Upgrade your help desk to Deskpro Horizon
We've created a comprehensive guide to take you through the upgrade process from Deskpro Legacy to Deskpro Horizon.
Our step-by-step guides and tutorial videos are designed to help you smoothly transition to Deskpro Horizon without any hassle.
Upgrading your Deskpro instance
If you're looking to upgrade your Deskpro On-Premise instance, you'll be happy to know that the process has been simplified with the release of the On-Premise Controller. However, it's important to note that the method of deploying Deskpro On-Premise has changed from our Legacy help desk, and an in-situ upgrade is no longer possible due to the changes in the deployment of Horizon with the On-Premise Controller.
To upgrade to Horizon, we recommend a new installation of Deskpro on a fresh, clean server. This is the preferred method. Fortunately, we've made the upgrade process as easy as possible, and it only involves two steps. And once you've installed the On-Premise Controller, managing future upgrades and ongoing maintenance will be much simpler.
Installation
1. Install Horizon onto a new server
To initiate the upgrade process install Deskpro Horizon onto a new, clean server. This is the recommended approach instead of an in-situ upgrade.
You can deploy your new On-Premise instance onto a different server than your current solution. We offer a wide range of deployment options, depending on your specific requirements. This flexibility ensures you can find the deployment that works best for your needs.
Import your data
2. Import your current help desk data
With the introduction of the On-Premise Controller, importing your current data to Deskpro Horizon is a straightforward process.
The platform allows you to import your current instance directly, making it easier to migrate your databases and file attachments.
Still have questions?
Here are some of the most common questions we receive about the upgrade process, you can see more information about the upgrade process and other FAQs in the Upgrade Guide.
I have an older version of Deskpro (v4 or earlier), can I upgrade directly to Horizon?
No, first you need to upgrade to the latest version of Deskpro v5 (2023.0) and ensure your help desk meets the upgrade requirements before you can move to Horizon.
To upgrade your v4 or earlier help desk, you'll need to follow our Upgrade from a Legacy Version Guide.
Can I run a test upgrade?
Yes, when you attempt to import your help desk into the On-Premise Controller, you get the option to perform a test migration. This creates a locked-down instance which you can use to gauge the time it will take to complete the upgrade and confirm there will be no issues.
Note that test upgrades cannot be made Live and must be removed before the upgrade of your live help desk.
How long will the upgrade take?
The upgrade time depends on the size of the help desk you are upgrading. If you have a large help desk and are concerned about the time it may take, we recommend performing a test migration.
Will I need to do this again?
No, the OPC allows for much more flexibility in managing your On-Premise help desk, and Ubuntu allows for updates between distributions.
You should not need to perform any other installations in the future.
What software do I need to install?
There should be no software pre-installed on your server before installing Deskpro. We recommend installing Deskpro on a clean VM or Server to prevent conflicts.
How do I maintain the On-Premise Controller?
Updating the OPC and your instances can be done in one click from the OPC itself. The OPC will automatically install any security patches for internal services.
What Virtual Machine or Server do I need?
If you're installing on a VM, use Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or Ubuntu 22.04 LTS for your operating system. If you're installing on a Physical Server, you can also use Windows in addition to Ubuntu.
Our Cloud and Virtual Machine images use Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.
Why can't I use RHEL, other operating systems, or Windows in a VM?
These operating systems do not support the services that Deskpro requires to run, namely Docker. In the future, we are looking into supporting Podman to allow support for other Linux operating systems.
Some users may want to use Windows, so our Windows installer uses Virtualization to add support for these services. This would cause nested virtualization in a virtual machine, which would cause a significant performance hit.
Can I use an external MySQL / ElasticSearch server?
Yes, you can select an external MySQL server or ElasticSearch server when you migrate your data. These are configured during the migration and guides are available here:
Can I still use my existing external MySQL / ElasticSearch server?
Deskpro Horizon uses newer versions of MySQL and ElasticSearch to Deskpro v5. You can use your existing MySQL and ElasticSearch servers, but they may need to be updated.Deskpro Horizon supports MySQL 8 and ElasticSearch 6.
Upgrade to Deskpro Horizon today
Go to our documentation to start your upgrade process. If you encounter any issues, you can get in touch with our Technical Support team who can advise you.