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+# qTest Primer
+_I emailed this to Modesto (and CC'd Steve) in January 2024 after interst in upgrading qTest was renewed once again._
+
+---
+
+Tricentis is maddeningly vague about what qTest does, opting instead to suggest you sign up for a demo.  
+This is their product page: https://www.tricentis.com/products/unified-test-management-qtest
+
+qTest predates my arrival at OverDrive.  
+This is the product page we maintain in Confluence: Qtest - Architecture and Support https://confluence.hq.overdrive.com/display/ITENG/Qtest+-+Architecture+and+Support
+
+Shortly after I started (2019), qTest was reporting security issues and the security team was up in arms about how to address them.
+The version of qTest we were using at that time was docker-based, and it was determined that there were old software packages in the docker containers that qTest used.
+Tricentis acknowledged the old packages, but had no roadmap for resolving the issues.  The suggestion was made to switch to their "Single Server, On-Premesis" offering.  
+Basically, install everything manually.
+
+Converting to a non-docker installation and with no real qTest SME on the IT team, the initial upgrade and each subsequent upgrade has consisted of spinning up a fresh new VM and installing the latest version of qTest, then exporting the data from the old version and importing it into the new version.
+While not ideal, this provides us the ability to run parallel instances during testing in case there are any significant or breaking changes between versions.
+
+I created this document and update it with new findings after each upgrade: qTest Fresh Install and Migration https://confluence.hq.overdrive.com/display/ITENG/qTest+Fresh+Install+and+Migration
+
+---
+
+## 2023 Upgrade
+
+It seems that after any significant problem with the product, our QA team suggests that I upgrade to the latest version of qTest.
+This happened last year (qTest Insights license expired and upgrades https://jira.hq.overdrive.com/browse/IT-33140)
+
+As it turned out the solution to their problem did not require a full upgrade to the newest version, but it was agreed that we should plan to upgrade anyway. (qTest server upgrade https://jira.hq.overdrive.com/browse/ITSD-15364)
+
+I kept my notes on the upgrade here: 2023 qTest Upgrade https://confluence.hq.overdrive.com/display/~chawley/2023+qTest+Upgrade
+
+Because we always have problems coordinating with the QA team for testing the new version (and the fact that version look almost exactly the same, except for the URL) I sent this text to the qTest channel last year:
+qTest Pre-upgrade Messaging https://confluence.hq.overdrive.com/display/~chawley/qTest+Pre-upgrade+Messaging
+
+Since then there has been no further communication or interest in testing or moving to the new version, so it never happened.
+We still have a qtest4 (PROD) VM and a qtest5 (DEV) VM out there.  At this point, even the qtest5 is running software several months out of date.
+
+---
+
+On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, I got this message from Todd:
+
+> Todd Rosenthal
+> Hi Chuck.  Looks like we need to bounce the qTest server.  Search is not working and when I click on the re-index button, it throws an error that elastic search service is unavailable.
+> We also really need to do an upgrade as we are falling so far behind we may run into trouble trying to upgrade.  We are over 20 updates behind.
+.
+> Chuck Hawley
+> OK, first thing... Elasticsearch had died.  I restarted the Elasticsearch service.  Try your searches again.
+> As for the upgrade, ping Steve so I can get that back on my schedule.
+> But let me know if the search issue resolves.  It may have just needed elasticsearch to be bounced.
+.
+> Todd Rosenthal
+> yep that seems to have fixed it!
+> I'll send Steve a slack about the updates.  I hope it isn't a nightmare at this point to do it.  Fingers crossed.
+
+So, again, a non-related problem made them think about upgrading.
+
+This brings us to the conversation you had with Steve the other day.