Upgrade Gitlab-CE from 11.10.8 to 13.x

How to Use GitLab Upgrade
#1

Hi, I currently have a server running Ubuntu 14.04 with Gitlab-CE 11.10.8.

I am currently looking for the best method to update from 14.04 to 20.04 on the latest Gitlab version (Probably 13.x). I have done some research and it appears this may be fairly straightforward however confusing… people are saying go version-to-version and upgrade to 16.04 then upgrade to latest and go from there but I am not sure that is going to work properly.

Any pointers on where I should start with this since its such a drastic change in versions and OS?

These are the articles I’ve found so far to kind of point maybe in the correct direction.

#2

Hey Joey,

If you have a separate partition or disc for GitLab’s database and repositories, you may find it easiest to not upgrade Ubuntu, and simply install your preferred latest or LTS version.
GitLab’s recommendations for upgrading are to upgrade to the latest minor version in your current maojor version (11.11), then upgrade major version by one, then repeat.

If your GitLab data and Ubuntu OS live on the same partition, you should backup your GitLab data (including repositories) first.

Let me know if that helped!
Best
Kevin

#3

HI Kevin,

I have now completed the upgrade to 13.x from 11.10.8, one thing I am curious of is if the repos are cross compatible?

If I use rake to backup on the old system can I restore those into the new one so I can redundantly swap the servers for a seamless transition?

#4

Hi Joey,

The repositories are completely compatible. GitLab isn’t dependent on specific versions of git.

I hope that helps!

#5

GitLab’s backup+restore requires you to restore on the same version that you made the backup on, so if by “use rake” you mean using the rake task supplied with GitLab, it won’t work.