DocuShare 8.1 Upgrade Paths

Upgrade to DocuShare 8.1 (In-Place)

DocuShare 8.1 supports specific upgrade paths from DocuShare 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, and 8.0. Do not skip an intermediate release where the supported path requires one. Which search engine you retain depends on the engine running in your current installation and whether you perform an in-place upgrade or a new-server migration.

Upgrade Paths

The oldest starting point listed for this article is DocuShare 7.5 Patch 2. For DocuShare 7.0 or lower contact your DocuShare Sales Representative to discuss a Professional Services quote to assist with an upgrade to a supported version.

Remaining on IDOL

DocuShare 7.0 or 7.5 sites running IDOL are updated to DocuShare 8.1 with IDOL. If you want to upgrade from IDOL to Solr, contact Xerox customer support.

Migrating to a New Server

A migration to a new server is not covered by the in-place upgrade procedure. A new-server migration involves installing Solr and performing a full reindex of the site. Contact Xerox DocuShare Support for the migration procedure that applies to your environment.

Before You Start

• Verify that your current DocuShare version and patch level match one of the supported paths. If your site is below DocuShare 7.5 Patch 2, contact Xerox DocuShare Support before proceeding.
• Review the DocuShare 8.1 system requirements and confirm that your operating system, Java runtime, application server, web server, database, and search engine are supported.
• Prepare a backup plan for the DocuShare documents, database, configuration, licenses, customer-specific customizations, and search data. The documents and database must be backed up in the same backup cycle so they remain synchronized.
• Confirm that your environment does not depend on features removed from DocuShare 8.1: WebEx / Online Meetings integration, LiquidOffice forms integration, SharePoint Export Agent (SPExporter), or standalone WebDAV support. DocuShare Drive, the Windows Client, and the DS-to-DS Exporter use the HTTP/XML (DsAxess) API under /dsweb/* and are unaffected by standalone WebDAV removal.
• Review custom integrations and custom solutions with Xerox DocuShare Support before beginning the upgrade.
• Notify users in advance when the site will be unavailable and for how long.
• Record the current configuration settings required by the upgrade wizard and write down the server Host ID from Site Management | License.
• Stop automated or programmatically generated activity, especially Content Intake Manager, Content Rules, and Scan to DocuShare services.
• Close site access by setting Site Access Authority to Administrator and placing the site in Read Only mode before the upgrade.
• If the site uses IDOL, back up the IDOL database before beginning the upgrade.
• Clear the event queue before stopping DocuShare. Failure to clear the event queue can result in loss of events waiting in the queue.
• If you use Windows Server 2025 with IIS, review the Installation Guide prerequisite for the IIS WebDAV Publishing feature. Its handler mapping can claim PROPFIND before the request reaches DocuShare; verify the required IIS configuration before the upgrade.
• Temporarily disable antivirus during installation if permitted by your security policy. File locks can interfere with copying the Solr tree and can prevent full-text services from starting.
• Plan a multi-hour maintenance window. The exact duration depends on database size, content volume, search engine, backups, reindexing, and validation requirements.

Licensing

A new license is required for DocuShare 8.1. A valid support contract is required before a license for the new DocuShare version can be issued. DocuShare supplies a 30-day grace period to apply the new license after the upgrade.

To request a license for the new version or server, email docushare.licenses@xerox.com. Include the old server Host ID and DocuShare version, together with the new server Host ID and DocuShare version. The licensing mailbox is monitored Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (US), excluding holidays.

Do not use the old site license or a trial license for the upgraded site. Apply the new site license from the Administration menu at Site Management | License.

Search Engine Considerations

• If your site runs Solr, a full Solr reindex is required after upgrading to DocuShare 8.1.
• Only a net new installation provides the Solr engine. Upgrading from a version running the IDOL Service retains the IDOL engine.
• If your site runs IDOL, the in-place upgrade retains IDOL; follow the IDOL indexing and validation guidance for your environment. If you want to migrate from IDOL to Solr, contact Xerox DocuShare Support.
• Multiple DocuShare instances on a single virtual machine with Solr are not supported.
• If a Linux server is restarted, Solr must be started manually before starting DocuShare.

Content Assistant and pgVector

The pgVector add-on for Content Assistant semantic search is installed separately after the main DocuShare installation. PostgreSQL is required for pgVector support. Features that use Content Assistant semantic search or vector-backed search require pgVector; confirm the required add-ons for your licensed Content Assistant features with Xerox DocuShare Support.

• The dedicated pgVector add-on installer supports existing PostgreSQL installations on the same or a remote server and new PostgreSQL installations.
• PostgreSQL versions 13 through 18 are supported for the pgVector add-on.
• Vector database connection passwords are automatically encrypted during installation.

