How To Move Collect! To A New Server

This topic steps you through moving your entire Collect! system to a new location - to a new server, or to a different drive on the same server.

It is recommended that you print this document so that you can refer to it while you are moving your database. It contains detailed instructions and a settings reference table with handy check-boxes to track your progress.

The steps we need to perform are:

1. Prepare to move your database. It is always recommended that you maintain a current backup of your entire Collect! folder.

2. Move your database by copying the ENTIRE Collect! folder to the new location.

3. Modify your settings on the server and the workstations to use Collect! in its new location.

4. Test Collect! in your new location to make sure everything is behaving correctly.

5. Contact Comtech Systems Inc. to obtain a new license code.

A remote session will be required to implement this.

6. Get everyone back to work!

The rest of this document gives the details of these important steps, as well as suggestions for a successful move.

Prepare To Move Your Database

This is one time when you do not need to back up your CV11 folder, as you are only copying files and folders. But do not erase CV11 from the ordinal location. This may be needed if something goes awry with the data on your new drive or server.

It is always recommended that you keep a recent backup of your system on hand. Moving to a new machine, you will want to be aware of backup utilities' version sensitivity. Your new server's operating system backup utility may not read your old backup tape. Use a third party backup utility if you need to span different operating systems. Does the new server support the same backup media as the old?

Move Your Database

To begin, we will move your entire Collect! folder to its new location. This should be done after hours, when you have exclusive access to CV11.

1. Make sure that no one is using Collect!

2. On the old server, shut down the CV11 Server. To make sure that all users are disconnected, reboot your server.

3. Copy your entire CV11 directory to your new location. Make sure the copying operation successfully copies all Collect! folders and files without interruption.

These instructions assume that you have a default setup of CV11. That means all files and folders are contained within the CV11 directory. If you have a custom setup, with folders outside of the CV11 directory, please see the TROUBLESHOOTING section below.

Modify Your Settings

Your server and workstations communicate with each other as you use Collect! This involves many settings.

Right after the move, all of your icons and shortcuts are still pointing to the old setup. Collect!'s initialization files are still pointing to the old server's IP address and TCP/IP Port. If you were to start up your CV11 Server and sign into Collect!, you would go to your old location!

Now you want to modify your settings so that all Collect!'s functions are performed at the new location.

The following Settings Checklist table should be printed out with this document. This table details all the settings that must be changed when Collect! is moved to a new location. Please use it to track your progress to ensure that you have completed all necessary steps.

The necessary changes are divided up into two scenarios:

• New Drive indicates that Collect! is being moved to a new hard-drive on the same computer.
• New Computer indicates that Collect! is being moved to an entirely different server.

The actions you must perform on the settings are divided up into three categories:

• Create indicates that new files must be created.
• Modify indicates that existing files must be modified.
• OK indicates that no changes should be made to this setting.

Desktop Icons

These include the desktop shortcut icons for CV11, CV11 Web Host, CV11 Demo, and CV11 Demo Web Host. The Target and Start In paths must match your new location, i.e. {new path}\CV11\bin.

If moving Collect! to a new drive, you may change the settings for the existing shortcuts. If moving Collect! to an entirely new server, you must create new shortcuts on the Desktop of the new server.

For a complete list of desktop shortcuts installed with Collect!, please see the document Install Collect! For The First Time.

Program Folder/Icons

These include the icons for CV11, CV11 Web Host, CV11 Server, and CV11 Admin, as well as any icons used in Startup or your Windows Scheduler. Most importantly, the three Maintenance icons must be in place so that your maintenance runs as expected!

If moving Collect! to a new drive, Modify the Target and Start In paths of all shortcuts to match your new location, i.e. {new path}\CV11\bin. If moving Collect! to an entirely server, you must create the Collect! program folder along with the above shortcuts. Target and Start In must match your new location, i.e. {new path}\CV11\bin. Examine the settings for Collect! in your old Program folder so that you enter the arguments correctly when creating the maintenance icons.

For a complete list of program folder shortcuts installed with Collect!, please see the document Install Collect! For The First Time.

Connect.ini

This file is in the CV11\bin folder. If you are moving Collect! to a new drive on the same server and intend to use the same IP address and Port, you do not have to change these settings.

