Reference Section > Installation and Deployment > Updating PrimeCut NE on the Server

Firebird 3 uses a different on-disk storage format (ODS Version 12) to previous versions. To convert a database, it must be backed up using the existing Firebird gbak, then restored via the Firebird 3 gbak. As such, when upgrading a server running Firebird 2.1 or 2.5, some extra steps are required, and importantly:

If there is a problem during the update and it needs to be rolled back, the original Firebird2.x install must be reactivated. Contact Kinetic for assistance. The backups created during the update can still be used to restore under the Firebid 2.x version.
For this reason it is recommended that these updates are performed when Kinetic Primecut support is available.

The updater will perform the following steps:

1.Install Firebird 3.0 so it is default Firebird servbver listerning on port 3050

2.Determine database version, try connecting via FB3.0, if failure try connecting via old version.

3.If connected pull back firebird version using something like

4.SELECT rdb$get_context('SYSTEM', 'ENGINE_VERSION') from rdb$database;

5.Backup database using FB2.5 (or older version)

6.Restore database using FB3.0 if dbversion is too old

7.Update database as per normal

The Firebird 2.x server is still installed, in case it is needed at a later date, but is deactivated.