Dealing with software upgrades
Attitude is everything, even if the phrase is cliche. Recently I began a project at the office to upgrade our CRM application to the latest version. The actual software upgrade went off without a hitch, but the database upgrade behind the scenes has been quite the challenge.
I have involved MS support to assist with some of the issues, which has been helpful. I ended up on SQL Server 2005 and the majority of the work is completed, however there is a bit of work to do yet.
We have remote sales staff that also uses the application and updates to information are pushed to the home office (and to the remote users) via FTP. I am working on the last two of these this week.
Upgrades gone bad, or going outside the original plan, are a frustration that will likely be around as long as software. The problem is that many times more time is required to get the upgrade done as needed. And the employees within the organization who use the application may or may not understand what the issues with the upgrade are.
Keeping a positive attitude during times like these is definitely a challenge. However, remember what you love about IT and working with computers. This will help when things unravel, but you may need to step away for a bit to realize that things are not always going to go as they should, but they are not the end of the world.
During an upgrade or project of any size, remember to take some time for yourself. See a movie on the weekend or during off hours, spend time with family, just keep in mind that the upgrade will come out eventually. Hopefully this post will remind you that, while stressful at times, software upgrades can be handled and your sanity can remain in tact.
