VA Laserfiche User Group seminar

Migrating version 7 to 8

Rosalind Collins, City of Charlottesville, Laserfiche administrator

Overview of migration process

• Planning• Preparing the stage• Migrate SQL database• Index images• Register the repository• Configure version 8• Backup• Client migration

Laserfiche System

• Laserfiche Server (application server – the engine)

• SQL database – meta-data• File server – Images, OCR text data• Laserfiche Clients

• View/Read-only and Full (concurrent licensing)

• Weblink• Integrations• Add-on modules (Quick Fields, Workflow …)

Migration Planning

• Metadata structure changes• Plan ahead for field merging• New repository name cannot have spaces (or

underscores)• Resources for migration

• Software is free• May want consulting services for migration (is not

included in annual support)• Internal resources

• Timing

Timing• Opportune time to upgrade

• Hardware (LF or SQL server), SQL software, operating system, LF server location or SAN location

• or install additional Laserfiche modules• Downtime• Clients will need to be upgraded **• Other LF modules may need to be upgraded right

away / some are backwards compatible• Changes to metadata structure may require user

training, changes to integrations and other changes

Preparing the stage• Metadata staging

• Change field names (to automate or prevent merging)• Data inconsistencies and other issues that arise in first test for

migration will need to be resolved – build in time to do so

• Communicate upgrade plan• Ensure full backup of data (vol files) and SQL database• Take LF 7.x server offline

• if installing LF 8 on new machine – if on same machine, LF8 will replace LF7 – stop the LF server service prior to upgrade)

• Make source SQL database read-only

Migrate the SQL database• Install migration utility

• Separate install from server• Can be on server or another workstation• Can be installed before or after LF Server• Works only with the SQL server

• Install Laserfiche Server 8 • can be done after wizard (below)• If installing on same machine as LF 7, it will uninstall 7 before installing 8 (can’t

have both on same machine at same time)• Or on same network (take LF 7 machine offline first – can’t run both 7 & 8 on

same network at same time)• Use advanced options to turn on DCOM if want version 7 clients to be able to use

it• Run migration wizard

• Need permission to create DB on SQL server• If creating new DB on same SQL server, the new (vers8) SQL database must

have a different name from previous / if on different machine, can use same DB name

Migration Wizard pt1

• Choose server type (SQL, Oracle)• Server name, Authentication info, select database• Choose destination type (SQL, Oracle)• Choose dest server, Auth info, select/name DB• Advanced options:

• Don’t migrate thumbnail data (will be recreated in 8 automatically)• Template field merging• Audit data

• Run Check Now• Checks for known problems, data constraints, inconsistencies,

page doesn’t exist, unmatched references, invalid data …• Migration Guide on support.laserfiche.com gives technical info

on any problems that might arise

Migration Wizard pt2

• If OK, Continue – otherwise – Save Log file and resolve issues

• On continue, log will be created with all fields to be merged & any issues it thinks might arise from this

• Ok, Finish – “Ok to create db?” Yes• It will run with a progress meter• 4GB db took about an hour to migrate• Completion message will show any problems it encountered (ver

8.1 also has end with error & resume in progress)

• Continue

Migration Wizard pt 3• Register Repository

• Could also Cancel here, Database is migrated• Can register in Admin console• If LF Server 8 is installed and running, can use this wizard to register the

repository

• If using Migration Wizard to register repository – click Preview• Will see volume paths (can save preview)• Close• OK

• Done – migration complete message• Will get message to reindex files

• Can reindex now or later• Wizard will use Quick Reindexer utility• Admin Console or QR utility can be run later

Reindex and Configure• Reindex documents

• Can do this in Wizard• If not in wizard, recommended to use QRcmd.exe (Quick Reindexer,

comes with migration utility)

• Test Client: Version 7 client can talk to LF server 8 (but have to turn on DCOM when installing server 8 – advanced options)

• Will have to attach new repository• Check some documents• Do a search using keyword (text)• Any problems – laserfiche.com support site has technical information for

resolving issues, common errors (like forgetting step above)

• Update backup procedures to include new SQL database, new repository (if changed)

• Set up new repository• Recycle bin• Windows accounts to replace LF user/group accounts

Clients

• Install client upgrades• Client application

• Is msi install, so it can be “pushed” to clients• Users may have to re-attach repository

• Snapshot upgrades along with client (32-bit)• May have to reconfigure snapshot settings (if repository name

changed, template changes, etc)• To use 64-bit snapshot, deselect snapshot in client install and

then go to “more” install options and choose 64-bit snapshot• QuickFields• Weblink• Integrations

Special Notes

• (optional) Archive LF7 SQL db

• Object IDs are unchanged, except Recycle Bin becomes id 2, so whatever was id=2 will be changed. Otherwise, URL references will work.

Questions?Thank you!!