# Backing up your Discovery Framework files

The first step in migrating to Discovery Framework 1.5 is backing up your 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, or 1.4 files. After backing up your files, you can uninstall the older version of the Discovery Framework.

To back up your Discovery Framework 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, or 1.4 files and uninstall:

1. Stop your Discovery Framework server.
2. Back up your database as follows:
   - If you are using HSQL, skip this step. Your database will be backed up as part of step 4 below.
   - If you are using MYSQL, DB2, or some other RDBMS, follow the backup procedures from your vendor.
3. Back up any Discovery Framework customizations you have made, such as database connectivity options in portal-ext.properties, Corda PCXML files, or Xcelsius (SAP Crystal Dashboard Design) visualizations.
4. Back up the entire endeca-portal/data directory to a safe backup location. If you have changed the location of anything normally kept in endeca-portal/data, such as your Endeca data source definitions, JCR repository, or Lucene search indexes, back up your custom location(s) as well.
   Note: Alternatively, you might choose to export your page to a Liferay Archive (LAR) file. For more information about LAR files, see the Liferay Portal Administrator's Guide. For important information about limitations on backing up using LAR files, see the topic "LAR file migration," later in this section.
5. Back up your license, at endeca-portal/ee/license.
6. Uninstall Discovery Framework. Uninstalling consists of removing the packages and directories created in your installation.