Server Migration question

[panteragstk]

I just got my new cpu and motherboard for my sage server. I'm going to upgrade to w7 64bit and am looking for the best way to have as little down time as possible.

Current server is in my sig and functions wonderfully. However, I need more cpu power, and pcie slots so my current motherboard won't cut it (plus it has really been abused).

What I'm thinking is the best way is to get everything windows related going on the new server including sage and everything else I currently have running on my server. Then install all the drivers for the tuners and such. After all the installation is done (including moving with wiz.bin) I should be able to install all the hardware and be up and running. Is that the best way to get things going?

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

I just got my new cpu and motherboard for my sage server. I'm going to upgrade to w7 64bit and am looking for the best way to have as little down time as possible.

Current server is in my sig and functions wonderfully. However, I need more cpu power, and pcie slots so my current motherboard won't cut it (plus it has really been abused).

What I'm thinking is the best way is to get everything windows related going on the new server including sage and everything else I currently have running on my server. Then install all the drivers for the tuners and such. After all the installation is done (including moving with wiz.bin) I should be able to install all the hardware and be up and running. Is that the best way to get things going?

Yes I usually just copy the wiz.bin after setting up the tuners and all is good with the world. Just add your recording directory back in and it will reimport the tv. The fanart stuff you are really just best to redo.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Yes I usually just copy the wiz.bin after setting up the tuners and all is good with the world. Just add your recording directory back in and it will reimport the tv. The fanart stuff you are really just best to redo.

Copying the fanart directory wouldn't be OK? There is A LOT of fanart in there. What about the collection manager stuff? Just copy the database or start over?

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Copying the fanart directory wouldn't be OK? There is A LOT of fanart in there. What about the collection manager stuff? Just copy the database or start over?

You still have to have the metadata to use the fanart that is there. You could ouptut property files maybe and I think BMT will reimport that stuff with a setting.

Collection Mangaer (MM) you can backup that up and then restore on the pc within the manager itself. It backs up all the fanart and everything. But really the fanart and xml files are with the videos so they reimport fine in my experience even keeping watch history and such.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

You still have to have the metadata to use the fanart that is there. You could ouptut property files maybe and I think BMT will reimport that stuff with a setting.

Collection Mangaer (MM) you can backup that up and then restore on the pc within the manager itself. It backs up all the fanart and everything. But really the fanart and xml files are with the videos so they reimport fine in my experience even keeping watch history and such.

Didn't they change it to where the metadata is in the wiz.bin now? If not all mys stuff has .properties files anyway so no issues there. It is easy enough to set everything to watched again.

Any other advice?

[gplasky]

As you look at copying or doing new and such keep in mind if you have UNC paths you are going to have a new machine name. That means all of your paths will change. \\Oldserver\path will change to \\Newserver\path. So sometimes it is better to just let it recreate the data. It's will avoid numerous errors you may see with non-existant paths and having to keep the other machine up so the new Sage install can see the old paths and the new paths. It's all up to you and how much time you can wait until your new install is error free. Metadata is in the wiz.bin, in the recording files themselves and in .properties files.

Gerry

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by gplasky

As you look at copying or doing new and such keep in mind if you have UNC paths you are going to have a new machine name. That means all of your paths will change. \\Oldserver\path will change to \\Newserver\path. So sometimes it is better to just let it recreate the data. It's will avoid numerous errors you may see with non-existant paths and having to keep the other machine up so the new Sage install can see the old paths and the new paths. It's all up to you and how much time you can wait until your new install is error free.

Gerry

Agreed there. The only thing I copy the wiz bin for is my favorites and recording schedules.

[panteragstk]

Cool. This server will have the same name so that shouldn't be an issue. Once it is put into "production mode" that is. I'll have it named server 2 at first. Static IP address as well. Re-importing everything wouldn't be an issue though. I'm thinking that this will be fairly painless, but want to cover all my bases just to make sure. The old server drive will remain untouched just in case something goes horribly wrong. Now I just need to find a window of down time to make it all happen.

[bialio]

When it re-imports your existing recordings they will all get marked as 'archived'.

But from the old server your best bet, as said above, is just to bring over wiz.bin from the sage directory. If you use Phoenix for fanart and it lives on your server you can copy that folder from one to the other as well.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by bialio

When it re-imports your existing recordings they will all get marked as 'archived'.

But from the old server your best bet, as said above, is just to bring over wiz.bin from the sage directory. If you use Phoenix for fanart and it lives on your server you can copy that folder from one to the other as well.

Right you can copy it but without the properties to reimported the bmt custom fields the fanart won't work. Unless something has changed in the last 2 months Phoenix needs the custom title match to get the fanart correct? No if you get the same title it will use the existing but I found allot of times it matches different on a new server and then I have two fanart folders. Again tv really doesn't have this issue.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

Right you can copy it but without the properties to reimported the bmt custom fields the fanart won't work. Unless something has changed in the last 2 months Phoenix needs the custom title match to get the fanart correct? No if you get the same title it will use the existing but I found allot of times it matches different on a new server and then I have two fanart folders. Again tv really doesn't have this issue.

BMT is just for TV anyway so not an issue. Things are actually going to get rearranged a bit anyway so not a big deal.