Upgrading Private Synthetics Environment ActiveGate

[cwoodside]

We are trying to figure out the best method to update our environment activegates that are set up to run private synthetics. In the documentation around updating activegates, it says you can just install the new version over the old one, but when we do that with the '--enable-synthetic' and '--enable-browser-monitors' options, we get the error below:

ERROR: Parameters --install-modules, --enable-synthetic, --enable-browser-monitors and --enable-zremote are not valid for an update and are mutually exclusive, with the exception of --enable-synthetic and --enable-browser-monitors, which can be specified together. To proceed, perform the following actions as user 'root': first uninstall Dynatrace ActiveGate and then perform an installation, specifying appropriate parameter(s), depending on your requirement, e.g.:

/dynatrace/gateway/uninstall.sh

Dynatrace-ActiveGate-Linux-x86-1.173.298.sh--enable-browser-monitors

Installation failed.

My question is are we going to have to uninstall and reinstall on these particular activegates every time a new version is available, or is there a method to updating these without completely uninstalling/reinstalling?

[skrystosik]

I’m curious if upgrading AG without parameter wouldn’t be best option. In general upgrade process does not touch configuration, so this should not break anything.

Sebastian

[skrystosik]

https://www.dynatrace.com/support/help/shortlink/sgw-configure#section-synthetic-

Look here, synthetic is only property in config file, so upgrading without extra arguments should work for you.

Sebastian

[Julius_Loman]

As far as I remember, the correct method is to just run the ActiveGate installer without any parameters. The installation will honour the existing configuration.

The parameters are just for installing a new ActiveGate.

[cwoodside]

I just ran the install in my test environment without any parameters and it basically changed the activegate into one used for routing traffic and monitoring cloud environments, so now my synthetics are dead.

[Yosi_Neuman · Accepted solution]

Hi guys

You should use custom.properties to preserve all changes made in the AG config.properties file.

For more information check documentation

Yos

[cwoodside]

Yos,

So for a synthetics enabled activegate, what should the upgrade process be? What would I need to add into the custom.properties file? I'd like to get this process down, as we have a few of these to update, and manually uninstalling and reinstalling every time a new version is available really isn't feasible.

[Yosi_Neuman]

Hi @Ryan W.

In custom.properties you should add

Section: [synthetic]

enable_synthetic=true

This will take care of the changing, after upgrade, the Out Of the Box config.properties that the upgrade will create.

Yos

[cwoodside]

Ok, I am going to update the file on one of my other AGs and give it a try. I'll report back with my findings.

[ctturner · Accepted solution]

You can just run the install on the gateway without any perimeters and it will retain current settings and just update the version. I've done this without error on my internal, external and custom metrics/Plugins Activegates without any problems, WE typically do a snapshot of the host that is being upgraded just before in the event that something does go sour we can just jump right back. Never had to uninstall and install to be on the latest version.

[cwoodside]

Hey Chad, thanks for the reply. I have also been able to upgrade the other activegates without using any parameters, but this seems to occur strictly on the synthetics enabled AGs. Have you done the upgrade on any of those?

[ctturner]

Hey Ryan, Yes We have done this for CMC activegates that handle oneagent traffic, Mobile app alerts, internal synthetics, external synthetics, and custom plugins. I have attached a screen shot with the settings we use when we download the linux install/updated version.

You could select that second radio button and it will pass the perams for synthetics but i dont believe thats needed since synthetics are already running - the install file just updates

[cwoodside]

Everything we have tried has worked as expected in regards to upgrades, except for the second option in your screenshot. When we run the install with the parameters it mentions, the install fails telling us that parameters are not needed. Then when we run it with no parameters, it blows away synthetics and turns the activegate into the first option (route traffic, monitor cloud environments). I am going to try it with the option Yos mentioned above with the modification to the custom.properties file, and I'll report back.

[ctturner]

I am looking forward to your results! Fingers crossed!!