How to move FileFly Agents

Due to aging hardware, upgrades, or changes in business requirements, you may find yourself needing to move your FileFly server roles between one or more servers. Use DrTool and the built-in backups within the FileFly Tools server.

The following example uses the these environment values:

This is the overall process for moving agents:

1 - Migrate the FileFly Tools Server

This is the process for migrating a server:

1. Force a backup.

2. Copy the backup to new server.

3. Create a hostfile entry for DNS resolution.

4. Install FileFly tools as a restore.

Migrate a FileFly tools server by performing a fresh install of FileFly tools and restoring from a recent backup file. The first step is to locate the backup and take a fresh one. As a best practice these backup files should be backed up or written to swarm regularly if there are regular changes to the FileFly environment.

1. To get to the backup section of the FileFly server, open the Settings (gear icon) at the far right:
   
   

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2. In the Settings, scroll to the Configuration Backup section. Record the path where backups are saved, as well as the option to Force Backup Now:
   
   

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3. The backup includes config DrTool files, log dumps, and other configuration information, so it may be quite large if you are migrating a lot of data. If needed, configure the backup options to write to a different location.

4. After forcing a backup the new backup appears in the window once it is complete.
   
   

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5. In File Explorer, browse to the backup folder and locate the new backup:
   
   

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6. Copy the file to the Destination server, as you are prompted for it on install.

7. Next is configuration of the destination server and installation of the FileFly tools on it. Edit the hostfile so the FileFly tools server can be installed.
   A quick way to perform this is to right-click PowerShell and open as an administrator then navigate to C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

8. Edit it in a text editor to point name resolution for the FileFly server to the localhost, in this case, filefly.ecorp.com:
   
   

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9. Install the FileFly Tools once that change is saved.

10. Click next past the first two screens until you get to this one: 
    
    

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11. Choosing Restore from Backup prompts you to upload the backup file:
    
    

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12. In the background then is an extraction and check of the files and DNS names.

13. The installer continues and completes if all passes.
    
    

    
    
    

14. From the new machine, open the Admin Portal and Retire the older server, if it is standalone.

15. Update the DNS record to reflect the changes, and remove the hostfile entry.

2 - Migrate the Stubs