What is the recommended action for performing updates in a testing environment before production updates?

In a cloud computing or IT context, when referring to performing updates in a testing environment before implementing them in a production environment, the goal is typically to ensure that all changes function correctly and do not disrupt existing services. Upgrading to a specific version, such as 3.7, represents a significant change that usually encompasses features, enhancements, and possibly changes in the underlying architecture or functionality.

This approach allows for extensive testing and validation of the new version's performance and compatibility with existing systems before rolling it out in production. By running the upgrade in a controlled testing environment, potential issues can be identified and addressed without impacting end-users or critical business operations. This is essential for maintaining system stability and ensuring reliability when the updates are finally deployed to production.

While actions like patching or rolling out updates are also crucial in IT environments, they typically focus on smaller, incremental changes rather than the comprehensive testing and validation process that occurs with a significant version upgrade. Benchmarking usually assesses performance metrics rather than implementing updates, making it less relevant for the question at hand. Therefore, opting for a full upgrade in a testing scenario ensures that organizations can confidently transition to new software versions when they move to production.