How to upgrade Java for Spotfire® Server 10.10-11.2

Introduction

Spotfire Server includes an Oracle Java Development Kit (JDK). This JDK is usually the most recent and secure version at the time of the Spotfire Server release (note: it is also regularly updated in Service Pack releases for Spotfire Server LTS versions). If you always want to use the most recent Java version though, you must upgrade to the newer Java version manually, whenever it is released by Oracle. To make a full switch, you must do changes for both the server and the node manager.

This page describes how to upgrade Java for Spotfire® Server version 10.10-11.2 specifically. For other versions, please refer to the following:

• For Spotfire® Server 7.5-10.9, refer to the community article "How to upgrade Java for Spotfire® Server 7.5-10.9" https://community.spotfire.com/articles/spotfire/upgrade-java-spotfire-server-75-and-later/
• For Spotfire® Server 11.3 and higher, refer to the page "Switching the Java Development Kit" in the Spotfire Server Installation and Administration Manual:  https://docs.tibco.com/pub/spotfire_server/12.0.0/doc/html/TIB_sfire_server_tsas_admin_help/server/topics/switching_the_java_development_kit.html (refer to the manual for your specific version).

Before you begin

A supported Oracle Java Development Kit (JDK), suitable for your operating system, must be installed. It is only supported to change to another Oracle JDK 11 version. It is not supported to downgrade to an older JDK version (major or minor) than the one included with the Spotfire Server unless Spotfire Support specifically clears you to do so.

Important: Oracle JDK 11 is commercially licensed and it is your own responsibility to download and buy a license if upgrading using these instructions. Spotfire tries to release new service packs for the long time support (LTS) versions of Spotfire Server as soon as possible after a new Oracle JDK has been released. If you don't want to buy a license for an Oracle JDK, you can upgrade to such a service pack instead. If you need more information on Java licenses for Spotfire products, please see this article:

https://support.tibco.com/s/article/TIBCO-Licensing-and-Support-for-Oracle-Java-SE-11 (login to Spotfire support)

Switching to another Oracle Java Development Kit for the Spotfire Server

It is possible to perform this upgrade with minimal impact on the Spotfire system. It is however necessary to restart each Spotfire Server at least once. Follow the process outlined below for each Spotfire Server in your environment.

Procedure

1. Stop the Spotfire Server.
2. Rename the current JDK directory from <installation directory>/jdk to <installation directory>/jdk.bak.
3. Install the new JDK in <installation directory>/jdk.
4. Optional: Add trusted certificates to the cacerts truststore.
5. Optional: Register JAAS applications if authenticating to the Spotfire database using Kerberos
6. Start the Spotfire Server.
7. Optional: Remove the old JDK.

The Java Development Kit has now been updated.

Optional: Add trusted certificates to the cacerts truststore

If the Spotfire Server connects to an LDAP server or a database using TLS and you have previously added trusted certificates for such hosts to the cacerts truststore in the old JDK, then you also need to add those certificates to the new cacerts truststore in the new JDK. See the section Configuring LDAPS in the Spotfire Server manual for more information on how to do that.

Important: It is crucial that you add the certificates to the new cacerts truststore in the new JDK instead of just copying the old truststore from the old JDK. If you copy the old truststore, you will be using an outdated truststore which poses a security risk. 

Optional: Register JAAS applications if authenticating to the Spotfie database using Kerberos

If the Spotfire Server is configured to authenticate to the Spotfire database using Kerberos authentication, you must register the JAAS application configuration again. See the section Registering the JAAS application configuration file with Java in the Spotfire Server manual for more information on how to do that.

Optional: Remove the old JDK

When you don?t need the old Oracle JDK anymore, it is possible to remove it by simply deleting the directory <installation directory>/jdk.bak. However, keeping it installed should not cause any problems and makes reverting easier.

Important: If you remove the old Oracle JDK, you cannot revert the Java changes without restoring from a backup.

Optional: Revert to the old JDK

If you should ever need to switch back to the old Oracle JDK, it is easy to do so, assuming that you have not removed it. 

1. Stop the Spotfire Server.
2. Rename the current JDK from <installation directory>/jdk to <installation directory>/jdk.new.
3. Rename the old JDK directory from <installation directory>/jdk.bak to <installation directory>/jdk.
4. Start the Spotfire Server.

Switching to another Oracle Java Development Kit for the Spotfire node manager

It is possible to perform this upgrade with minimal impact on the Spotfire system. It is however necessary to restart each Spotfire node manager at least once. Follow the process outlined below for each  Spotfire node manager in your environment.

Procedure

1. Stop the Spotfire node manager.
2. Rename the old JDK directory from <installation directory>/jdk to <installation directory>/jdk.bak.
3. Install the new JDK in <installation directory>/jdk.
4. Start the Spotfire node manager.
5. Optional: Remove the old JDK.

The Java Development Kit has now been updated.

Optional: Remove the old JDK

When you don't need the old Oracle JDK anymore, it is possible to remove it by simply deleting the directory <installation directory>/jdk.bak. However, keeping it installed should not cause any problems and makes reverting easier.

Important: If you remove the old Oracle JDK, you cannot revert the Java changes without restoring from a backup.

Optional: Revert to the old JDK

If you should ever need to switch back to the old Oracle JDK, it is easy to do so, assuming that you have not removed it. 

1. Stop the Spotfire node manager.
2. Rename the current JDK from <installation directory>/jdk to <installation directory>/jdk.new.
3. Rename the old JDK directory from <installation directory>/jdk.bak to <installation directory>/jdk.
4. Start the Spotfire node manager.