Compatibility between Mobilink Server 11.0.1 and dbmlsync 16.0.0.1535?

[Former Member]

We have a running Mobilink/Relay Server environment using 11.0.1.2355 ML server and various EBFs of 11.0.1 ML client.

This weekend I upgraded a ML client site to SQLA 16.0.0.1535. When I fired up the dbmlsync, I received an error (log file below). (Other client sites continued to sync normally, and reverting this site to 11.0.1 caused sync to resume normally, so there weren't issues at the ML server.)

Will I be able to make these versions work together?

I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. SQL Anywhere MobiLink Client Version 16.0.0.1535
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. 
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. Copyright © 2013 SAP AG or an SAP affiliate company.
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. All rights reserved.
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. Use of this software is governed by the Sybase License Agreement.
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. Refer to http://www.sybase.com/softwarelicenses.
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. 
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. Running Windows 2008R2 Build 7600  on X86_64
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. Executable built for X86_64 processor architecture
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:15. 
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Begin synchronizing subscription(s) 'XX,YY'
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Log scan starting at offset 023563272107
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Processing transaction logs from directory "E:\\Data\\Zz\\"
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Transaction log "E:\\Data\\Zz\\Zz.olg" starts at offset 023563249077
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Processing transactions from transaction log "E:\\Data\\Zz\\Zz.olg"
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Transaction log ends at offset 023563274156
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Processing transactions from active transaction log
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Transaction log renamed to: E:\\Data\\Zz\\130922AA.LOG
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Processing transaction logs from directory "E:\\Data\\Zz\\"
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Transaction log "E:\\Data\\Zz\\Zz.olg" starts at offset 023563249077
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Processing transactions from transaction log "E:\\Data\\Zz\\Zz.olg"
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Transaction log ends at offset 023563274156
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Transaction log "E:\\Data\\Zz\\130922AA.LOG" starts at offset 023563274156
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Processing transactions from transaction log "E:\\Data\\Zz\\130922AA.LOG"
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Transaction log ends at offset 023563278354
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Processing transactions from active transaction log
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Hovering at end of active log
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Log scan ended at offset 023563273946
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Connecting to MobiLink server at 'host=142.x.x.x;buffer_size=1000000;trusted_certificates=E:\\MCFD-MlClient\\AbInterfaceRootProd.crt;e2ee_type=RSA;e2ee_public_key=E:\\MCFD-MlClient\\AbInterfacePublicProd.pem;url_suffix=/ias_relay_server/client/rs_client.dll/AbInterfaceMobiLinkFarm' using 'https'
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Begin upload
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:18. Negotiating communication protocol with MobiLink server.
E. 2013-09-22 13:23:19. Unable to write 272 bytes.
E. 2013-09-22 13:23:45. Operation interrupted
E. 2013-09-22 13:23:45. Stopping synchronization at user's request.
E. 2013-09-22 13:23:45. Unspecified communication error
E. 2013-09-22 13:23:45. Unspecified communication error
I. 2013-09-22 13:23:45. End synchronizing subscription(s) 'XX,YY'

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Until version 16, the MobiLink server version and build had to be greater than or equal to the client version. See MobiLink server backwards and forwards compatibility.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Graham. Guess I missed that because we have always mixed-and-matched 11.0.1 builds. In fact, we have a 11.0.1.2686 client successfully syncing to this 11.0.1.2355 server, which seems to contradict the documentation.

So I guess I won't be able to get the dbmlsync 11.0.1 to run with a version 16 database either?

And the documentation means we have to upgrade the ml server and ALL client sites at the SAME time??

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

You can update the MobiLink server first (which is what we expected most customers to prefer); unless documented otherwise, we try to have a new version of the MobiLink server support clients up to two versions earlier (in some cases via the -xo switch). So v11 clients are supported synchronizing to a v16 MobiLink server. See -xo option for mlsrv12 has been removed.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Graham

[former_SQLA_member1694884 · Accepted solution]

The official rule was that the server needs to be newer than the client. In practice, we avoid making changes like that in EBFs, so it should be safe to upgrade clients to newer EBFs without upgrading your servers. If we ever do make a change that requires you to upgrade both sides at once, we will make it very clear in the readme that this is the case.

[VolkerBarth · Accepted solution]

To cite from Graham's link:

MobiLink server backwards and forwards compatibility

Any build of a version 16 MobiLink client can synchronize with any build of the version 16 MobiLink server. Previously, the MobiLink server build needed to be greater than or equal to the MobiLink client build.

In my understanding, that would still mean you cannot expect to have a coming v17 (or whatever) ML client to run with a v16 ML server... - it's "just" compatibility within the same major version. (But it's more compatible than before: a v12.0.1 ML client would not be officially expected to run with a v12.0.0 ML server).

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

We have protocol negotiation now, so we in theory will be able to have v16 servers serve v17 (or whatever) clients. We left the statement vague about later versions because we didn't want to set false expectations. We can only comment on the present. Our (new as of v16) goal is to have more interoperability between major versions, and we will try to do this in as flexible a manner as possible. Until we get closer to the next major release, however, we can't officially state anything.

[VolkerBarth · Accepted solution]

Thanks to explain the current situation and particularly to inform about the intention behind. So one "cannot expect" but "may hope":)