Perform OS migration for Genius Server

Prerequisites #

• running Genius Server environment
• update tool to target version (e.g. genius-cdds-3.13.x-update-win64.exe)
• setup tool for target version (e.g. genius-cdds-3.13.x-setup-win64.exe)

Objective #

• an os migration has to be performed (e.g. old windows server 2012 to new windows server 2022)
• the GeniusMFP environment has to be migrated to the new virtual machine

Solution #

• prepare migration (order demo license)
• general OS preperations (e.g. firewall rules)
• update old server to the latest version
• perform migration
• (if possible, reuse old hostname and ip address for the new server, to avoid configuation changes on the device clients)
• (Migrate ABBYY FineReader Engine)

Example #

Under no circumstances start both Genius Server services at the same time.

1. request a demo license from order@geniusbytes.com, the old my-license.lic will not work on the new server
2. update the old Genius Server server to the latest version available, check the guide for this task
3. if the update of the old server was sucessful, run the setup of the same version on the new server (e.g. if you updated the old server to 3.13.x, run the 3.13.x setup on the new vm)
4. on the new server, rename the /conf folder to /conf_bak
5. copy the /conf folder from the old server to the new server (e.g. C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\conf)
6. copy the cluster-node.dat from the old server to the new server (e.g. C:\Program Files\Genius Server\cluster-node.dat)
7. insert the demo license from step 1. on the new server (C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\my-license.lic)
8. if a service user was assigned to the old server’s service, make sure the same assignment is done on the new server
9. If the pcl converter was used in the old environment (search for a printer named “myPCLConverter”), create the required windows printer on the new server
10. stop the Genius Server service on the old server
11. If the database was hosted on the old vm, please migrate it, for MSSQL check the compatibility chart
    If the database was hosted on a different server the database connection was copied to the new server in step 5 and should still be working
12. perform the connection test in the database section of the configuration tool on the new server
13. If the “attachment as URL feature was enabled in the Mail section of the configuration tool, change the Server URL
    e.g. http://gbd-wv-pho2t41.geniusbytesgmbh.local:8080/server
    This step is not necessary if the new server will get the hostname and IP of the old server
14. send a test mail
15. copy the new installation id from the license management section on the new server, send this installation-id including your old my-license.lic and/or more identifying customer data to order@geniusbytes.com, please mention the reason for the installation-id change: a OS migration for Genius Server
16. Transfer all binary data from the old server to the new server, e.g.
    C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\bpm
    C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\dms
    C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\ext-lib
    C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\mailer
    C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\print
    C:\Program Files\Genius CDDS Server\reporting
    If folder paths have been changed, e.g. to move the print file storage to an additional drive partition  like E:\, recheck that all additional partitions have been created and that all files have been copied
17. Check the certificates section on the new server.
    Have keystore and trustStore been copied with the conf folder, or have they been stored in a different location?
    If so copy them to the new server and check if they can be successfully read by the configuration tool.
    If the hostname of the server will not be reused, create a new server certificate for the keystore, configure the alias name for the new key.
    Starting from 3.12.x Genius Server supports the Windows-Root trustStore. Import all required CA and IM certificates in the “Trusted Root certificate authorities” store on Windows to establish secure connection to ldap, azure etc.
18. If you are moving a cluster node, recheck the cluster section in the configuration tool on the new server, in case the old server address is not reused, change node name and cluster adress list (if it is localhost, keep localhost)
    If you are running a single node setup (one Genius Server), you can skip this step
19. ABBYY FineReaderEngine 10.x was discontinued. If the license still has support, notifiy order@geniusbytes.com to migrate the ABBYY 10 license in the Genius Server license.
    The order team will require your license volume, please perform the following steps:
    As ABBYY has an own license management, the ABBYY license has to be deactivated and reactivated on the new VM.
     – launch C:\ABBYY\Bin\LicenseManager.exe,
     – export all displayed info and send it to the order team
20. If the printers (e.g. pull-printing queue) have been hosted on the old server, migrate them to the new server
    Be sure to deactivate bidirectional communication and SNMP status (the Genius Server cannot reply to these status checks)
21. You can run the Genius Server on the demo license, but don’t forget to switch it to the new production license requested in step 15, after you received it