Now is the time to upgrade to OpenEdge 12.8
If you haven’t already upgraded to OpenEdge 12.8, now is the time to plan and execute your upgrade. OpenEdge 11.7 will reach retired status on April 1, 2025. After that date, 11.7 will receive no more security or bug fixes, and Progress will provide a reduced level of support.
See the following links for more details:
https://www.progress.com/campaigns/openedge/12-8-migration-resources https://docs.progress.com/bundle/openedge-life-cycle/page/OpenEdge-Life-Cycle.html
When you are upgrading OpenEdge across a major-version boundary, e.g. from 11.x to 12.x, at a minimum you are required to upgrade the database, using the Progress conversion utility. Example:
proutil dbname -C conv1112
OpenEdge Release 12.8.3 as of Thu May 30 13:50:05 EDT 2024
You must have your database backed up before running the conversion. (1024)
Have you done this (y/n) ? y
Important: the utility prompts you to back up the database before conversion, but it does not require you to do so. You should always perform a backup prior to running the conversion.
If your database size and downtime window do not permit you to back up via probkup, then back up your database offline by some other valid means, e.g. an OS copy. Be sure that your structure file is up to date (via prostrct list dbname) to ensure that you copy every single database file.
If you make a backup copy of your database by some means other than probkup, be sure to open that database copy to prove to yourself that it works.
The data-loss bug in proutil conv1112
Progress recently published a knowledgebase article about a bug in the proutil conv1112 conversion utility. See these links for the details:
https://community.progress.com/s/article/conv1112-causes-error-15014-when-it-encounters-a-null-cipher-on-an-object
https://community.progress.com/s/article/after-encountering-octa-71587-failure-in-conv1112-the-database-is-left-corrupted
These are the circumstances that lead to the bug:
- OpenEdge TDE is installed and the database is encryption-enabled;
- An object has an encryption policy with the null cipher;
- The user runs the upgrade utility.
A potential result is a corrupted, unusable database. Note the resolution given in the knowledge base article: “restore from backup”. If you didn’t take a backup before continuing with your conversion, you could lose data permanently!
Be sure to read the linked articles for the full details and workaround.
The important lesson
Even if you don’t use OpenEdge TDE and thus you are not affected by this particular bug, it illustrates a very important general point: the OpenEdge conversion utility makes changes to your database, and they are irreversible. It is software, and software can contain bugs, including critical data-loss bugs.
Be sure that you always back up your database, and test that backup, prior to running the database conversion.
Subscribe to PANS!
How did White Star know about this issue, and other happenings in the world of OpenEdge? We subscribe to PANS, the Progress Alert and Notification Service.
Subscribe here with your free Progress ID: https://community.progress.com/s/pans
Every technologist working with OpenEdge should subscribe to PANS. It is a must. Once you subscribe, you will receive a daily e-mail summary with links to new and updated knowledgebase articles about the Progress products you select. You will also be notified when Progress ships updates for long-term support (LTS) OpenEdge releases, and when there are critical vulnerabilities found in the product.
Sample PANS e-mail:
