Replacing the main server - Security Center 5.9

Security Center Administrator Guide 5.9

Applies to
Security Center 5.9
Last updated
2022-10-25
Content type
Guides > Administrator guides
Language
English
Product
Security Center
Version
5.9

When your main server is no longer adequate, you can replace it with a new server, activate your Security Center license on the new server, and connect all expansion servers to the new server.

Before you begin

If you have multiple Directory servers configured, read Replacing the main server in a Directory failover environment, instead.

What you should know

This server migration scenario works with the following assumptions:
  • You have a single Directory system (no Directory failover configuration).
  • The Directory database resides on the main server (no remote database access required).
  • The SQL Server running on the new server is at the same version or newer than the SQL Server running on the old server.

    This is to ensure that you can restore your old database on the new machine. You can always restore a database backed up on an older version of SQL Server and restore it on a newer version of SQL Server, but the reverse is not necessarily true.

  • Your old main server is still running.
  • The old and new main servers are on the same network domain.
NOTE: Replacing the main server requires an interruption of service of up to 3 hours. The larger the system, the more time it takes to backup up and restore the Directory database and to reconnect the expansion servers. As a rule of thumb, you can estimate half an hour for the backup and restore, and one extra hour for every 25 expansion servers you need to reconnect to the new server. Schedule your maintenance window at a time that is the least disruptive to your operations. You can carry out this procedure up to the point where we tell you to wait for the scheduled maintenance window. We advise that you reserve a 4-hour maintenance window to carry out this operation.

Procedure

  1. Install Security Center on the new machine using the Main server configuration, but do not activate the license.
  2. Contact Genetec™ Customer Services to reset your Security Center license so you can activate it on the new server.
    Verify on GTAP (https://gtap.genetec.com) that the Activate license button for your system is enabled.

  3. Activate your Security Center license on the new server.
    You can do this either through the web, or without Internet access.
  4. If you have other roles than the Directory that run on your main server and that need their own database, such as the Health Monitor role, back up their databases.
  5. Wait for the scheduled maintenance to start before continuing with the next step.
    Starting from the next step, your system will be down until the end of the process.
  6. Back up your Directory database.
    1. Open Server Admin and connect to your old main server.
    2. At the top of the browser window, click Directory > Stop.
      This ensures that the database is not being accessed while you are backing it up.
    3. Click Database > Properties (), set the Destination folder for your database backup, and click OK.
      Make sure the backup folder can be accessed from your new server.
    4. Click Backup/Restore () > Backup now.
    5. Click Close.
  7. Restore the Directory database (.bak file) onto the new main server.
    1. Open Server Admin and connect to your new main server.
    2. Click Database > Backup/Restore (), select the backup file you want to restore, and click Restore now.
    3. Click Close.
    NOTE: Some Server Admin settings such as Secure communication, SMTP, and Watchdog, are not carried over to the new server through the database restore. In case you need to retrieve the old settings, you can find them in the GenetecUtility32_ConfigurationFilesBackup folder under the database backup folder. For more information, contact Technical support.
  8. If you are using trusted certificates, restore the old main server certificate unto the new main server.
    1. Import the certificate with private keys to the new main server.
    2. Open Server Admin on the new main server.
    3. In the Secure communication section, click Select certificate.
    4. Select the imported certificate and click Select > Save.
  9. Connect all your expansion servers to the new main server.
  10. Do one of the following:
    • Convert the old main server to an expansion server.
    • Decommission your old main server.

      We recommend that you do this in two stages. For now, disable the Genetec™ Server service on your old server to prevent the service from starting by accident. When the new server is fully operational, uninstall Security Center from the old server.

  11. Open Config Tool and connect it to the new main server, using your old Admin credentials.
  12. Open the Network view task, and confirm that all your expansion servers are online ().
    You should also see an offline copy () for each server. Do not delete them yet.
  13. Open the System task, and click the Roles view.
  14. Recreate the Media Router role database.
    1. Select Media Router from the role list and click Resources.
    2. Click Create a database ().
    3. In the window that opens, click Overwrite existing database > OK.
  15. For the remaining roles in the list that are in warning (yellow) or trouble (red) state, do the following:
    1. Select the role and click Resources.
    2. In the Servers list, if the old main server is listed, replace it with the new one.
    3. If the role had a database hosted on the old server, create a database on the new server and restore the backup.
  16. Open the Network view task, and delete the offline copies of your servers ().

Results

Your system is now back online. If you chose to decommission your old main server, uninstall Security Center from it.

After you finish

Notify your users with the DNS name or IP address of your new main server.