In order to keep your VETtrak running efficiently, it is recommended that you ensure that you are utilising the most current version of your particular Database Platform as recommended by VETtrak.
Before processing any changes to your installed Database Platform, we always recommend backing up your VETtrak database for safekeeping. This ensures that in the unlikely event that something does not go according to plan, you have a contingency ready.
Firebird Instructions
To update your version of the Firebird database engine, you will need to ensure that VETtrak is not currently open on any computer that can access it.
Once this is done, your first step is to uninstall the existing Firebird program. This will remove the old version from your computer, and allow you to install the newer version.
Depending on the Windows Operation System you utilise, there may be different ways to do this. One option to better discover the process that works for you, you can make use of Microsoft's Support Centre using search terms such as 'Removing Programs'.
In most cases, pressing the Windows Key and typing the word 'Remove' is enough to prompt your computer to open the Add or Remove Programs area:
Within the window that appears, prompt a search for the Firebird program, as below:
After selecting the out of date Firebird program, press the Uninstall button.
Once this process completes, the old version of Firebird will have been removed from your system. VETtrak will not work while Firebird is uninstalled - do not attempt to launch the program.
You will now need to retrieve the new Firebird Versions from the VETtrak Support Centre. This is located in the Downloads section.
Locate the item labelled Firebird, with the description 'The current Firebird Database Engine version used by VETtrak®.' Download this item to your computer, and once it has completed, choose to Run it.
It is important that you only download Firebird from the VETtrak website, and not from another source - including the Firebird Official Website. This is because the VETtrak website will always have the most recent version of Firebird that we can guarantee works with the current VETtrak version with no issues. A newer version of Firebird may cause unexpected issues with the VETtrak system.When it opens, you may see a message like the following, asking if you are happy to allow the installer to run - press Yes to continue:
At this stage, the Firebird Installer should be running, it is important at this stage to progress the installer and leave all settings as default. This will install Firebird with the ideal settings to function as required, running as a background service that allows VETtrak to communicate with the database.
Once this has been completed, you will then be able to launch VETtrak once more.
If the 'Database Platform Update Required' message continues to display, or you experience poor performance within VETtrak after performing a Database Platform update, it may be due to the existing database version being a much older version prior to update.
This can be rectified by contacting VETtrak Support to organise a time for your Database File to be sent through for a maintenance process to be performed on it.
Microsoft SQL Server Resources
Updating Microsoft SQL Server can be an involved process, it is recommended that the IT professional who manages your Database also be responsible for updating it, as they are likely familiar with the requirements.
As Microsoft SQL Server is an involved piece of software, we recommend that any Help Resources you make use of come from a reliable source, such as the Microsoft technical documentation website.
This particular section refers specifically to upgrading a particular SQL Server to a newer version:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/database-engine/install-windows/upgrade-sql-server