Migrating helpdesk to a new server Table of Contents 1. Helpdesk Migration... 2 Configure Virtual Web on IIS 6 Windows 2003 Server:... 2 Role Services required on IIS 7 Windows 2008 / 2012 Server:... 2 Configure Virtual Web on IIS 7 Windows 2008 / 2012 Server:... 3 2. Migrating SQL Server to new server... 3 3. Migrating MS Access databases to new server... 3 4. Multiple helpdesk installations sharing common tables... 3 Microsoft Access... 4 Microsoft SQL Server... 5 5. Set up ODBC data source connection.... 6 6. SLAmonitor and EMLmonitor... 7 7. Communicate new URL to Operators / Users.... 7 8. Final configuration considerations.... 7 9. Troubleshooting... 7
1. Helpdesk Migration You can move existing sitehelpdesk to a new server as follows: 1. Copy existing sitehelpdesk folder /sub folders to new server. 2. Change the permissions on sitehelpdesk folder / sub folders to give Everyone full control. 3. Delete the sitehelpdesk IIS virtual directory from old server (so no one can access old system) 4. Create IIS Virtual web on new server 1. Click on Start / Settings 2. Click on Control Panel / Administrative Tools 3. Select Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager 4. Open Web Sites folder 5. Right click on Default Web Site 6. Select New / Virtual Directory 7. Enter sitehelpdesk as the alias 8. Click on Browse and locate the \sitehelpdesk directory 9. Click on Finish to save Configure Virtual Web on IIS 6 Windows 2003 Server: The following steps should be performed to ensure application runs correctly. 1. By default Windows 2003 installs IIS in lockdown mode which will not permit ASP pages to run. This must be enabled. From within IIS select Web Service Extensions and ensure that Active Server Pages are Allowed. 2. From Internet Service Manager locate sitehelpdesk virtual directory 3. Right click and select Properties 4. On the Virtual Directory tab click on Configuration. Note: If Configuration button is not enabled click on Create. 5. Click on the App Options tab 6. Check the box to Enable session state 7. Check the box to Enable Buffering 8. Check the box to Enable parent paths 9. Click on OK to Apply changes Role Services required on IIS 7 Windows 2008 / 2012 Server: 1. Start Server Manager select the Web Server (IIS) Role. Click on Add Role Services. 2. Common HTTP Features: Static Content and HTTP Errors must be checked as a minimum. 3. Application Development: Make sure you have at least ASP and Server Side Includes and ASP.NET selected. Enabling ASP: note by default when you are adding the Web Server (IIS) role to Windows Server 2008 the ASP feature is not checked and must be added as a role service. 4. For sitehelpdesk / IT users you will need Windows Authentication as a Security option so select that from role services now too
Configure Virtual Web on IIS 7 Windows 2008 / 2012 Server: 1. Enable Parent Paths needs to be allowed in IIS7. Navigate sites, Default Web Site in IIS7 Manager. 2. Click on ASP icon. 3. Set Enable Parent Paths to True. 4. Expand Debugging Properties, Set Send Errors to Browser and apply. 5. Then click on the Error Pages icon then click edit Feature Settings select Detailed Errors. 6. Allowing for larger file attachments: Many customers report an issues adding files to the helpdesk as attachments and this is usually down to their size as IIS has a limit of 4MB by default. To overcome this Expand Limits Properties folder and change Response Buffering Limit from 4194304 to 41943040 2. Migrating SQL Server to new server If you are using SQL Server database and you also want to move the database then you must: a. Backup the database from old SQL Server and Restore to a database called SHDDB on the new SQL Server. b. Setup the shduser account on new SQL server, to do this using a SQL script: Note : this will create a SHDUSER login to database with password shduser that is the DB Owner of SHDDB database: i. Open a SQL Query Window (from SQL Enterprise Manager or SQL Management Studio) ii. Ensure you are connected to the SHDDB database iii. Open up the following script (found in sitehelpdesk\sql folder): CreateUser.sql or CreateUser2005.sql (for SQL 2005 or later) iv. Execute against the SHDDB database 3. Migrating MS Access databases to new server The Access databases normally reside in the sitehelpdesk/database folder and are named shddb.mdb so this will naturally come across with the copy of the helpdesk folder. If you have located the shddb.mdb file elsewhere on the server then you need to copy this over also. Your ODBC system DSN connection will show the location of this file. 4. Multiple helpdesk installations sharing common tables If you have moved the databases and have linked tables so that multiple installation use a master version of people, location and department tables then these links should be deleted and recreated.
