Documentation forAccess Rights Manager

Migrate the ARM installation to a new server

You may need to migrate the ARM server installation to a new server—for example, a server that supports the latest operating system. See the following sections for instructions.

About the license

Based on your deployment, you may have a legacy 8MAN or SolarWinds license.

Legacy 8MAN licensing mechanism

If you have a legacy 8MAN license, backup your current license file. The file is named *.license and located here:

%ProgramData%\protected-networks.com\8MAN\licenses

When the migration is completed, you will need the file to apply your license to the new server, as described in Load the license file and check covered features.

SolarWinds ARM licensing mechanism

If you have a SolarWinds ARM license, deactivate the license on the old server and reactivate it later on the new server.

See Transfer a license to another server for details about the deactivation process.

See Switch from an evaluation license to a production license for details about activating the license.

Prepare the new server

Do not install ARM at this moment.

Verify that the server:

  • Meets the CPU, RAM. and hard drive space requirements listed in the system requirements

  • Is running Microsoft .NET 4.8 Framework or higher

  • Is running a supported operating system

  • Is not a domain controller or a SolarWinds Platform server

  • Is configured in your network

  • Is accessible to all ARM users and administrators as required

  • Can access the Active Directory, LDAP, Microsoft Exchange, and SQL database servers

You can download the .NET Framework software from the Microsoft .NET website located at dotnet.microsoft.com.

Install the most recent updates for your operating system.

Check for the latest updates and service packs using Windows Update.

If you are running SolarWinds Patch Manager, you can push the Microsoft updates to the ARM server.

Set the server to the correct time.

Set the Region and Language settings to your country language. ARM supports English, French, and German languages.

See the documentation included with your operating system.

Open all ports according to the port requirements listed in the system requirements.

Check for antivirus software.

Determine if any antivirus software is installed on the server where you plan to install ARM.

Ensure that the Internet Information System (IIS) role is activated in the operating system.

See the documentation included with your operating system.

Stop and disable the ARM service.

Copy all files and folders from %ProgramData%\protected-networks.com\8MAN to the same location on the new server.

This process may require an extended amount of time depending on the number and size of your scan archives stored under this path.

Migrate the database

If your SQL server and database were located on the old server or for any other reason needs to be migrated to a new server, see Migrate the ARM database to a new SQL server for migration instructions.

When the database is available at the targeted location, some updates are required. There are still entries with the old server name that are not automatically updated. You can use SSMS to perform these updates.

Update the ARM server names

The following steps are required if the ARM server name will change.

Check which values are currently set

Start the SQL Management Studio and log in to the instance where the ARM database is located. Execute the following SQL query on the ARM database.

SELECT [_id],[_property],[_value]
FROM [_8ManDB].[dbo].[_server_configuration_object_values]
WHERE _value = 'ARM-SERVER-A'

Replace ARM-SERVER-A with the NetBIOS name of your old server, written in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Replace "_8ManDB" (legacy default) with the name of your ARM database name if necessary.

Update names

Replace ARM_SERVER-A with the NetBIOS name of your old server.

Replace ARM_SERVER-B with the NetBIOS name of your new server.

Replace "_8ManDB" (legacy default) with the name of your ARM database name if necessary.

 

update [_8ManDB].[dbo].[_server_configuration_object_values]

set _value = 'ARM-SERVER-B'

WHERE _property = 'machinename' AND _value = 'ARM-SERVER-A'

 

update [_8ManDB].[dbo].[_server_configuration_object_values]

set _value = 'ARM-SERVER-B'

WHERE _property = 'gaffermachinenames.0' AND _value = 'ARM-SERVER-A'

 

update [_8ManDB].[dbo].[_server_configuration_object_values]

set _value = 'ARM-SERVER-B'

WHERE _property = 'selectedentrypoints.0' AND _value = 'ARM-SERVER-A'

The number after gaffermachinenames and selectedentrypoints can vary. Which ones are assigned, you could see during the check.

Update scheduled jobs

Check which values are currently set

SELECT [_id],[_property],[_value]

FROM [_8ManDB].[dbo].[_jobconfig_object_values]

WHERE _value = 'ARM-SERVER-A'

Update scheduled jobs

update [_8ManDB].[dbo].[_jobconfig_object_values]

set _value = 'ARM-SERVER-B'

where _property = 'destinationgaffers.0' AND _value = 'ARM-SERVER-A'

The number after destinationgaffers can vary. Which ones are assigned, you could see during the check.

Install ARM on the new server

From version 2020.2.2: Remove invalid certificates

After copying, on the new server there are invalid certificates in the folder:

%ProgramData%\protected-networks.com\8MAN\cfg\security\server

Delete the following files from the folder:

server.pem

server_private_key.pem

New, valid certificates are automatically regenerated after the ARM installation and the start of the ARM service.

Check the copied configuration files

The configuration file:

pnServer.config.xml

located at:

%ProgramData%\protected-networks.com\8MAN\cfg

contains information in the database section (tag) about how the ARM service connects to the database.

If the access to the database (SQL server name, instance name, database name, and authentication) remains unchanged, you can continue to use the configuration file unchanged and start the installation (next step).

If access to the database has changed, the configuration file must be adapted.

You cannot make this adjustment completely with an editor because the password for logging on to the SQL server is stored in encrypted form.

Variant A

Rename the copied configuration file on the new server, for example, to pnServer.config.xml.old.

When the installation is completed, create a new configuration file using the configuration wizard or the configuration application. If required, you can copy (merge) previous adjustments from the old configuration file to the new configuration file.

Variant B

From the copied configuration file on the new server, delete the sections (tags) <database> and <credentials>.

When the installation is completed, start the configuration application, which automatically switches to the base configuration. Enter the credentials for Active Directory and the SQL server. After you save your changes, the values are written to the configuration file, and the ARM service is restarted. Any additional adjustments previously added to the configuration file are retained.

The configuration file:

pnServer.messaging.config.xml

located at:

%ProgramData%\protected-networks.com\8MAN\cfg

contains in the sections (tags) <serverip> and <managementip> information how the ARM service connects to RabbitMQ. If you use the default settings, this file does not exist, and you do not need to make any changes. If the file exists, you may need to change the entries to the new server running RabbitMQ.

Install ARM

You must use the same ARM version that was installed on the old server. You cannot upgrade or downgrade during the migration.

Copy the ARM setup.exe file to a local folder on the new ARM server. Do not use a network folder. Start the setup with administrator privileges.

In the first step of the installation wizard, select Advanced Installation. Follow the instruction in the Installation Wizard.

If you did not modify the configuration file, you can now use ARM as usual.

If you modified the configuration file, carry out the final steps described above for Variant A or Variant B. When you are finished, you can continue to use ARM as usual.