NW server migration

NW cannot really determine whether the server is virtual or physical. So in general, it is nothing else but a standard NW DR routine.

You should ...

  -  clone the last bootstrap to a file type device media (the easiest way to handle).

  -  install NW into the same directory

  -  create the FTD at the target and copy the directory here. Then run nsrdr.

       You could also copy the whole /nsr path but it is hard if both computers have the same IP and hostname.

  -  Because the hostid will be different, you will need a new license file or auth codes, depending on the licensing model you have.

 

In preparation, you better test the whole procedure before you will switch systems. This will help you in saving time for the hot run.

 

 

Thanks very much bingo.1.  This is the some of the info I was asking NW support for, but getting nowhere.

What is the FTD?

I will have both servers on the network with the new server using a temp name and IP so that I can copy over anything that is needed prior to the cut over.

NW is installed on the C: drive of the VM.  I would like to install it on the drive of the physical server.

The index is over 500GB and will take time to restore from backup.

Also concerned about having to visit every client to delete the peer info.  According to NW support, the peer info must be deleted.  This is a PITA for testing as going back to the original server would require that the peer info be deleted again.

Thanks.

FTD - File Type Device. The predecessor of the AFTD (Advanced File Type Device). The FTD is just easier to handle.

 

Now comes the mess - You have installed NW on the System drive (... because, as usual, you confirmed the default suggestion during installation). This is absolute nonsense! - The issue is that the NW databases or/and the NW logs might fill up your system drive. Then you will be in big trouble.

So before you migrate the server, you better migrate NW to another local partition first. And this could become difficult. Sorry, I have no experience as I never ever installed NW on my C: volume.

So you have a lot to check/verify:

  -  Install NW on your new server on the C: drive and run some tests on a local (A)FTD. This will populate the databases.

  -  Then move NW on this machine to a separate volume.

  -  Once you know what to do ... move your productive NW server to a new volume.

  -  Then test the migration to the new physical host.

 

I do not see a big problem with the 500GB indexes. Just recover these save sets.

 

To delete the peer info on the NW server, may i suggest that you setup a text file with the appropriate commands for the NW server. Then run nsradmin -i file at the server to delete the whole bunch.

You can do this appropriately for the server's peer info at the client. However, you must execute this at each client individually.

 

FYI - You probably want to read my later thread

Moving a NetWorker/Windows server off the system drive