Tech Note 2241: Migrating the Mobility Reporting Database

Migrating the Mobility Reporting Database

Technical Note 2241

Last Reviewed 20-May-2009
Applies to:
Mobility XE version 8.5

Summary

Under certain conditions, it may be desirable or necessary to migrate the Mobility reporting server database to a new machine. This technical note details the steps required to perform the migration.

Important: Migrate the reporting database during a low traffic period and perform the migration in a timely manner. During the process, the Mobility reporting server will be taken offline, which will cause all Mobility servers in the pool to store their reporting data in their local memory. The amount of data that each server can hold is limited, based on the amount of memory available. If the memory allotted reaches 100% consumption, reporting data will be dropped in LIFO order (last in first out). Note: There will be warning notifications sent out as the Mobility servers fill up with reporting data. See "System Monitoring and Alerts" in the Mobility XE v8.5 System Administrator Guide for details.

The following steps are required to migrate the Mobility reporting database:

Install a SQL Server 2005 (SP2) database management system on the machine you want to host the reporting database.
Stop the NetMotion Reporting Server service on the machine running the reporting server (this may or may not be the same machine that is currently hosting the SQL Server system).
Perform a full backup of the reporting database on the original SQL Server machine.
Restore the reporting database on the new machine.
(Optional) Disable the reporting database on the original machine.
Point the stopped reporting server to the new reporting database location on the new machine.

Migrating the Mobility Reporting Database

Follow the steps below, in order, to migrate the Mobility reporting database.

Step 1: Install SQL Server 2005 (SP2)

If a SQL Server 2005 (SP2) system has not yet been installed on the new machine, follow the instructions for installing and preparing a SQL Server database management system as described in "Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (SP2) Installation" in the Mobility XE v8.5 System Administrator Guide.

If the SQL Server 2005 (SP2) system has been installed through a source other than Mobility XE Setup, you must apply specific configuration settings before communication with Mobility XE can occur. Additionally, if the reporting database was previously on the same machine as the reporting server and you are migrating the database to a stand-alone machine, Windows authentication is no longer applicable. SQL Server requires that you use SQL Server administrative credentials. See "Preparing the SQL Server System" in the Mobility XE v8.5 System Administrator Guide for details.

Step 2: Stop the NetMotion Reporting Server service

On the machine hosting the reporting server, open the Services applet (Start -> Programs -> Administrative Tools -> Services) and stop the NetMotion Reporting Server service.

Step 3: Perform a full backup of the Mobility reporting database

Follow these steps to back up the reporting database:

On the original SQL Server machine, log in to SQL Server Management Studio or Studio Express (Start -> Programs -> Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -> SQL Server Management Studio or Studio Express).
Expand the SQL Server root object, if necessary.
Expand Databases.
Right-click on the reporting database name (default: MobilityDB).
Click Tasks -> Backup.
From the Backup Database - <database name> dialog's Backup type field, select Full as the level of backup to be performed.
In Destination, click the Add button.
Enter the full path including the file name or click the Browse... button and choose the location. You must name the backup file to proceed. Do not select a location that would overwrite the previous day's backup if you normally archive your database and want to retain that version.
Click OK.

Step 4: Restore the Mobility reporting database to the new machine

To prevent other users or machines from accessing the database during the restore process, consider temporarily changing SQL Server to single user mode. See the SQL Server documentation for details.

Follow these steps to restore the reporting database:

Move the backup files to the new machine.
On the new machine, log in to SQL Server Management Studio or Studio Express (Start -> Programs -> Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -> SQL Server Management Studio or Studio Express).
Expand the SQL Server root object, if necessary.
Right-click on Databases.
Click the Restore Database option.
In the Restore Database dialog's Destination for restore field, type the name of the reporting database exactly as it appears in the original system (for example, MobilityDB).
In Source for restore, select From device, and then click the Browse ... button.
From Backup location, click Add. Browse to the location of your backup file and select the file.
Click OK to return to the Restore Database dialog box.
From Select the backup sets to restore box, select the check box of the database entry you added.
Click OK and confirm your restore is successful.

(Optional) Step 5: Disable the Mobility reporting database on the original machine

You may wish to take the original reporting database offline to prevent the reporting server from unintentionally inserting new records onto the original machine. Different steps are required, depending on which type of SQL Server database management system is employed.

If you're running Studio Express:

On the original SQL Server computer, log in to Studio Express (Start -> Programs -> Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -> Studio Express).
Right-click on the SQL Server root object and click New Query. The query should connect to the master by default.
In the right-hand pane, type alter database <database name> set offline. For example, if you maintained the reporting database's default name you would type alter database MobilityDB set offline".

If you're running SQL Server Management Studio:

On the original SQL Server computer, log in to SQL Server Management Studio (Start -> Programs -> Microsoft SQL Server 2005 -> SQL Server Management Studio).
Expand the SQL Server root object, if necessary.
Right-click on Databases.
Click Tasks -> Take offline.

Step 6: Point the stopped reporting server to the new reporting database location

Follow these steps to point the reporting server to the new database location:

On the machine hosting the reporting server, open Startup Settings (Start -> Programs -> NetMotion -> Startup Settings).
Click the Reporting Server tab.
In the Reporting database box, change the Location setting to match the location of the new SQL Server 2005 (SP2) database.
Click Apply. SQL Server database credentials are required when components are on separate machines.

Notes

The SQL Server must be running and connected to the network. The reporting server must connect to SQL Server in order to initialize the reporting database.
When migrating from a Small Deployment System to individual machines, Windows authentication will no longer be applicable. Instead, SQL Server administrative credentials will be required. See "Preparing the SQL Server System" in the Mobility XE v8.5 System Administrator Guide for details.
When the reporting database and the reporting server are to reside on different Windows domains, verify that the Reporting Database Location setting in Startup Settings is accurate. If you originally entered a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN), you must include the new FQDN as part of the address. If you originally entered an IP address, be sure the IP address is consistent with the new domain's network configuration.
If you receive an error indicating reporting database files already exist, it may be due to a previous installation on that same machine. You must delete the original files before you can proceed. If the reporting database was created with its default name, remove the MobilityDB.ldf and MobilityDB.mdf files.

Related Information

9979	NetMotion Mobility Technical Notes

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