Moving NEOSYS

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Moving NEOSYS to new servers

Make sure you disable old systems BEFORE you enable new systems.

You cannot count on users to pay attention to WHICH system they are using so its up to you to prevent access to the old system PRIOR to opening a new system for them.

Failure to follow this procedure OFTEN results in chaos in the clients procedures like missing invoices, schedules, estimates etc.

Overview of Steps to move NEOSYS to a new server

  1. Get approval from the client to move NEOSYS to a new server.
    • The client must give Support staff atleast 2 working day's notice to move the server. Support staff must NOT agree to move the server on a particular date if they feel that the new server cannot be set up for the move by that date.
  2. Get access to the new server and do a FRESH installation using the checklist. See Checklist
  3. Verify that installation is complete. DO NOT email users informing them of downtime until the new installation is ready for moving.
    • Downtime users and copy the Backup.zip files of all the data sets in the old system. Restore the copied Data sets to the new installation
  4. Disable NEOSYS website on old server and enable website on the new server.
  5. Log into NEOSYS from the new server and a user workstation to verify the access to new server is working fine. Test access remotely if the access from outside office is required by the Client.

Moving by Copying D drive of old installation

In case of large and very old systems we may want use the old system as it is by copying the whole installation drive to the new system. In such cases replace steps 2 & 3 of above procedure with the following:

  1. Get access to the new server and schedule copy of D drive from old server to new server. Skip the DATA folder which can be created later by restoring it from the Backups. The idea of copying DATA is slow and unchecked and requires unnecessary huge downtime of users whereas copying and restoring a backup is small, verified with known date/time.
  2. Verify the copy on the new server is accurate by checking file size and comparing. In case of any difference, drill down to folders and files to investigate
  3. Now downtime the users and ensure there are no active NEOSYS processes. Restore the Backup.zip files of all the data sets in the old system to the new server. While doing this step you may come across an error explained in the link Maintenance does not contain all datasets

Export Server Certificate from Old Server and Import Certificate on New Server

While trying to access NEOSYS from the new server, you will come across the error page shown below.

The solution is to export the certificate from the old server and import the certificate in the new server. Instructions at Reinstalling Server Certificates


Server-certificatepage.jpg


Changing drive letter to match old drive letter

Changepartitiondriveletter.png


Backup and restore of IIS configuration

Backupiis.png


How to deauthorisation a NEOSYS installation

Deauthorisation removes the authorisation and gives a pair of "authorisation numbers" that can be run through a check to prove that deauthorisation has been done.

After deauthorisation you cannot use NEOSYS. If you try then it will ask for authorisation again and you cannot use the original authorisation number to reauthorise it.

In NEOSYS Maintenance mode press F5 then type 

DEAUTHORISE

Read the prompts that follow and answer all the questions accordingly.

In the final stage it will give you the "deauthorisation numbers" which consist of the original computer number plus another number. These numbers should not be lost and should be given to NEOSYS who will verify they are correct.

Reinstating live system from backup system and shifting back

This process should be done only when all the users are offline.

To move the data from live to backup server and to restore it back, follow the steps mentioned below:

Before restoring the data from live server to backup server and vice versa, do a manual backup (this will not be required if you are doing this procedure after the nightly backup has taken place; and before the users have logged in) and run the backup.hostname task on backup server.

Steps to stop neosys process to start:

  1. Un-tick automatic backup from the configuration file at host server.
  2. Rename Global.end.temp to Global.end
  3. Disable schedule task (Copy livedatatotest & start host)
  4. Disable backup.hostname task at backup server to avoid backup of host server > backup server
  5. After doing this start neosys processes at backup server and tick the automatic backup option in the configure file.
  6. Email client giving the new URL to access NEOSYS.
  7. Ask the IT guy to plug-in the backup USB to the server
  8. Configure the drive letter on the configuration file in neosys.

Steps to restore backup dataset to Live server

ATTENTION: Send a mail to the client staff, saying NEOSYS will be down from XXXX hours and they should logout from neosys before the mentioned time and save their work.

If possible co-ordinate with IT guy (or the person responsible) to follow up and make sure that users logout by the decided time. Once all the users are offline, Block all users from accessing NEOSYS.

  1. Take a manual backup of the dataset you want to move to a removable drive (Flash/USB drive)
  2. Once the backup is complete, go to the configuration file and un-tick the automatic backup from there.
  3. Now request the IT guy to unplug the USB from the backup server and plug it into the main server.
  4. Before doing a restore read the NOTE that follows very carefully.
  5. Now log in to maintenance process and go to General > Backup & Data Management, select Restore from disk or diskette (i.e. option 4), select the backup drive and follow the prompts that follow.
  6. Now enable all the tasks that were disabled earlier on the live server and then enable the backup.hostname schedule task on backup server.


NOTE:

REMEMBER THAT RESTORE = first DELETE! and then RESTORE

Chat for reference:

DELETE MEANS YOU SHOULD BE FRIGHTENED >> AND THEREFORE TAKE A COPY

In this case you KNOW you have a good working copy of the data on the backup server so DELETING+RESTORE on the main server is not very frightening .. but STILL .. play SAFE .. take a COPY OF WHAT YOU DELETE DURING RESTORE

Moving NEOSYS server to a new/another client office location

This is done by the client IT responsible and we just have to provide this checklist for them to follow. Typically this needs to be emailed out to them. 

Please ensure the following procedures are followed on the day of the move:

# Login to the NEOSYS server and shut down all the processes by hitting the ESC button on each of the window three times or until they close
# Take a backup of the D drive on another system or network / external drive
# Remove the USB plugged in and secure the same along with the other two USB’s in a safe location
# You can shut down the server now and move it to your new office

After the move is completed, please ensure the following immediately:

# Connect the server to your local network and complete all setup required for users to be able to access the system internally
# Configure the firewall and/or port settings to enable us to connect to the server externally (i.e. 19580 external to 19580 internal)
# Configure the firewall and/or port settings to your staff for external access (i.e. 4430 external to 4430 internal)
# Provide us with the new fixed IP address so that we can test the connection
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