Nexus 3.6 to 4.0 Upgrade Instructions

If you haven't yet downloaded the most recent Nexus install file to your PC, do that now . Then return to this page. If you have already downloaded the install file you can continue with Step 2.

Save the downloaded file to a new folder on your PC:

The actual file name may change slightly as different releases of the software are made available.

Double-click the IBM i install (nexusxx.exe) to transfer the libraries to your IBM i.

After the file is decompressed, BCD's FTP upload utility is presented. Type your IBM i IP address and the QSECOFR password, then click the Upload button:

This step takes a few minutes to complete. When the upload finishes the activity log displays the message ‘File upload complete’. Close the FTP utility and continue with the next step.

After your transfer the install files to your server you can retrieve your system info to generate your new license key.

While signed in to your IBM i, run the command BCDINSTALL/BCDSYSINFO. Make a note of the information displayed (or take a screen shot). You will need this in order to request your new license key.

Then log in to myBCDSoftware.com and go to the License Management area. From there you can see a list of your licenses, and select the option to request a Nexus 4 license key. You will receive a temp key in an email immediately after requesting your perm key and submitting the form. Use this key to continue the install. Our sales team will then contact you to give you your permanent key.

Once you have your license key, you can proceed with the next step of the install.

End the NXAPACHE HTTP Server Instance
To avoid object locks on programs and files that need to be updated, you should end the Apache HTTP server instance used by Nexus.

After confirming that no one is currently using Nexus, run the following command to end the NXAPACHE HTTP server instance:

ENDTCPSVR SERVER(*HTTP) HTTPSVR(NXAPACHE)

All the jobs should end within a few seconds. Now run the following command to check for object locks:

WRKOBJLCK OBJ(XL_SMSLIB) OBJTYPE(*LIB)

If your current Nexus environment is in a library other than XL_NEXUS, then reference that library.

Rename Service Program PW_RTS115 (If Found)
Certain older version of Presto may cause a conflict with your Nexus upgrade. Follow these steps to verify and address this:

1. Run the command WRKOBJ XL_WEBSPT/PW_RTS115.
2. If the object is not found, proceed with the upgrade.
3. If the object is found, run this command: WRKOBJLCK OBJ(XL_WEBSPT/PW_RTS115) OBJTYPE(*SRVPGM). Clear any locks. Note that his may require ending your HTTP server instance(s).
4. Re-name XL_WEBSPT/PW_RTS115 to PW_RTS115B. Then proceed with the upgrade.

Once all object locks have been cleared and PW_RTS115 has been renamed (if required) you can continue with step 5.

Start your Upgrade
To begin the installation, log in to an IBM i session as QSECOFR and execute the command BCDINSTALL/BCDINSTALL.

The install will present a summary list of the installation steps. Review the instructions and press Enter to continue.

Nexus 4 requires a valid license key before beginning the install. At the screen presented, enter your new key (see Step 3 for details).

Note: If you don’t have a license key to hand you can exit the upgrade here and contact your sales representative at BCD.

As the first step of the actual install, you are prompted to enter the name of the library to install to:

The default library name is XL_NEXUS. You have a couple of options here:

1. Upgrade your current install. Enter the name of an existing Nexus library to upgrade that library to the current release.
2. Install a new site. To create a completely new Nexus environment, enter the name of a library that does not exist.

These instructions will follow the path of upgrading an existing environment.

To upgrade your existing library, type your existing Nexus library name in the space above and press Enter.

Creating a Backup of your Previous Nexus Environment
When you specify an existing Nexus library as your target installation library, Nexus will detect this and display the message:

An existing copy of Nexus 3.x has been detected in XL_NEXUS.
This library can be upgraded to the current release. Press Enter to
create a backup copy of this library in the library specified below,
or F8 to upgrade without backup the current library.

Below this message, you will have these options:

Type backup library and IFS directory names. Make sure that the library and directory you enter here don't already exist. The default values are XL_SMSOLD and nexusold, respectively.

Then press Enter to continue.

The last step in the IBM i install instructs you to start the NXAPACHE server instance and provides a test URL to verify that the software has been installed. We'll do that next.

Migrate Custom HTTP Server Instance Changes
If you have made any custom changes to your Nexus Apache HTTP server instances, you need to apply these changes to the new server instance now. If you made no custom changes to your Nexus server instance config, you can continue with the instructions below.

Note: The User Guide includes instructions on how to access and edit your HTTP server instance configuration. If you use Nexus in a production environment, the migration of any custom changes from a previous server instance to the current one should only be undertaken by someone familiar with the software, and the original changes.

Contact Technical Support if you have any questions.

Start the XL_NEXUS HTTP Server Instance
After the product libraries and IFS files have been restored, and any custom changes re-applied to your HTTP server instance, you can start the Nexus Apache HTTP server instance.

The last step in the install will summarize the steps involved in starting the HTTP server instance.

To start your XL_NEXUS HTTP server instance run this command:

STRTCPSVR SERVER(*HTTP) HTTPSVR(XL_NEXUS)

To check the status of your server instance you can attempt to access Nexus (using the instructions further below), or check the server instance status from the Admin interface.

To access your server's Admin interface type your IBM i IP address below and click the Manage HTTP Servers button. When prompted, log on as QSECOFR and then continue with the instructions below:

This page may take a few seconds to load. At the page presented go to the Manage tab and select the XL_NEXUS server instance from the dropdown list:

After selecting the server instance, verify its status. If it's stopped (as shown above), click the green button to start it. [The XL_NEXUS server instance runs on port 8010; if you wish to change this value you can edit the configuration file before starting the server instance]:

Once the server instance is shown as running, click this button to present the Nexus login program:

[This test uses the IP address you entered at the top of this section. If the program isn't found, verify your system IP address in the new browser window.

At the page presented, take note the URL of the page that opens: we have automatically appended the XL_NEXUS configuration's port number (8010) to your IP address, as well as the default Nexus login program's URL. We recommend that you bookmark that page.

If you get a Nexus login, it means you have successfully installed the portal, and started a functioning HTTP server instance.

After your upgrade, review your site thoroughly to check for any unexpected changes. Below is a list of areas you should particularly check.

My Custom Skins are not Displaying as I Expect
If you upgraded to Nexus 4 from a release earlier than 3.6, you may notice some issues with your custom skins. In version 3.6 we made some changes to the stylesheet structure, which requires custom stylesheets to be regenerated with the new structure.

In most cases, you can correct your custom skins by opening your custom skin via the Site Management area, clicking on the option to change that skin, and in there clicking the Apply button. This should correct any issues you have with colors.

If the above steps don’t work for you, you may need to go directly to the program at /*siteprivatepath*/nxskins.pgm to update your skin.

If you see any white space below your header, or don’t see the full header, you can correct this by adjusting the header height (the total height of the user header and the link area below it) and the banner height (the link area containing the ECM search and breadcrumbs).

If you have any questions about these changes, please don’t hesitate to contact Technical Support.

If you got to a Nexus login at the previous page, it means you have successfully upgraded the portal, and started a functioning HTTP server instance. You can continue to use your Nexus site as you did before.

For a list of the latest features added to Nexus check out the latest Nexus features.