Migrating the Commander Application

This article discusses how to migrate either the Commander application, the Commander SQL database, or both to new servers. As always when dealing with mission critical applications, before making any changes to your environment, be sure that you have snapshots of your application server and backups of your database. This will allow you to return to a known good configuration in the event something unforeseen occurs during the migration process.

The Commander installer is only able to upgrade or replace data when it is pointed at an existing database, which means that if you need to reinstall the application, you must do so against a temporary database, and use the Commander Control Panel to change the connection strings which define the database to which the application connects.

Along with backing up and restoring the database, this is how you can move Commander between servers. Instructions are provided for the following specific scenarios below:

• Migrating Commander and PostgreSQL Database
• Migrating Commander Application Using Microsoft SQL
• Migrating Commander's Microsoft SQL Database

Migrating Commander and PostgreSQL Database

A Commander installation using the default postgres database cannot be separated from the database. The database is installed with the application into the Commander program group. However, you can still keep your existing data if you need to deploy to another server.

Snow Software recommends that production environments be installed against Microsoft SQL rather than PostgreSQL. This is largely due to expected performance gains. Please refer to the article Scaling Commander Hardware Requirements for more information.

If you wish to transition to Microsoft SQL, you must perform a new install and recreate your configuration choices.

Follow the process below to move your installation to a new server:

1. On the Commander application server, copy the contents of the following directories from the originating server to a temporary location. Do the same for any scripts called by Commander workflows that are stored on the filesystem rather than being embedded:

• ..\Commander\tomcat\reports
• ..\Commander\tomcat\public
• ..\Commander\tomcat\wfplugins

2. Login to Commander and under the Help menu, choose About. Note the installed version number (8.10.5 in the example below).
   
   
3. Confirm you have the same version of the installer. You can download the current installer from the Snow Software website , or contact Technical Support for links to legacy version installers. 
4. On the original server, backup the PostgreSQL database.
5. Install the same version of Commander on the destination server.
6. Once the installation has completed, stop the Commander Windows services.
7. On the destination server, restore the PostgreSQL database backup you took in step 3.
8. Overwrite the directories from the temporary location where you stored it in step 1. Do the same for any scripts.
9. Restart the Commander Windows service.

Migrating Commander Application Using Microsoft SQL

When installed using a Microsoft SQL database, the Commander application should be installed on a separate server from the database itself. This section covers how to keep the database in its current location and move the Commander application to another server.

Follow the process below to move your installation to a new server:

1. On the Commander application server, copy the contents of the following directories from the originating server to a temporary location. Do the same for any scripts called by Commander workflows that are stored on the filesystem rather than being embedded:

• ..\Commander\tomcat\reports
• ..\Commander\tomcat\public
• ..\Commander\tomcat\wfplugins

2. Login to Commander and under the Help menu, choose About. Note the installed version number (8.10.5 in the example below).
   
3. Confirm you have the same version of the installer. You can download the current installer from the Snow Software website , or contact Technical Support for links to legacy version installers. 
4. Create a new, empty database on a database server running the same version of Microsoft SQL. Run the installer and complete a new install against this database.
5. Once the installation has completed on the destination application server, overwrite the directories from the temporary location where you stored it in step 1. Do the same for any scripts.
6.  Shutdown the legacy Commander server to prevent simultaneous connections to the database.  It is recommended to also change the startup type of the Commander services to manual on the original server.
7. On the destination Commander server open the Commander Control Panel from the Snow Software program group in the Start menu.
8. Switch to the DB Management tab and update the details to connect to the original database.
   
   
9. Click Test Connection to confirm that the database is accessible. Click OK.
10. You will be prompted to confirm a service restart. Click Yes.

Once the service initializes, and you have confirmed that you're using the existing data and configuration from the original server, you may decommission the original server.

 

Migrating Commander's Microsoft SQL Database

When installed using a Microsoft SQL database, the Commander application can, and should, be installed on a separate server from the database itself. This section covers how to keep the application in its current location and move the Commander database to another server.

1. Login to Commander and under the Help menu, choose About. Note the installed version number (8.10.5 in the example below).
   
   
2. On the application server, open the Commander Control Panel from the Snow Software program group in the Start menu.
3. On the Service Control tab, click Stop Service.
4. On the original database server, backup the MS-SQL database.
5. Restore the MS-SQL database backup to the destination server.
6. Back in the Control Panel on the application server, switch to the DB Management tab and update the details to connect to the original database in the new location.
   
   
7. Click Test Connection to confirm that the database is accessible. Click OK.
8. You will be prompted to confirm a service restart. Click Yes.