due to the major licensing changes introduced in 6.2.0, you must still convert the license to a 6.2 license by manually converting the license on the Customer Service & Support site by August 31, 2020, or by contacting the Fortinet Support team. After the converted license expires, you must order and apply 6.2 licenses.

To upgrade the staging server:
  1. Back up the database from the FortiClient EMS production server.
  2. Install FortiClient EMS on the staging server. Ensure this is the same version of FortiClient EMS as currently installed on the production server.
  3. Import the FortiClient EMS database from the production server.
  4. Connect a few endpoints to the staging server by disconnecting them from the production server, then entering the staging server's FortiClient EMS IP address in FortiClient on the endpoints. This is for testing purposes; keep most endpoints connected to the production server.
  5. Close FortiClient EMS.
  6. Install FortiClient EMS 6.2.0 on the staging server using the downloaded installer. You may complete the upgrade using one of the following methods. The installer files can be downloaded from Customer Service & Support.
    1. If Fortinet has enabled upgrade on the FDS, a notification appears on the FortiClient EMS GUI. Click the notification, then review and accept the upgrade message.
    2. Run the full FortiClient EMS installer as an administrator.
    3. Run the light FortiClient EMS installer as an administrator. This installer connects to the FDS to check for, download, and run the latest full FortiClient EMS installer.
  7. Monitor FortiClient EMS performance on the staging server for at least two days, including testing use cases.
To upgrade the production server:
  1. Upgrade the production server to FortiClient EMS 6.2.0 by repeating step 5 to 7 from the instructions above on the production server.
  2. If you performed the upgrade on the staging server prior to the production server, do the following after successfully upgrading the production server:
    1. Disconnect endpoints from the staging server, then connect them to the production server.
    2. Shut down the staging server.

Upgrading from an earlier FortiClient EMS version

FortiClient EMS 6.2.0 supports upgrading from previous EMS versions as outlined inFortiClient and FortiClient EMS Upgrade Paths.

To ensure a successful upgrade, it is recommended you perform the upgrade on a staging server before upgrading the production server. The staging server is a test environment where you can run the latest FortiClient EMS version using your own configuration. You can create it before upgrading the production server, then shut it down after successfully upgrading the production server.

Note

When upgrading FortiClient EMS from 6.0 to 6.2.0, EMS retains the 6.0 license after the upgrade. However, due to the major licensing changes introduced in 6.2.0, you must still convert the license to a 6.2 license by manually converting the license on the Customer Service & Support site by August 31, 2020, or by contacting the Fortinet Support team. After the converted license expires, you must order and apply 6.2 licenses.

To upgrade the staging server:
  1. Back up the database from the FortiClient EMS production server.
  2. Install FortiClient EMS on the staging server. Ensure this is the same version of FortiClient EMS as currently installed on the production server.
  3. Import the FortiClient EMS database from the production server.
  4. Connect a few endpoints to the staging server by disconnecting them from the production server, then entering the staging server's FortiClient EMS IP address in FortiClient on the endpoints. This is for testing purposes; keep most endpoints connected to the production server.
  5. Close FortiClient EMS.
  6. Install FortiClient EMS 6.2.0 on the staging server using the downloaded installer. You may complete the upgrade using one of the following methods. The installer files can be downloaded from Customer Service & Support.
    1. If Fortinet has enabled upgrade on the FDS, a notification appears on the FortiClient EMS GUI. Click the notification, then review and accept the upgrade message.
    2. Run the full FortiClient EMS installer as an administrator.
    3. Run the light FortiClient EMS installer as an administrator. This installer connects to the FDS to check for, download, and run the latest full FortiClient EMS installer.
  7. Monitor FortiClient EMS performance on the staging server for at least two days, including testing use cases.
To upgrade the production server:
  1. Upgrade the production server to FortiClient EMS 6.2.0 by repeating step 5 to 7 from the instructions above on the production server.
  2. If you performed the upgrade on the staging server prior to the production server, do the following after successfully upgrading the production server:
    1. Disconnect endpoints from the staging server, then connect them to the production server.
    2. Shut down the staging server.