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Steps on How to Transfer my Solarwinds Data From a Windows Server 2008 R2 to Server 2016

Hello everyone,

I'm practicing a lab to transfer my Solarwinds data from Windows Server 2008 R2 to Server 2016. What would be the best method? Would I just backup my Solarwinds data from my 2008 server, install my 2016 server, then transfer my data over or is it more complicated than that? Would it matter if the Solarwinds version is lower than 12.0? Any input is appreciated.

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melmstedt

Hello kange0010,

Attached is the NPM Upgrade Guide with the specifics regarding what to do with your database before (ALWAYS perform a backup) the upgrade. This article ( Upgrading to NPM 12 from NPM 10.3 and earlier - SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. Help and Support ) is what you need if you are currently running v. 10.3 or older. In short, you need a clean install.

NPM Upgrade Guide.pdf

If this helps, please mark as answered. If you still need assistance please let us know. Best of luck in your upgrade.

V/r,

Matthew

kange0010

Hi melmstedt,

Thank you for the info and references. I'm already on NPM 12.x but I guess after installing a new OS I would need to reinstall the NPM. In regards to backups, besides the databases and snapshots of VMs, is there anything else I should backup? I figure I would also need to backup my logs but which folder would I backup for this and where is the location?

melmstedt

Hello kange0010 ,

Without knowing more about the environment, I would say that is good. If your Orion and DB server are separate VMs then using your backup utility (Windows Server Backup works) to backup the database (compresses the logs and transaction files into the DB) and would be advantageous. Remember that once you restore your DB on the new SQL server and run the config manager you wouldn't want to roll one back without the other or you'd have a nice big mess.

I'm in an environment now where full exports were the preferred method of backup but it is a rather inefficient use of disk space as guests are rather large, especially Orion and the DB server if you have them configured as SolarWinds prefer (not dynamic - only fixed disk for the DB and ideally RAID 1+0). If you are going to blow a server away to stand up a new one or get a new one built in place then one might as well do it right.

We have now automated backups on our DB servers and do a full Windows backup complete with the SQL server on a regular interval. Rather than backing up the 500 GB fixed drives we have available for the DB our new Orion install is backing up around 3 GB currently and a fully backup, not an Export, is done regularly; just not as frequently as the DB backup.

As I carefully read your message, if you backup your database everything should be in there. I've been doing a significant amount of research on the product and implementation as well as working on getting it up and running. With respect to your logs and the location for backup, I'm unsure if you mean log files for the database or just Orion's logs when it runs into problems. If you are talking about Orion - I wouldn't keep them unless you have a unique environment or a support case open. I'd ask support in that case what logs they want (a troubleshooting wizard is available to obtain most of this from the server to obtain the latest XX days). If you want the logs from the database, first thing when your change management window is available, I would use Orion's Database Optimization Tool (or Orion Database Manager – after opening the tool it only has a start button…I’m not at my system currently) as this will clean the DB; shut down services on Orion using Orion Services Manager (icon looks like a stop sign) as this will gracefully close all DB connections and not permit any new data during backup; run a final SQL DB backup to clean up transact logs and compress (remember to notate drive letters and directory structure so that it is easier to match on the new build otherwise you need to change settings once SQL is up and it is a head ache), move the backup to a safe place, and then proceed with your OS upgrade.

Hope this helps. Please mark as answered if successful.

V/r,

Matthew

FINE PRINT: All information is provided by me and not on behalf of my employer or representatives. This information is meant to be an assist to questions asked; not as a replacement to research and proper lab testing before implementation in a production environment. While all information is offered with best intention I can accept no liability due to the endless variables considered and expressed as well as not considered or expressed during explanations of environments or problems.