Migrating to IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric

Customers who are currently operating and using IBM® Blockchain Platform (IBP) network on-prem (software) must migrate their environment to IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric by April 30, 2023. The README document describes how to complete the migration, which will have no impact on your existing data or blockchain network functionality.

Target audience: This topic is designed for network and system administrators who are responsible for planning, configuring and migrating IBM Blockchain networks.

What is changing?

In September 2021, IBM released the IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric edition, which provides certified images of Hyperledger Fabric open source code, accelerators, and IBM support for Fabric-based blockchain solutions. Given the functional overlap with the IBM Blockchain Platform Software and SaaS editions, IBM will be withdrawing the IBM Blockchain Platform Software edition in April, 2023.

Why is it changing?

To maintain focused development, delivery, and support for IBM Blockchain Platform, IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric Support best recognizes the opensource foundation of the core code and aligns IBM’s value with the support, certification, and accelerators.

How do I transition my license?

IBM Blockchain Platform Software customers will be able to transition their license to IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric after the end of their current IBM Software Subscription and Support term, or before April, 2023 (whichever comes first), with assistance from their IBM Blockchain Platform Support team or IBM Account Representative.

Planning and considerations

IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric supports the Hyperledger Fabric v2.x codebase (the v1.4 codebase goes out of support in March, 2023), so existing environments need to utilize v2.x component images. If necessary, see the detailed information on upgrading nodes from Fabric v1.4 to v2.2.

The provided tools for migrating your IBM Blockchain Platform software images to IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric images have the following network prerequisites:

  • IBM Blockchain Platform software version 2.5.3-20221207 or above
  • Hyperledger Fabric Version 2.2.9 or above (for peers and orderers)
  • Hyperledger Fabric CA Version 1.5.5 or above (for CAs)

Next steps

Migrating your IBM Blockchain Platform software deployment to the IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric images is a relatively simple process. No functional or environmental changes are required. Only the IBM Blockchain Platform component image is changed, from the software image to the equivalent IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric image. There will be a brief interruption in normal traffic flow, when the IBM Blockchain Platform components are restarted at the equivalent IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric images. However, no components or data are moved or migrated from their current location.

The migration tool repository contains information on the prerequisites and detailed instructions for executing the scripts.

If you encounter any issues or problems with the migration, please open a support ticket.

Following migration, you can refer to the documentation for IBM Support for Hyperledger Fabric as needed.