Zimbra Upgrade path from oldest version to present (5.0.1GA)

[gfdos.sys]

Hopefully I can get a definative answer on this, I thought I asked the question before but I cannot find it in the forums....

Here is the Zimbra (FOSS) Version History for those who dont know:
M2, M3, M3 Update, M3 Update 2
3.0.0, 3.0.1, 3.1, 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4
4.0.0, 4.0.1, 4.0.2, 4.0.3, 4.0.4, 4.0.5
4.5.0, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.5.3, 4.5.4
-(yahoo)-
4.5.4, 4.5.5, 4.5.6, 4.5.7, 4.5.8, 4.5.9, 4.5.10
5.0.0, 5.0.1

What I want to know is (for the record) What major revisions are stepping stones to upgrade to the newest version.

I am running 3.0.1 and I have been waiting for a reliable way to backup before I upgrade. Now that the Wiki Has one, and I have purchased backup hard drives for my server I am ready to go.

In the past I have been told (I cant remember who told me) but that the safest way from 3.0.1 to present was:
3.0.1 -> 3.1.0 -> 4.0.1 -> 4.5.0 -> 4.5.5
(do any operating system updates here)
then (new OS)+4.5.5 -> 4.5.10 -> 5.0.1 -> (Whatever comes next)

I have seen and read horror stories of 3.x -> 4.5x, etc.
What I want is a Zimbra employee sanctioned "safest way" (best practices)
way of going from 3.0.0 to current.

This will be beneficial for others also because it will also help any others who are in any of those "gaps" to know the "best practices" way to get to current FOSS. Besides at 200 - 300 MB per package thats alot of downloading, I dont mind doing it, I just want the SAFEST upgrade route, for smooth upgrading.

[jholder]

3.0 ->4.0.1->4.5.6->5.0.1 is a good path

[gfdos.sys]

I am using RHEL4 32bit.
I checked "perl -v" and this is the stock RHEL4 PERL 5.8.5. When I do the upgrade from 4.x to 5.x am I one of the ppl that will have to set a different PERL env?


as per:
Upgrade to 5.0 from 4.5.9 fails
before doing the upgrade do I first have to do this?:

export PERLLIB=/opt/zimbra/zimbramon/lib:/opt/zimbra/zimbramon/lib/i386-linux-thread-multi
export PERLLIB
PERL5LIB=$PERLLIB
export PERL5LIB

[gfdos.sys]

Above you said good path is
3.0.1->4.0.1->4.5.6->5.0.1

With the replica problem between 4.5.6->5.0.1, if I do
4.5.6->5.02 will I avoid the LDAP replica problem?

[phoenix]

I'd suggest you go from 4.5.6 -> 4.5.11 then to the current 5.0.2

[gfdos.sys]

so which is the safest/best migration path then?

3.0.1->4.0.1->4.5.6->4.5.11->5.0.2

or

3.0.1->4.0.1->4.5.11->5.0.2

[mmorse]

FYI: If you have ldap replicas you still need to follow the schema process when going 4.5.11 > 5.0.2
LDAP Replicas 4.5.x > 5.0.x

[gfdos.sys]

Had an old client call me about the
zimbra server I built for him, he wanted
to know about upgrading it to a newer version.

on RHEL 4 (32bit), still running Zimbra 3.1,
is 3.0.1->4.0.1->4.5.11->5.0.14
still the recommended way to go?

Or is it now safe to go directly from 3.1.0 -> 5.0.14?

[phoenix]

Had an old client call me about the
zimbra server I built for him, he wanted
to know about upgrading it to a newer version.

on RHEL 4 (32bit), still running Zimbra 3.1,
is 3.0.1->4.0.1->4.5.11->5.0.14
still the recommended way to go?

That should work.

Or is it now safe to go directly from 3.1.0 -> 5.0.14?

Under no circumstances should you try this. Don't forget to take a backup before and after each upgrade.