Hello,

We have built a Customer Service for healthcare application for one of our Customer and are also using the Pega KM in that application. The application was built and deployed in Pega 7.2.2

One of the question we have got from customer is if we can just upgrade only the Pega KM part to Pega 8.X and leave the Customer Service platform on Pega 7.2.2. The intent is to move KM into a seperate box running Pega 8.X. As part of the design pattern it is proposed to have an API exposed from Pega KM on 8.X and have a custom implementation from Pega Customer Service in 7.2.2 to integrate with that API.

We have strongly discouraged using that design pattern, and instead recommend upgrading both Pega Customer Service for Healthcare and KM together. The reasons for that are:

- Cost Savings and maintenance.

- Pega Customer Service is tightly integrated with Pega KM. New enhancements/features added for KM from Customer Service in the integrated platform will not be leveragable. 

- Pega's recommended design pattern of use for KM is to be use it with Customer Service application. Custom integrations of KM will have issues during future upgrades   

I would like to know inputs/feedback on upgrading KM and Customer Service application seperately whether if there is any benefit with that approach .