Re: Database upgrading: upgrade server first or client first?

Steve Crawford <scrawford@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:42:12 -0700



    On 04/30/2012 11:34 AM, roy hills wrote:
    
      
        I'm running a postgresql 8.1 database on a single server which
        is queried from a number of client systems.

        Both server and clients are running Debian Linux.

        
        I need to upgrade from 8.1 to 8.3, but it's difficult for me to
        upgrade everything at once. Is it possible to

        run different versions of the client and server, and if so is it
        better to upgrade the client first or the server first?

      
    Yes it is.

    
    The advice I've received upon asking this question in the past is
    clients first then server. We are currently running many 9.1 clients
    against some servers awaiting upgrade - the most ancient of which is
    7.4. The only problem (annoyance, really) is that in interactive
    psql sessions, a few of the "\" commands don't work with the old
    servers due to differences in the system tables and similar internal
    changes between versions.

    
    As always, test your setup.

    
    Also, if putting in the effort to upgrade, consider moving to 9.1 to
    get all the current feature and performance benefits.

    
    Cheers,

    Steve