Thinking about upgrading to latest osticket

osticketquestion

I ran into this when I input my password on the remote mailbox settings. It's accepting the password so I don't think there's an issue there. It looks like this was an issue on Microsoft's end from around October 2024, and it's already solved.

array ( 'code' => 'Gone', 'message' => 'The API version \'V2\' has been deprecated.', )

My osticket is running on IIS.
osticket is version 1.17 (not 1.17.5)
php is 8.0.24
mysql is 8.0.31
Oauth2 client plugin is 0.6

I see version 1.17.5 is out from Oct 2023.
I see version 1.18.1 is out from Oct 2023 also.... Hm. Actually, I thought it was just out Oct 2024, not 2023. Maybe it's just the plugin that was updated.

Since I'm upgrading, I figured I'd go with the 1.18.5 version since it's a higher version.

v1.18.5 needs php 8.1-8.2, so I downloaded a version of php 8.1. So I should be set with php there.

mysql should be fine, so I don't need to do anything with upgrading mysql on the server, except to make a back up of my osticket set up's database.

The v1.8.5 osticket upgrade I download has the oauth plugin in it.

I'm not an expert on osticket or servers. I'm waiting to get an official ok from supervisor on doing the upgrade. I've got notes from previous osticket work and notes from someone else.

Is there anything I need to be aware of for upgrading my osticket set up? It should be adding php and copying in the new osticket files. And then making sure the latest oauth plugin is there. I'm using someone else's workflow who did osticket upgrades many times in the past. I figured if I'm going to mess with upgrading, it might as well be the very latest version. It's not my call on when the upgrade is actually done through so my hands are tied there. I'm just prepping up as much as I can so I'm ready when I get an official ok. This is on a production osticket set up. I'm also considering building a new test osticket set up for myself. I made a test set up a few years ago. A new one would probably be useful so I have something to experiment with and practice on that's not THE production osticket set up. there are more details with office politics on that but that's how it is.

Is there anything I should be aware of for v1.18.5? Or any reason to stick with v1.17.5? I can look through the forum too. Thanks for any ideas or help.

KevinTheJedi

osticketquestion

We have Upgrade documentation available here:

https://docs.osticket.com/en/latest/Getting%20Started/Upgrade%20and%20Migration.html

It’s the same process with any version and thanks to our upgrader it’s very easy. The only important caveat is since we introduced the idea of multi-instance plugins you now have to have the latest plugin in-place before running the upgrader so the system can make the needed changes to existing relevant database records.

With that out of the way, it’s always important to make full backups of everything before embarking on any upgrade. Full server backups, site folder backups, and database backups (the native mysqldump command is usually best). Make sure you keep the current include/ost-config.php file handy as you’ll need it later. Once the backups complete you can visit the site, login as an Admin, turn the help desk Offline (Admin Panel > Settings > System > Helpdesk Status > toggle to Offline > Save Changes), and disable Email Fetching (Admin Panel > Emails > Settings > uncheck both options for Email Fetching > Save Changes). Then you can replace the existing code with the new code that you download from the website. After that you copy over your previous include/ost-config.php file to the new include/ folder. Then as you said you ensure the new oauth2 plugin is in the include/plugins/ folder (along with new builds of any other currently installed plugins). Lastly you can visit the site, login as an Admin (has to be an Admin), and run the upgrader. After that you can run a couple of tests like creating some tickets, accessing old tickets, accessing old attachments, etc. and when ready turn the help desk back online and re-enabled email fetching.

Once you do all that you should be back in business and fully upgraded to the latest. You can then proceed to follow the steps listed in the Attention notice here to get up-to-date with the Microsoft changes. Once complete you’ll be 100% done and you can finally relax ☕️ (or 🍺 if you prefer).

Cheers.

osticketquestion

Thanks. Yes, backup were the first steps. I was reviewing those notes yesterday.

For this...
"The only important caveat is since we introduced the idea of multi-instance plugins you now have to have the latest plugin in-place before running the upgrader so the system can make the needed changes to existing relevant database records."

How do I get the plugin in before doing the upgrade? It it just swapping in a new plugin folder somewhere?

