As new versions of VisibleThread—formerly known as VT Docs—are released, we recommend upgrading your customer-hosted instance to:

• Access the latest features
• Apply security patches
• Receive performance and stability improvements

Important: Test the upgrade in a non-production environment before upgrading your production system. Take a backup or server snapshot before proceeding.

License requirement for VisibleThread 7+

VisibleThread 7+ requires a newly formatted license file.

After completing the upgrade, email support@visiblethread.com to request the new license file.

Include the following information in your request:

• Operating system: Windows
• VisibleThread version: 7.2.1

Prerequisites

Before starting the upgrade, confirm that your environment meets the following requirements.

System requirements

• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Processor: 2 vCPUs
• Disk space: Approximately 100 GB available on the drive where VT Docs is installed

Backup requirements

Take a snapshot of the server before proceeding.

We also recommend creating a database backup by running the following commands from an elevated Windows Command Prompt:

cd "C:\Program Files\visiblethread\vtdocs\VisibleThreadTools"
vt-backup.bat

Important: Confirm that the backup completed successfully before continuing with the upgrade. Your backup file will be saved in C:\Program Files\visiblethread\vtdocs\VisibleThreadTools\vtbackups

What the Windows installer upgrades

VisibleThread upgrades for Windows are distributed as .exe installer files.

The VisibleThread 7+ Windows installer:

• Upgrades a local PostgreSQL installation to PostgreSQL 17
• Includes VTRAG
• Includes VTAPI

Download the installer

Download the VisibleThread 7.2.1 Windows installer directly to the Windows server:

https://visiblethread.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/public/download/vtdocs_windows-x64_7_2_1.exe

MD5 checksum:

8c85d305bf7d60d923a326dd49f733db

You can use the checksum to confirm that the downloaded file has not been corrupted or modified.

Install the upgrade

1. Locate the downloaded .exe file on the Windows server.
2. Double-click the installer.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Select the installation options appropriate for your environment.

Standard installation

Use the standard installation options when your deployment uses:

• Apache
• A local PostgreSQL database

Leave all installation options selected, and then click Next.

When prompted to upgrade PostgreSQL to version 17, click Yes.

Wait for the installer to complete.

Important: After installation, VisibleThread may take 5–10 minutes to start for the first time. The startup time depends on the size of your database.

Non-standard installation

Adjust the installation options when your environment uses IIS or an external PostgreSQL database.

IIS deployment

When using IIS instead of Apache:

1. Clear the Apache option.
2. Click Next.

External PostgreSQL database

When using an external PostgreSQL database:

1. Clear the PostgreSQL option.
2. Click Next.

Important: Only select the PostgreSQL upgrade when PostgreSQL is installed locally and managed by the VisibleThread installer.

Verify the upgrade

After the installer completes:

1. Allow 5–10 minutes for the application to start.
2. Open a supported web browser.
3. Navigate to:

https://myserver.example.com

4. Confirm that the VisibleThread sign-in screen loads.
5. Verify that the expected version number, such as 7.2.1, appears on the sign-in screen.
6. Sign in and confirm that the application is operating normally.

Bypass SSO for system administrator access

If Single Sign-On prevents you from accessing the standard sign-in screen, use the system administrator login URL:

/#/systemAdminLogin

For example:

https://myserver.example.com/#/systemAdminLogin

Sign in using an authorized VisibleThread system administrator account, then verify that the upgraded application and administrative features are working correctly. If you do not have any System Admin credentials, you can create a new set by following this guide: How to Create System Admin Logins with Back-end scripts.

Request the new license file

After verifying the upgrade, email support@visiblethread.com and request a VisibleThread 7+ license file.

Include:

• Your organization name
• The deployment operating system: Windows
• The installed VisibleThread version: 7.2.1

After receiving the new license file from VisibleThread support, apply the new license file by clicking Upload License under the System Admin > License tab.