Documentation
DocumentationDiscussions
These docs are for v2020.3. Click to read the latest docs for v2024.2.

Upgrading from earlier Seq versions

Seq 2020.3 is an in-place update, highly compatible with previous Seq versions.

πŸ‘

No client application changes are required in order to start using Seq 2020.3.

To upgrade from:

  • Seq 2020.x - use the instructions on this page and upgrade directly
  • Seq 5.1 - use the instructions on this page and upgrade directly; review Upgrading from Seq 5.1 for additional information
  • Seq 5.0 - use the instructions on this page to upgrade directly; review the Upgrading from Seq 5.0 guide for some additional change notes
  • Seq 3.0-4.2 - upgrade to Seq 5.1 first, and run the server for 24 hours, before returning to these instructions to complete the upgrade to Seq 2020.1
  • Seq 1.0-2.4 - upgrade to Seq 3.3 first, then 5.1, and finally to 2020.1 using the instructions on this page

Browser and platform prerequisites

🚧

Internet Explorer 11 moving to tier-2

From Seq 2020.2, Internet Explorer 11 moved to best-effort support. The Seq interface is compatible with Internet Explorer 11, but some functionality may not be available.

Seq 2020.3 targets the same platform targets as earlier Seq 2020 versions. See System Requirements for more information.

Before upgrading...

It's best to check that you have access to a recent Seq backup filefrom before the upgrade. These are created nightly and saved to Backups/ under the Seq storage path, and can be downloaded from Settings > Backup in the Seq web interface. You'll need a copy of the Seq master encryption key if you want to restore from backup, so if you don't have it saved securely, run seq show-key from the server command-line to retrieve it.

Compatibility with existing Seq App plug-ins

Before upgrading, we recommend updating any installed Seq apps to their latest versions. This can be done from the Settings > Apps screen, by selecting Manage next to each app name, then Update.

Server upgrade process

Existing Seq (Windows) servers can be upgraded in-place by running the latest MSI package. The server will be restarted during the upgrade process.

🚧

Storage migration

Seq 2020 uses a new storage layout; when the server first starts up, data will be moved on disk into the new layout. This happens automatically, and for Seq 2020.x or 5.x upgrades, should not cause any significant delay.

For upgrades from Seq 4.2 and earlier, start-up may take a few minutes while recent data is migrated to the new format, and a further service restart may be requested once background migration completes.

The Seq HTTP API and versioned media types

Enhanced backwards-compatibility is provided for clients that specify an earlier Seq API media type in the Accept header of requests. This applies automatically to clients using the Seq.Api package.

πŸ“˜

If you encounter any problems...

Upgrades to 2020.3 are expected to be smooth and seamless. If you do encounter any problems during or after the upgrade, avoid a downgrade if possible. Contact the Seq Support Team and let us know what's gone wrong, and we'll have you back up and running in a flash.