I figured if I was doing enough work to upgrade the plugin, I might as well upgrade everything to the latest version. But if someone else decides it's just the plugin to upgrade, nothing else, is that an option with version 1.17 (not 1.17.5)? Or, if the latest plugin does work with 1.17, maybe I'd just upgrade the plugin, make sure everything works, and then go from there, possibly still continuing to upgrade everything after that.

osticketquestion

osticketquestion
Oh, I see... You can download the plugin by itself....
https://youtu.be/Olh1z-RNEhQ
How to Install an osTicket Plugin
osTicket

That might open some possibilities, for my situation, including office politics on this. The key question then is, can I just upgrade the plugin by itself if I'm on 1.17?

It looks like it's just downloading that individual plugin. I thought I had to download the whole osticket set up package. And then copy that plugin into the include folder on the server. But the rest can be done from the web gui. I have a unique situation for office politics for access in the set up I use. I'm not 100% in control. But I still do need to get things done... But if I can get that plug file copied in, will it work with 1.17....?

osticketquestion

The plug is listed for 1.17.5.... But the pull down menu. But it's also "

Authentication :: Oauth2 (Requires osTicket v1.17.x)" I would assume 1.17 is 1.17.0, so maybe...
https://osticket.com/download/

I agree it's not great but if it's get emails pulling just doing that, this might be a direction to work around some office politics.

osticketquestion

And if I do just copy in the new auth-oauth2.phar file, if I want the old one still there would I just rename the old file (like auth-oauth2_old.phar)? Can I still have the old plugin still there in osticket AND have the latest plugin there too? So I would just add the latest plugin and switch to that, but the old plugin would still be there on the server and in the osticket web gui?

KevinTheJedi

osticketquestion

Man that’s a lot at once lol

Installing a new version of any plugin is as easy as replacing the old PHAR file with the new one; simple as that.

You really want to upgrade to at least v1.17.5. If you decide to go with v1.17.5 there is no upgrader that needs to run; you are simply updating the core codebase in the background. You replace the code as described above and you’re done. You should always be up-to-date as there are always security patches, bug fixes, etc. with every upgrade. This is why we do minor releases for core versions and support two major versions at a time so people in your situation can simply update the core codebase and not run any database upgrades nor encounter any major feature changes that might scare the big wigs.

You can keep the old plugin file by simply moving it out of the plugin folder or by renaming it. If you rename it then the new one will simply take precedence and nothing changes in the UI; the system will simply use the new plugin.

Cheers.

osticketquestion

KevinTheJedi

Looking at this line again... "you now have to have the latest plugin in-place before running the upgrader so the system can make the needed changes to existing relevant database records."

If I'm on 1.17 now with an old oauth plugin, looking at going to 1.17.5 (or even 1.18 for this question) would I swap in the latest plugin first into my existing set up and then do the usual osticket upgrade after that? Or, would I do the osticket upgrade (although I've have the latest oauth plugin in that, all bundled in one download).... Essentially upgrade to 1.17.5 and then upgrade the oauth plugin, and then I guess re-upgrade osticket 1.17.5 again? Another way of asking -- If I'm on 1.17 now, in order to get the latest plugin in there before the 1.17.5 upgrade, I'd need to add that plug in on 1.17. I think. Or, is it if the plug in is in with the 1.17.5 upgrade files, that's enough, and just the usual upgrade process for swapping osticket files, as long as the latest oauth plug in is in with those 1.17.5 swapped on files before the web gui upgrade process is done at the end? Is that what you meant?

KevinTheJedi

osticketquestion

You're really overcomplicating things here. Before you click the Upgrade button you will need to have the latest builds of any currently installed plugins in-place within the include/plugins/ directory; that's it. You can replace the core codebase first then the plugins or vice versa. In the end you need the latest codebase and the latest plugins in-place before logging in and clicking the upgrade button.

Cheers.

osticketquestion

Are there any difference in settings between the original/2022 oauth plugin and the latest? I'm assuming I'll have to put in the settings again. My azure app is still there. The only recent change there was updating the secret when that expired. But for my osticket set ups, when I upgrade to 1.17.5, it's the same email pulling settings, under the email account, remote mailbox tab, config button, IdP config tab, and then signing into the account on the MS pop up? No other azure app changes needed?

KevinTheJedi

osticketquestion

Everything will remain as-is minus the new Microsoft deprecations we put out a notice for months ago:

https://docs.osticket.com/en/latest/OAuth2/Microsoft%20Authorization%20Guide.html

Cheers.