If you are moving Collect! to an entirely new server, you must modify the Host and Port entries under the [RDS] heading in this file to match the IP address and Port of your new server

Rdmserver.ini

This file is in the CV11\catalog folder. If you are moving Collect! to a new drive on the same server and intend to use the same Port, you do not need to change these settings.

If you are moving Collect! to an entirely new server and are planning to connect via a different port, you must modify the Port entry under the [TCP Configuration] heading to match the new Port.

Network Settings

You will need to alter your shared folders, drive mappings and permissions. These will have to be modified if you have moved Collect! to a new drive. If you have moved to a new server, they will have to be recreated on your new server.

Share the new CV11 folder as described in Basic Networking For Using Collect!. Recreate any previously existing drive mappings, and be sure to set permissions to allow your operators to read and modify items in the CV11 database.

CV11 icon on each workstation

Create and test a new CV11 icon that points to the CV11.exe on the server's new drive or the new server's shared folder.

For now, leave the old CV11 icon, in case you need to revert back to your old location.

Make sure each workstation has correct permissions and file sharing for your new drive or server.

Third Party Utilities' Settings

Confirm that any third party utilities you are using with Collect! have all path information modified to point to Collect! in its new location, including batch files or scheduled tasks that may have been created by your technicians. This is especially important if you have scheduled maintenance to run automatically at a particular time.

Test Collect!

Keep your old system in place until you are sure all the connections are correct with your new drive or server and that all operators can sign into Collect! from their workstations.

Enter a new debtor with notes. Ensure that both the debtor information and the notes appear in your database, and that notes are written to the correct notes folder. Print a letter from your new location. You can also try opening the Admin utility, running maintenance, signing into the Web Host.

When you are sure you are ready to use your new system, make sure to remove any icons that point to the old system.

Do not erase the installation of Collect! on the old server right away. This is a perfect backup for now while you are proving your new system.

Troubleshooting New Server

Custom Setup

Are you using a custom setup for notes, attachments, log files, or any other files referenced by Collect!?

Do you store your attachments, log files, etc. outside of the Collect! folder?

If the answer is 'yes', you may have to copy additional folders from your original location, or change your new settings so that Collect! can find the files. Please keep your original settings in mind and make adjustments as necessary when moving Collect!

Old CV11 Server Still Running

A user copied CV11, but left the RDM Server process running on the old server for a few days while the workstation shortcuts were pointing to the new server's CV11 copy. Consequently, his notes and attachments were being updated where the shortcut was pointing (the new server), but his old database files were being updated!

The solution was to copy the contents of his MASTERDB folder to the new server CV11\masterdb folder a second time, BUT with no subfolders. This is because the notes and attachments were already being added on the new server since that is where the shortcuts were pointing to.

Can't Connect to Server

Does your new server have a firewall that needs to be disabled or configured to allow connecting to the rds.exe? For instance, you may have your own professional firewall, you can disable the Windows firewall if it is also running on your new server.

Upgrading While Moving Collect!

It is never recommended that you upgrade at the same time as you move Collect! to a new server. First make sure Collect! is working as you expect and your operators are using it.

Unless directed to, you should save upgrading for at least a month's cycle through Collect! Wait until after the monthly financial crunch, when your administrative staff have verified that their month end processes are complete. This will give you some breathing room for testing the upgrade.

Upgrading your Collect! can introduce additional unknown factors into your operations. If you attempt to upgrade while moving your Collect! to a new location it may make potential errors almost impossible to track down and correct.

When your hardware, operating system, network and Collect! are working to your satisfaction and you are ready to consider upgrading, please refer to Introduction To Upgrading for details.

Conclusion

Moving Collect! to a new location involves preparation before you move your database and configuring settings afterward. A successful move depends on following all of the steps presented in this document. If you want to upgrade as well, please wait until you are completely satisfied with and settled into Collect!'s new working location.

If you need to contact Collect! Technical Services about issues experienced during moving Collect! or issues that appear to be the result of moving Collect!, please have the Settings Checklist from the above document on hand, as well as any relevant information relating to your network settings and specifics of the issue you are experiencing.

See Also

- Introduction To Upgrading
- Network Setup
- Database Topics