How to downgrade Spotfire Server to a previous version

Description:

This article provides guidance on how to handle situations where a downgrade of the Spotfire Server version is required.

Note, if you need to save user data and analysis/reports in current Spotfire Library, then first you'll need to export the library data (Exporting Library data) and, once the correct Spotfire environment is fully installed and running, import that data back into the library (Importing Library data).

Solution: 

There are no official downgrade procedures available for any of the Spotfire Server components, but, depending on current state of the environment, the following options can be used:

Option 1: If this is a new Spotfire environment (there has never been any other version installed prior to current version and there is no user data stored in Spotfire Library), then:

 - Current Spotfire Server and Node Manager nodes need to be uninstalled and existing Spotfire Server database schema needs to be dropped/deleted.

 - A required Spotfire Server version has to be installed using steps outlined here: https://docs.tibco.com/pub/spotfire_server/latest/doc/html/TIB_sfire_server_tsas_admin_help/server/topics/installation_and_configuration.html

Option 2: If Spotfire Server or Node Manager nodes have been upgraded (but not used yet and Spotfire Server database has not been upgraded yet), then it is possible to downgrade by simply uninstalling these nodes and installing their versions that match the current version of the Spotfire Server database. 

Option 3: If the previously installed version is the same version that now needs to be reinstalled (for example: 14.0 (previous) -> 14.5 (current) -> 14.0 (restored)), then:

 - Current Spotfire Server and Node Manager nodes need to be uninstalled.

 - Spotfire Server's database needs to be restored to previous version, assuming there is a backup of it available. Note, if the previous version database backup is not available, you'll need to use option 1. 

 - The version of Spotfire Server that matches the restored database version needs to be installed.

 - Connect the new Spotfire Server to the restored database by creating a new bootstrap xml file in the Configuration Tool: https://docs.tibco.com/pub/spotfire_server/latest/doc/html/TIB_sfire_server_tsas_admin_help/server/topics/creating_the_bootstrap.xml_file.html

Option 4: If the previous version was an earlier version than the currently planned version (for example, 12.0 (previous) -> 14.4 (current) -> 12.0 (to be restored) -> 14.0 (new version)), then one needs to perform the steps in option 3 above and then proceed with an upgrade to the currently planned version:

https://docs.tibco.com/pub/spotfire_server/latest/doc/html/TIB_sfire_server_tsas_admin_help/server/topics/upgrading_spotfire.html