Microsoft Access Instructions for sharing the PEOPLE table across sitehelpdesk / sitehelpdesk-it / FM installations in Microsoft Access. 1. Make sure all installations are on the same version and patch (check in Help, About) 2. Decide which is to be the master installation. 3. Open up the SHDDB.MDB file in one of the other installation 4. Locate the PEOPLE table and Delete it 5. Click on File, Get External Data, Link tables (or External Data, Access, Link tables in Access 2007 or later) 6. Browse to the SHDDB.MDB file of the master installation and then select the PEOPLE table from the list and click on OK 7. Do the same for LOCATION and DEPARTMENT tables
Microsoft SQL Server Instructions for sharing the PEOPLE table across sitehelpdesk / sitehelpdesk-it installations in SQL Server. 1. Make sure all installations are on the same version and patch (check in Help, About) 2. Decide which is to be the master installation 3. Open SQL Enterprise Manager / Management Studio 4. Locate the PEOPLE table in the second installation and rename to PEOPLE_OLD 5. Right click on the Views folder (in second installation) and select New View (note in 2005 a pop up window will open which you need to close) 6. Enter the following query SELECT * FROM {master database}.dbo.people 7. Save as PEOPLE 8. Repeat for the LOCATION and DEPARTMENT tables
5. Set up ODBC data source connection. For web pages to communicate with the database engine they will require an ODBC connection on new server: Note that Access drivers are not supported by default on 2008 / 2012 server and will need downloading from Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&familyid=c06b8369-60dd- 4b64-a44b-84b371ede16d Alternatively upgrade the helpdesk database to SQL now following the SQL upsizing instructions. http://www.sitehelpdesk.com/docs/shdsqlupg.pdf This is also advised if running 2008 64 bit. To connect to Microsoft Access database: 1. Click on Start / Settings 2. Select Control Panel 3. Select ODBC Data Sources 4. Click on System DSN tab 5. Click on Add 6. Select Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb) 7. Enter sitehelpdesk as the Data Source Name 8. Enter sitehelpdesk as the Description 9. Click on Database Select and locate the SHDDB.MDB in the \sitehelpdesk\database folder 10. Click on OK to save To connect to Microsoft SQL Server database: 1. Click on Start / Settings 2. Select Control Panel (+ Adminstrative Tools in 2000/XP) 3. Select ODBC Data Sources 4. Click on System DSN tab 5. Click on Add 6. Select SQL Server 7. Enter sitehelpdesk as the Data Source Name 8. Enter sitehelpdesk as the Description 9. Server : {SQL Server} Authentication : Use SQL Server Authentication Login ID : shduser Password : shduser Default Database : SHDDB Note: the DSN name and user id / password should match those in sitehelpdesk\cnconst.inc file 10. Click on OK to save
6. SLAmonitor and EMLmonitor These will need to be actually installed on the new server. Please follow the installation guides Upgrading instructions. These are available from our support site under the Links, Installation Guides menu option. You may obtain the latest software installer from the support site software Upgrade menu if you wish. 7. Communicate new URL to Operators / Users. You will need to change any links from Intranets or desktops to the User pages on new web server. 8. Final configuration considerations. 1. If you are using NT Authentication for users (sitehelpdesk/sitehelpdesk-it) (ie the users are automatically identified on the User Call Log page) then follow this FAQ to configure IIS on the new server. http://www.sitehelpdesk.com/sitewebdesk/user/faqinfo.asp?faqid=29 2. Set up and test SMTP email services via Administration, Configuration. Note that if you have migrated from 2003 to 2008 / 2012 Server we recommend you configure the helpdesk for the option to use a Remote SMTP server for outgoing emails. 9. Troubleshooting If you encounter problems accessing the helpdesk on the new server please refer to this trouble shooting guide. http://www.sitehelpdesk.com/download/installd/installation%20issues.htm