Migrating a multi-user server from version 12 to 14

An overview on converting a cluster of users mounted on a shared server from version 12 to version 14.

Step 1. A standard Offsite Internet Backup is taken for each user's instance.

Step 2. One by one, each user's data is then restored into a Hyper-V virtual machine running version 12, with a checkpoint in place to allow reversion back to the V12 state. After each restore event, the user's data is migrated to version 14 using the system update mechanism. After each migration, another post migration V14 backup is taken. For the V14 backup it is useful to create this in the original backup server as well as noting the time stamp. As each user's data is successfully converted, the lab VM is reverted back to it's V12 checkpoint so that the next batch of data can be processed.

Step 3. Once all user data has been migrated to version 14, the production server can be updated to version 14 normally.

Step 4. After the production update to version 14 is completed, the FDConnectionDefs.INI configuration replaces the BDE alias mapping used in a version 12 forest. The FDConnectionDefs.INI is stored in C:\spartner\.  [Rezy] is the default alias and data path of the administrator. Additional users are provisioned by copying and modifying this master alias as in the example below. The Database path is typically structured using the personal Documents folder. Note the title of each alias is identical to their documents path.

A copy of the administrator's (blank) Rezy.SQLite3 is then pasted into each user's path. Copy this from C:\spartner\data into each user's personal spartner\data folder.

Step 5. To complete the migration, the admin logs in one by one as each user and configures their system file. Following that their migrated data snapshot can be restored using the backup which was captured in step 2. Each user's unique INI paths and custom folders are persisted from the original hierarchy.

Troubleshooting

• Check for empty records and remove them prior to taking a V12 backup e.g in Data Explorer open select * from activity.
  
• Delete orphaned property records via Settings, Misc.
  
• Check for duplicate activity (Misc).
  
• Re-save property and contact records (Misc).
  
• Check Contact Entry / Contacts carefully for empty records and tidy up wherever possible. Assign contact codes.
• Verify IPO files in the Data folder upon completion of each migration event.