We strongly recommend that every installation runs the most recent production release of LabKey Server at all times. Upgrading regularly ensures that you are operating with all the latest security, reliability, and performance fixes, and provides access to the latest set of LabKey capabilities. LabKey Server contains a reliable, automated system that results in a very easy upgrade process.
Recognizing that some organizations can't upgrade immediately after every LabKey production release, we've adopted the following upgrade policy:
- We support upgrading from production releases for two years after their initial release. For example, any installation running 17.3 (November 2017 release) or later official releases should be able to upgrade to 20.1.x; earlier releases (17.2 and before) will not be able to upgrade directly to 20.1.x.
- We especially discourage running SNAPSHOT builds (aka, "interim development builds", builds from the development process that are not production releases) in any production environment. SNAPSHOT builds are not fully tested and are sure to contain bugs and incomplete features; they should be upgraded to a production release ASAP. We support upgrading from SNAPSHOT builds for only two production releases. For example, 20.1.x should be able to upgrade from any interim build created after the 19.2 production release.
This policy should easily accommodate all serious users of LabKey Server. Putting some minor limits on upgrade scenarios allows us to retire old migration code, streamline SQL scripts, and focus testing on the most common upgrade scenarios.
The table below shows the upgrade scenarios supported by past & current releases, and predictions for
upcoming releases:
LabKey Release | Can Upgrade From These Official Releases | Can Upgrade From These Interim Releases |
20.1.x | 17.3 and later | 19.2.x and later |
19.3.x | 17.2 and later | 19.1.x and later |
19.2.x | 17.1 and later | 18.3.x and later |
19.1.x | 16.3 and later | 18.2 and later |
18.3.x | 16.2 and later | 18.1 and later |
18.2 | 16.1 and later | 17.3 and later |
18.1 | 15.3 and later | 17.2 and later |
17.3 | 15.2 and later | 17.1 and later |
17.2 | 15.1 and later | 16.3 and later |
17.1 | 14.3 and later | 16.2 and later |
16.3 | 14.2 and later | 16.1 and later |
16.2 | 14.1 and later | 15.3 and later |
16.1 | 13.3 and later | 15.2 and later |
15.3 | 13.2 and later | 15.1 and later |
15.2 | 13.1 and later | 14.3 and later |
15.1 | 12.3 and later | 14.2 and later |
14.3 | 12.2 and later | 14.1 and later |
14.2 | 12.1 and later | 13.3 and later |
14.1 | 11.3 and later | 13.2 and later |
13.3 | 11.2 and later | 13.1 and later |
13.2 | 11.1 and later | 12.3 and later |
13.1 | 10.3 and later | 12.2 and later |
12.3 | 10.2 and later | 12.1 and later |
12.2 | 10.1 and later | 11.3 and later |
12.1 | 9.3 and later | 11.2 and later |
11.3 | 9.2 and later | 11.1 and later |
11.2 | 9.1 and later | 10.3 and later |
11.1 | 8.3 and later | 10.2 and later |
10.3 | 8.2 and later | 10.1 and later |
If you have questions or find that this policy causes a problem for you, please
contact LabKey for assistance.