Upgrade your content store

IBM® Cognos® BI upgrades the content store database to the new version of the product when you start the services for the first time.

The process for upgrading your content store to the new version of the product includes the following steps:

  1. Make a backup of your existing content store database.
  2. Create a database from the backup.

    If your content store is on DB2® on z/OS®, you must run a script to upgrade the content store before you start the services in IBM Cognos Configuration.

  3. Connect the new version of the product to the content store that you created from the backup in IBM Cognos Configuration.
  4. Start your services.

    The content store is upgraded during the startup process.

    Important: When you use this method, the first time you start your IBM Cognos services, you are prompted to upgrade your reports. Upgrading your reports can take a long time, and it is better to upgrade them after you have the new version running. You can upgrade your reports afterwards using IBM Cognos Administration. Additionally, if you have Software Development Kit applications that create, modify, or save report specifications, do not select the option to upgrade your report specifications.

This process lets you use the old and new versions of the product at the same time, where each version has its own content store.

Important: When you connect the new version of the product to the content store you created from the backup, the content store database is upgraded, and can no longer be used with your older version of the product.
Parent topic: Upgrade tasks