Upgrade Procedure

1. Confirm the exact DocuShare version and patch level in the About page and installation records.
2. Confirm that the version and patch level match one of the supported DocuShare 8.1 upgrade paths. Complete any required intermediate release or patch in full, using that release's own backup, shutdown, licensing, and validation procedure, before beginning the DocuShare 8.1 upgrade.
3. Set Site Access Authority to Administrator and System Mode to Read Only. Stop automated or programmatically generated activity only after recording how it will be restored.
4. If the site uses IDOL, back up the IDOL database while the site is still running.
5. Set System Mode to Read Write, set the Subscription Notification day and time to five minutes from the current time, apply the change, and wait ten minutes so the event queue can drain.
6. Stop DocuShare before taking the site backup. Then stop the database if required by your database backup procedure, and back up the DocuShare documents and database in the same backup cycle so they remain synchronized. Include the configuration, licenses, customer-specific customizations, and required search data in the backup. Restart the database before the installer upgrades the database schema.
7. Install DocuShare 8.1 using the installation files and the procedure supplied with the release. Installation files must be extracted to a local hard drive before running and you must run as administrator. This is the upgrade installation step; DocuShare has already been stopped for the synchronized backup above, so do not perform a second stop as a separate preparation step.
8. After installation, reboot the server if required by the Installation Guide. Confirm the DocuShare service is set to start as intended, start DocuShare, and restart IIS manually if the installer did not restart it.
9. Apply the new DocuShare 8.1 license within the 30-day grace period.
10. Install the pgVector add-on separately if your licensed deployment uses vector-backed Content Assistant search. (purchasable option)
11. If your site runs Solr, complete the required full Solr reindex. If your site runs IDOL, follow the IDOL indexing and validation guidance instead; do not start a Solr reindex on an IDOL-retained upgrade.
12. Run database optimization according to the DocuShare Administrator Guide.
13. Retrieve the customized VDF and image files from <DSHome>/DSUpgrade/BackUpDir.0/amber.jar and <DSHome>/DSUpgrade/BackUpDir.0/root.jar, then migrate the custom VDFs to the current release using the VDF Reference Guide.
14. If the site uses LDAP over SSL, re-import the LDAP SSL certificate into the new JDK's <DSHome>\jdk\lib\security\cacerts using the LDAP Active Directory Guide on the site's Help page.
15. Restore the pre-upgrade Subscription Notification settings, return Site Access Authority to its previous setting, set System Mode back to Read Write, and restart Content Intake Manager, Content Rules, Scan to DocuShare, and any other automated activity stopped for the upgrade.

Supported DocuShare 8.1 Components

Post-Upgrade Checks

• Confirm the final DocuShare version and patch level.
• Confirm that DocuShare services start successfully.
• Confirm that users can authenticate using the configured authentication method.
• If the site runs Solr, confirm that search returns expected results after the full Solr reindex completes. If the site runs IDOL, validate IDOL search and indexing instead.
• Test Content Assistant and pgVector if enabled.
• Test integrations and workflows that are supported in DocuShare 8.1.
• Review application, database, and search-service logs for startup or migration errors.

Rollback Planning

Before beginning the upgrade, agree on a rollback point and confirm that the database, content, configuration, license, and search backups are restorable. If the upgrade cannot be completed, stop the new installation, restore the database and content backups, reinstall the prior DocuShare version as required by the applicable recovery procedure, reapply the prior license and configuration, and validate the restored site before reopening access. Contact Xerox DocuShare Support for environment-specific recovery guidance.

Support Guidance

If you need confirmation of an upgrade path or assistance with an IDOL-to-Solr migration, contact Xerox DocuShare Support by emailing docushare.support@xerox.com. When requesting assistance, provide the current DocuShare version and patch level, operating system, database, search engine, installation type, and a description of any custom integrations.

This article is based on the Xerox DocuShare 8.1 Release Notes, the Xerox DocuShare Installation Guide for Release 8.1, and the published DocuShare 8.0 Upgrade Paths article. Refer to the current release documentation for the complete list of resolved issues, known issues, and workarounds.

References

• Xerox DocuShare 8.1 Release Notes: https://help.docushare.com/hc/en-us/articles/55599513072923-Xerox-DocuShare-8-1-Release-Notes
• DocuShare 8.0 Upgrade Paths: https://help.docushare.com/hc/en-us/articles/45883311352859-DocuShare-8-0-Upgrade-Paths
• DocuShare 8.1 System Requirements: https://help.docushare.com/hc/en-us/sections/55598988231451-Release-Notes-and-System-Requirements-DocuShare-8-1
• How to contact DocuShare Customer/Technical Support: https://help.docushare.com/hc/en-us/articles/21444219975963-How-To-Contact-DocuShare-Customer-Technical-Support
• Xerox DocuShare Installation Guide for Release 8.1, supplied with DocuShare 8.1 documentation.
• DocuShare 8.1 documentation on the DoUG site: https://docushare.xerox.com/doug/dsweb/View/Collection-20248
• DocuShare 8.1 installers: https://docushare.xerox.com/doug/dsweb/View/Collection-20249

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