# In-place upgrade preparation and steps

*Tableau Server Administrator Study Guide · Migration & Upgrade · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator/migration-and-upgrade/in-place-upgrade-preparation-and-steps*

Prepare a Windows Tableau Server for an in-place upgrade (accounts, licensing, backup, configuration record, scheduled tasks, the backup/restore path check), then run Setup, the upgrade-tsm script, verification and the optional cleanup of the earlier version.

- Certification: Salesforce Tableau Server Administrator
- Exam section: Migration & Upgrade
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/tableau-server-administrator

**Official exam objective:**

> 5.1 Understand the upgrade process

## What the exam expects

- Choose the Windows account that runs Setup and the upgrade script, including the extra rule when Active Directory or LDAP is the identity store.
- Sequence an in-place upgrade on a single Windows node: prepare, disable scheduled tasks, run Setup, run `upgrade-tsm`, start, verify and clean up.
- Explain what Setup does and does not let you change, and why the earlier version stays on disk.
- Check the backup/restore file location before the upgrade with the dedicated TSM command.
- Recover from common upgrade-script failures without starting over.

Key terms:
- **In-place upgrade:** installing a newer Tableau Server version on the same computer, beside the existing version, instead of moving to new hardware.
- **`upgrade-tsm`:** the script in the new version's `scripts.<version_code>` folder that completes the upgrade after Setup.
- **version_code:** the long, build-specific version number used in package folder names.
- **Checkpoint Upgrade:** the ability to rerun a failed `upgrade-tsm`, which resumes from the step that failed.
- **basefilepath.backuprestore:** the TSM key that sets the folder used by backup and restore.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Install account | Member of the local administrators group | [Run Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-singlenode-setup.htm) |
| AD/LDAP identity store | Log on with a domain account; a local admin account causes upgrade-script errors | [Run Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-singlenode-setup.htm) |
| Install location | Shown by Setup; new version installs beside the old one and cannot be moved | [Run Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-singlenode-setup.htm) |
| Command window after Setup | Open a new administrator prompt; Setup updates the path | [Run Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-singlenode-setup.htm) |
| Server state for the script | Tableau Server must be stopped; the script offers to stop it | [Run Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-singlenode-setup.htm) |
| Earlier version before the script | Must stay installed and running; uninstalling it first blocks the upgrade | [How Upgrade Works](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-how-upgrade-works.htm) |
| Path permission check | `tsm maintenance validate-backup-basefilepath`, added in 2022.1 | [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm) |
| Backup/restore folder permissions | NetworkService and Run As account: read/write/execute | [Troubleshoot Install and Upgrade](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/trouble_install_upgrade.htm) |
| Upgrade log | `app-upgrade.log` in `C:\ProgramData\Tableau\Tableau Server\logs` | [Troubleshoot Install and Upgrade](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/trouble_install_upgrade.htm) |
| Setup download | Latest maintenance release of the target version | [Download Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-prepare-download-setup.htm) |
| Old version removal | Optional, after verification, to free disk space | [Post Upgrade Cleanup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-post-ug-cleanup.htm) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a TSM-to-TSM upgrade keep end-user downtime short?
- When does `upgrade-tsm` run with credentials other than those of the logged-on administrator?
- Which two Windows principals need read/write/execute permission on the backup/restore file location?
- When should you not uninstall a Tableau Server version in Control Panel after an upgrade?

## Sources

- [Single-Server Upgrade -- Run Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-singlenode-setup.htm)
- [Upgrading Tableau Server (Windows)](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/sug_plan.htm)
- [Preparing for Upgrade](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-prepare.htm)
- [How Tableau Server Upgrade Works](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-how-upgrade-works.htm)
- [Server Upgrade - Verify Accounts](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-prepare-verify-accounts.htm)
- [Server Upgrade - Verify Licensing Status](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-prepare-verify-licensing.htm)
- [Server Upgrade - Back Up Tableau Server](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-prepare-backup.htm)
- [Server Upgrade - Gather Configuration Details](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-prepare-gather-config.htm)
- [Server Upgrade - Download Setup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-prepare-download-setup.htm)
- [Server Upgrade - Disable Scheduled Tasks](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-disable-tasks.htm)
- [Verify Tableau Server Upgrade](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-verify-ug.htm)
- [Post Upgrade Cleanup](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/server-upgrade-baseline-post-ug-cleanup.htm)
- [tsm maintenance](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/cli_maintenance_tsm.htm)
- [Troubleshoot Tableau Server Install and Upgrade](https://help.tableau.com/current/server/en-us/trouble_install_upgrade.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 4 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Tableau Server Administrator pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams