SonarQube Upgrade, Backup and Restore Process

Today I will share the steps to upgrade from the SonarQube version 5.X to SonarQube version 6.X. We have upgrade guide which can be found http://docs.sonarqube.org/display/SONAR/Upgrading but its not complete guide thus I am sharing the steps as follows which can be followed for the production server as well. As practice shared on the oficial guide that before upgrading to the next major release, you must upgrade to know LTS e.g

Example 1 : 4.2 -> 6.1, migration path is 4.2 -> 4.5.7 LTS -> 5.6 LTS -> 6.1

Example 2 : 5.1 -> 5.6, migration path is 5.1 -> 5.6

Upgrading across multiple versions is handled automatically. However, if in your migration path you have an LTS version, you must first migrate to this LTS and then migrate to your target version.

Remember that SonarQube upgrade procedure does not have a rollback procedure, so it is mandatory that you take a full backup of the system before performing the upgrade.

Process 1: Steps to Take a Full Backup of SonarQube Server?

Step 1 – Stop the production server

Windows

%SONARQUBE_HOME%/bin/windows-x86-32/StopNTService.bat

Linux

$SONAR_HOME/bin/linux-x86-64/sonar.sh stop

Step 2 – Backup the production database e.g mysql db

> mysqldump –opt -Q -h localhost -u username–password=’password’ databasename | gzip -9 > databasename.gz

Also, there is one tool which has been available to take the backup of database.

https://docs.sonarqube.org/display/SONAR/Sonar+DB+Copy+Tool

Step 3 – Backup the $SONAR_HOME directory

> zip -r Sonar_home.zip $SONAR_HOME

Step 4 – List of plugins installed

Be mindful that $SONAR_HOME/extensions/plugins directory where you can get the list of plugins installed.

Step 5 – List of custom coding rules installed

Be mindful that $SONAR_HOME/extensions/rules directory where you can get the list of custom coding rules.

Step 6 – List of configurations used

Be mindful that $SONAR_HOME/config directory where you can get sonar.properties and wrapper.conf file which has all the current configurations and setup.

Step 7 – Re-start the production server

Windows

%SONARQUBE_HOME%/bin/windows-x86-32/StartSonar.bat

Linux

$SONAR_HOME/bin/linux-x86-64/sonar.sh start

Step 8: Keep the Sonar_home.zip and databasename.gz to the safe location.

Process 2: SonarQube server Upgrade process.

Following are the steps to be followed to upgrade the SonarQube server.

Step 1: Stop your old SonarQube Server.

Step 2: Install/Configure a most latest version of SonarQube
Install/Configure a most latest version of SonarQube Server in another location. The instructions is shared here (https://docs.sonarqube.org/display/SONAR/Installing+the+Server)

Step 3: Install the your required plugins/extensions compatible with your version of SonarQube. The Instructions is shared here.(https://docs.sonarqube.org/display/SONAR/Installing+a+Plugin)

Step 4: Update the contents of sonar.properties and wrapper.conf files (in NEW_SONARQUBE_HOME/conf) with the settings of the related files in the OLD_SONARQUBE_HOME/conf directory (web server URL, database, ldap settings, etc.). Do not copy-paste the old files.

If you are using the Oracle DB, copy its JDBC driver into NEW_SONARQUBE_HOME/extensions/jdbc-driver/oracle

Step 5: Start your new SonarQube Server

Windows

%SONARQUBE_HOME%/bin/windows-x86-32/StartSonar.bat

Linux

$SONAR_HOME/bin/linux-x86-64/sonar.sh start

Step 6: Browse to http://yourSonarQubeServerURL/setup and follow the setup instructions

Step 7: Verify the SonarQube Upgrade.

Note – SonarQube as a Linux or Windows Service

If you use external configuration, such as a script or Windows Service to control your server, you’ll need to update it to point to NEW_SONARQUBE_HOME.

In case you used the InstallNTService.bat to install SonarQube as a Windows Service, run the OLD_SONARQUBE_HOME/bin/…/UninstallNTService.bat before running the InstallNTService.bat of the NEW_SONARQUBE_HOME.

If you install SonarQube with Sql Server, it is better to chose Latin1_General_CS_AS as collation to avoid problems.

Some Well known Troubleshooting after upgrades.

Issues – Sonarqube upgrade 5.6 to 6.1, test coverage measue is missing

Solution – You might be missing the sonar.java.binaries. Sonar-5.6 did not need those.

Issues – Some unknown issues

Solution – Whenever you have problem with SonarQube do not forget to read the log, because only in the log you can understand the real cause of errors.

Reference

https://docs.sonarqube.org/display/SONAR/Upgrading

http://blog.majcica.com/2016/11/01/upgrading-sonarqube-to-a-newer-version/

http://www.codewrecks.com/blog/index.php/2016/08/11/upgrading-sonarqube-from-5-1-to-6-0/

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Rajesh Kumar

DevOps Architect - Mentor - Coach - Trainer at Cotocus

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Total, Over 15 years of extensive experience working with more than 8 software MNCs for software development/maintenance and production environments involved in continuous improvement and automating entire life cycle using latest devops tools and techniques from design and architecture, through implementation, deployment, and successful operations. Also, helping more than 70 software organizations globally, providing coaching, mentoring and consulting in devops, CICD, cloud, containers and operations.

I help software organization to improve a quality of the software, reducing the software development/operational cost and immediate feedback/monitoring. Have in-depth working experience in following domains with real project implementation.

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