To upgrade to SMART 7 from previous versions of SMART 3-6:

1. Backup your existing SMART database using the ‘File -> Backup System’ menu option.
2. Install SMART 7. If you are going to install it in the same location as your previous version, you must delete the previous version first. Do not merge directories.
3. Login to the example Conservation Area and install any plug-ins you have installed in SMART6. Also note that the Intelligence Plug-in has been removed from SMART7.
   
4. On the login screen, select the ‘Advanced’ option, then the ‘Restore a Backup’ option. Follow the wizard, and when asked to select a backup file to restore, pick the file created in step 1 above.
5. A prompt will appear, warning that the backup file is not compatible with the current software version. You will be asked if you want to upgrade (and restore) – select ‘Yes’. At this point the backup will be upgraded and restored.
6. It may be necessary to update query bindings for reports in your Conservation Area. You can do this for a particular report when it fails, or you can login to your Conservation Area, open the reports perspective, select all your reports, then right click and use the Update Report Query Bindings menu. If your reports reference a large number of queries this may take a while.

NOTE: Upgrading a large database may take a while (10-15 minutes for a database with ~800,000 waypoints).

We recommend all users install and use the latest version of SMART. However, if you need an earlier version of SMART to use with an existing SMART Connect instance, contact info@smartconservationtools.org

To implement SMART Connect, you will need:

• The same version of SMART Desktop installed.  All SMART Desktop instances and SMART Connect instances must be running the same version. If you upgrade your Connect server, you must also upgrade your SMART Desktop instances at the same time, and vice versa.

• Basic internet connectivity, with a minimum speed of approximately 1 Mbps up and down

• A cloud-based server space or a single, secure and reliable connected server onsite

• IT and information security expertise required to set-up server, troubleshoot, backup and recover data, and manage networks

We recommend users adopt the SMART Partnership supported SMART Connect as a Service (SCaaS) option. To place a request for a SCaaS server here
If you are interested in deploying your own SMART Connect on-premise server, please contact us at info@smartconservationtools.org for guidance and the script.