Move/Migrate a CentreStack installation to a New Server

There are times when CentreStack admins need to move the CentreStack installation to another server for one reason or another. It is crucial that proper procedure and steps are taken to move the installation to a new server.

CentreStack installation consists of persistent and non-persistent data. CentreStack database contains persistent/static information such as the username, email, storage configuration, files and folders sharing information and others. It is recommended to have daily backup of the database, since it contains configuration information for the service to run properly. The database is a critical component for the smooth operation of the CentreStack server farm. Local database with latency less than 10 milliseconds is recommended.

There are two pieces of persistent information:

1. Database
2. Storage

To move the Centrestack installation to a new server:

1. If the Centrestack database is already on a separate server and you don't need to move it, skip the step.
2. If you need to move the database, make sure the new server and the current Centrestack server can communicate with each other directly. It is not required to keep using the same type of database on the new server. Can move to new database software on the new server. For example, if the old Centrestack server is using SQL Express, can take the opportunity to switch to MySQL or PostgreSQL which don't have size limit.
3. Install the database software on the new server.
4. If you want to use MySQL:
   • Use MySQL 8.0.28 or earlier, since we don't support the new security added in 8.0.29.
   • Use 'Legacy Authentication Method', which is MySQL 5.x Compatibile
   • Also make sure MySQL table name is case insensitive, if the server runs on Unix/Linux server
5. Make sure the old Centrestack server can access the new database. You can use SQL Management Studio (for SQL Server/Express)/MySQL Workbench (for MySQL)/pgAdmin (for postgreSQL) on the old server to connect to the database on the new server.
6. Once the database connection is verified, on old server, follow the KB article here to migrate the database to the new server. 
   https://support.centrestack.com/hc/en-us/articles/4405513076379-CentreStack-Database-Migration-Tool
   After the migration, the Centrestack software still runs on the old server, while the database is on the new server. To test it, create a new user and it should show under the new database server, on xaf_user table.
7. If you use the same type of database on the new server, you can also export the Centrestack database on the old server and import it on the new server directly.
8. If your backend Storage is on cloud, or you don't need to change the backend storage, skip the step. If you need to move the backend storage, copy everything from old server to the new server. It is preferred to copy the data to the same drive\path on the new server. Make sure to copy the backend storage for all tenants, including Default Tenant.
9. Install Centrestack on the new server. When prompt to setup database, choose to use the existing database on the new server. The setup will prompt you to login.
10. Login to cluster admin. It will prompt you to configure the new worker node. Make sure the external URL is defined correctly. It should be the same as the old worker node.
11. As Cluster Admin, go to Cluster Dashboard, Worker Node Count. Under Cluster Worker Nodes, delete the old worker node
12. If you have copied the backend storage data and the new location is different from the old location (for example, the new folder is under a different drive/path, or on a different share, or access as a new windows id), go to Tenant Manager and edit existing default storage for all tenants affected. If the data is copied to exactly the same location (same drive/path) on the new server and access as the same windows user, skip the step. Make sure to check the storage config for Default Tenant, as it contains all the tenant branded files.
13. Import SSL certificate on the new server. Use it to bind port 443
14. Change your DNS to point to the new server
15. If you need to change to a new access point, need to update the external URL on the new server. See the answer section of the article here.

Now Centrestack is moved to the new server. You can test web portal and native clients operations.