Upgrade from a previous version

Upgrade SaltStack Config to the latest stable version from a previous version.

Note:

As part of VMware’s initiative to remove problematic terminology, the term Salt master will be replaced with a better term in SaltStack Config and related products and documentation. This terminology update may take a few release cycles before it is fully complete.

To upgrade SaltStack Config, you will need to:

• Back up your data, including certain files and directories that are crucial to your specific installation of SaltStack Config
• Upgrade PostgreSQL (optional, but recommended)
• Upgrade your Salt infrastructure (optional, but recommended)
• Download the upgrade files
• Upgrade the RaaS node
• Upgrade any Salt masters using the Master Plugin

Best practices when upgrading

Follow these guidelines while planning your upgrade:

• Do not upgrade using the installer or manual installation instructions.If you are upgrading your SaltStack Config installation, refer to the following upgrade instructions.
• For best results, increment from one major release to the next. As a best practice, always upgrade from the latest major version of SaltStack Config to the new release. If you are on an older release, upgrade incrementally from one release to the next.
• Back up your data. In order to prevent data loss, back up your data. For an explanation of which files and directories must be backed up before upgrading, see Back up your data.
• Perform upgrades during hours of slow network activity. Database upgrades require re-indexing data. Depending on the complexity of your data, a database upgrade could potentially take several hours. To prevent service disruptions, consider upgrading the database during slower business hours or trimming your database prior to an upgrade.
• Check the database for any old commands being stored. In some cases, the PostgreSQL database stores old commands that haven’t run. These commands might run during the upgrade process, when you restart the Master Plugin. To prevent this from happening, check whether any old commands are stored in the database, and enable skipping jobs that are older than a defined time.
• Test the upgrade before deploying. If possible, you could try running a dress rehearsal in a test environment to get a sense of how long the upgrade could take.
• Read through the whole guide first. Consider also reading through this entire guide one time before you implement an upgrade so that you have a good sense of the tasks that are required and whether they require planning from your team or if stakeholders must be notified of pending changes.

How to upgrade SaltStack Config

To upgrade SaltStack Config, complete the following tasks. These tasks are intended to be followed in a specific order as listed in this guide.