VMware Blockchain provides an upgrade workflow that introduces operational changes before, during, and after the upgrade process, which you must consider before upgrading.

You can implement an in-place-based upgrade workflow to upgrade the Replica and Client nodes in a blockchain.

The in-place upgrade updates the Replica nodes within the blockchain. These nodes are upgraded consecutively. During the upgrade, the nodes are powered off.

Table 1. In-Place Upgrade Process

Before Upgrade

During Upgrade

After Upgrade

Stop any Client node application accessing the blockchain network.

Copy the output JSON file from the old VMware Blockchain Orchestrator to a new VMware Blockchain Orchestrator appliance.

Verify the health of the blockchain nodes using the health check script.

Configure the infrastructure and deployment descriptor file parameter values.

If the upgrade fails, the failed upgrade automatically rolls back to the previous snapshot created during the upgrade process.

Run the UpdateController.py script with the appropriate parameter values.

The automated upgrade script performs the following steps:

  1. Wedges the blockchain nodes

  2. Shuts down the blockchain network

  3. Creates snapshots of all blockchain nodes

  4. Downloads the new OS patch images

  5. Applies the new OS patch

  6. Reboots all blockchain nodes

  7. Executes the reconfiguration workflow

  8. Updates the new configuration session ID in the agent and config.json files on all blockchain nodes

  9. Populates the new blockchain node components

  10. Starts all the blockchain components and containers

  11. Unwedges the blockchain nodes