Are you realizing that your Instrument Manager™ (IM) has not changed in years and you are looking for the latest and greatest? Are you interested in staying up to date with IM’s new features?

Are you worried about taking the first step of change because you are not quite sure what to do?

DI has you covered. The following information will provide you with answers to frequently asked questions including who to contact, where to find more information, and what to consider before an upgrade.

1. Review your license and see if this meets the needs of your organization. Do you want to add more instruments and need more connections? Are you planning on moving from a physical server to a virtual machine? Do you need a backup solution to maintain normal operations in case Production is down?
   
   To find your license report within IM:
   1. Log inGo to the menuSelect ReportsSelect License information
   This window covers:
   • your license number (IM-######)how many total IM connections you have licensed and can be on at one time (Total IM connections)what modules you have available in IM (If “yes” that means you have that feature available within IM)if you have a shadow or mirror (Hot Backup/High Availability)how many thin clients can be connected to your IM at a given timewhether you have a softkey or hard key (Key Type)
   NOTE Currently, only softkeys are issued as of Edition IM2020. This will be valid for future releases of IM. If your site is currently using a hard key, it is recommended that you replace the hard key with a software security key (softkey). If you would like to switch from a hard key to a softkey, that will require a modification to the license file.If you find that you need to make modifications to the license file or receive upgraded license files for a pending upgrade, please contact your Business Partner (if applicable) through their requested means or DI Sales either by phone (888) 299-1750 option 2 or email northamerica-sales@datainnovations.com.
   
2. Does your current operating system (OS) and server infrastructure support an upgrade and if so, to what version of IM?
   
   DI provides System Specification for review of validated OS and expected server setup to run IM. To find this for the latest version available: http://datainnovations.com/instrument-manager-0. Follow this link to navigate to useful tools including IM System Specifications.NOTE If you upgrade IM to a version that has not been validated with your current OS or install IM on an OS not listed for that version, support will be limited.If you need access to obtain the documentation or have questions about it, please contact your Business Partner (if applicable) or the appropriate DI Regional Support (http://datainnovations.com/support-0 ) with your contact information, IM license number and nature of the request.
   
3. Will you be upgrading on your pre-existing servers or migrating to new servers?
   
   DI has a handy Upgrade Manual and Upgrade Reference guide for the version you will be upgrading to for review. If you have access to My DI Community or the Customer Web Portal, you can download these user guides prior to upgrade and review.If you want to do an upgrade on the same server running in Production, this will fall under the Upgrade Manual chapter: Upgrading Instrument Manager.If you want to move IM and upgrade, that is under the chapter: Installing Instrument Manager on New Hardware.If you have a pre-existing mirror set you need to upgrade as well, the manual has you covered under the chapter: Upgrade a Mirror Set/Upgrade Hot Backup to Mirror set.If you have questions about upgrade documentation or encounter an issue, please contact your Business Partner (if applicable) or the appropriate DI Regional Support (http://datainnovations.com/support-0 ) with your contact information, IM license number and nature of the request.
   
4. What changed between my version of IM and the one I plan to upgrade to?
   
   DI provides Release Notes for every version of IM for review. This should be reviewed prior to upgrading to make sure you consider any changes that may impact your current workflows when going live. DI also has two tools to give you a high-level overview of larger jumps in IM core versions here: “The Instrument Manager Version Calculator” and the “Instrument Manager Version History”Special known considerations: IM’s rules engine changed in IM version 8.12.01 so if you are upgrading to a version later than that, DI strongly recommends a re-evaluation of your rules to be performed prior to go-live. Another big change for IM was the recovery solution went from Hot backup/Shadow to Mirroring in IM version 8.15.01. DI strongly recommends reviewing the upgrade manual and ascertaining if a Service would be beneficial to make this transition.If you have questions about the release notes, please contact your Business Partner (if applicable) or the appropriate DI Regional Support (http://datainnovations.com/support-0 ) with your contact information, IM license number and nature of the request.
   
5. Do you want to test the upgrade process and review in real time your new version of IM before show time?
   
   If yes, the best practice is to use a test server. Test server licenses allow users to run IM at a different version and not impact production. To learn more about test server licenses, please contact sales either by phone (888) 299-1750 option 2 or email northamerica-sales@datainnovations.com.
   
6. How do I make sure that post upgrade my system is activated and will allow me to perform normal operations?
   
   When the upgraded license files are sent from DI, we provide a 90-day temporary softkey for operational purposes while the request for the permanent key is being processed. This should come with instructions on how to install the temporary softkey along with requesting the permanent key. The 90-day keys start the timer once applied, not from when we generated them. Once upgraded and on the temporary softkey, be sure to send in the request for your permanent key.If you do not receive your 90-day temporary softkey, are having difficulty installing your softkey, or have to run on the 7-day bypass, please contact your Business Partner (if applicable) or the appropriate DI Regional Support with your contact information, IM license number and nature of the request.
   
7. You are finding this all a bit daunting. How do I get help with all of this? What if I want dedicated assistance throughout the process? What about after-hours help? I want this to go smoothly!
   
   Customer Support (CS) can answer questions about your upgrade on a ticket-by-ticket basis. CS cannot be booked ahead of time for an upgrade or go-live. If you encounter problems during the upgrade, contact your Business Partner (if applicable) or the appropriate DI Regional Support with your contact information, IM license number and nature of the request. If after hours, the CS person on-call will make a judgment call on whether to finish the upgrade or back track you to your previous operational state. Upgrades that go poorly after-hours but are not impacting your production system are not considered for after-hours Emergency Support.If you want dedicated assistance with a consultant, contact your Business Partner (if applicable) or DI Sales either by phone (888) 299-1750 option 2 or email northamerica-sales@datainnovations.com to get a quote for DI Technical Professional Services to perform the upgrade with you. For more information on the differences between Customer Support and Technical Professional Services: click here.