You will need a three step upgrade to go to 8.0

You will need to go from EV6 to EV7 then to 2007 and finally to EV8

we were on EV6SP4 and we had to go through the above process to bring us to 2007. We are waiting on SP2 for EV8 before we upgrade to the latest version

FYI

When you upgrade a new Database will be added named Monitor.

Stopping at 7.5 is probable a good idea for now.

Make sure you backup all of your databases before upgrading.

I thought that would be the case.  I'll download the software and go over the documentation to determine my next course of action. 

John,

Your upgrade path is a multi-step process, from EV 6 Sp(latest) to EV 7 Sp (latest) to EV 2007 Sp (latest) then to EV 8.

There are numerous enhancements, new DB schemas that get applied, the lot when you're doing so many upgrades that personally you'd be well advised to:

1) Backup existing environment (Indexes, SQL, any customisations (rules &/or filters)

2) Run EV 7 Deployment scanner*, then do your 6-> 7 Sp-latest upgrade give it enough hours to catch up from backlog while archiving was off

3) Run EV 2007 Deployment Scanner*, then do your 7 -> 2007 SP-latest upgrade and allocate enough time afterwards.

4) Repeat (1)

5) Then look at upgrading to EV 8* after again running Deployment Scanner for EV 8.

*= There may/will be pre-reqs that you have to install, so don't just "upgrade and upgrade" w/o running the DS! Do not under-estimate the amount of time that you may have to deal with pre-reqs upgrades/SP's!

I know this seems like a lot of extra work, but important internal operations happen at upgrades. For the future, and customers with multiple EV servers in their EV site we are investigating ways to make upgrading better, but for now the above is a good overview of your steps.