Your favorite content movement method (System Copy, LCM CLI,....)

[alfons_gonzalez]

Hi guys,

I am facing a project to move a whole SAP BI system (SP4.1 Pacth1) from a set of machines to a new one (same OS / same underlying CMS DB vendor). Machines source/destination names (this is the tricky point) were different

Initially we were considering 2 potential options to move all content between machine (processing tiers)

• Mehod A (we named it system copy)

1. Install onto a new machine(s) with identical version, operating system and ‘install path’ as the original

2. Copy original CMS database and FRS (using conventional tools)

3. Either use a firewall or delete ‘server’ references in the copied CMS to prevent conflict with original (KBA 1275068)

4. Re-create the Server Intelligence Agent (SIA) Nodes on the new machine(s) (using same names as the original) against the copied CMS and FRS.

5. Apply the patch installer on the new machine(s) to bring it to the latest Minor Release, Support Pack or Patch version

6. Use Promotion Management Tool to copy the delta Export / Import BIAR files, or Live to Live

• method B (we named it LCM CLI)

       1. Build new target machine with same  version/SP

       2. Use LCM Command line to move content from old system to new

Some weeks ago we decided to consider method A as we were more experienced using backups than LCM CLI scripts. Unfortunately we have suffering a lot of issues, mainly related with naming maching dependencies that remain in the new servers that cause some problems.

We are considering to repeat the process using method B but we are not sure that this one will be exempt of other "undocumented" issues.

My question is simple:

What is your experience facing this problem? If you have, which method have you followed?

Thanks in advance

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Here's another suggestion... Call it Plan C.

You said it's just a machine move? What about the DB and FRS? IF the DB is already on your final machine and the FRS is on a shared location (also the final location), then all you do is cluster the new machines onto that DB. So if you currently had Machine A and Machine B, you now ADD Machine C and Machine D to the cluster. Then to remove Machine A and Machine B from the cluster.

--

Patrick