Sometimes it is necessary to replace the hardware on which a LISTSERV Maestro instance is installed, or to move a LISTSERV Maestro installation from one server to another. This section describes how to do this for the following LISTSERV Maestro installation types:
Therefore, as long as LISTSERV Maestro is installed with all components on the same server (not counting the system database, which may also be on a different server), then this section describes how to replace or move this LISTSERV Maestro instance.
The exact procedure that you need to follow to replace or move a server depends on what exactly you want to accomplish and if the internal or an external system database is being used. The following subsections describe various possible scenarios. Find the scenario that matches your situation and follow the procedure described in that section.
Notes: The procedures only describe how to either replace the server hardware of an existing LISTSERV Maestro installation, or how to move an existing LISTSERV Maestro installation from one server to another.
It is not possible to
clone an existing LISTSERV Maestro installation, i.e. to create a copy of an installation that contains the same data as the original installation, while having both installations running in parallel.
Therefore, the following scenario, for example, is not possible: Server A is running a LISTSERV Maestro installation. This installation is cloned to server B, so that server B now runs a LISTSERV Maestro installation with the same data. Server A continues to run too, for the time being, while the new installation on server B is being tested, to see if everything is working smoothly. Once this has been validated, server A is shut down (and uninstalled) and server B takes over its operation. This scenario is not only
impossible because of technical reasons, but also because it does not make sense from an operational point of view either: During the time when both servers are running in parallel, server A would still be the "main" server, and server B would only be a copy that is currently undergoing verification. However, any data changes that happen on server A after the copying (while it is still the "main" server) would never be seen by server B. This includes jobs that are being created, delivered, or otherwise changed during this time, plus tracking events that arrive at server A during this time (or later). When the testing of server B would finally be complete and B would be ready to "take over" from server A, the data on B would already be outdated in comparison to A, with no way to consolidate the two again. Therefore, it does not make sense to keep A running while the installation on B is being verified. But if A is shut down anyway at the moment the installation is moved to B, it is no longer a clone/copy operation, but instead either a replacement or move operation, as described below.
The old LISTSERV Maestro server will be replaced with a new server. After the procedure, the LISTSERV Maestro installation will run on the new server, which will use the same host name as was previously used by the old server (possibly even the same IP-address), and the old server is either decommissioned or is used for other purposes, with a different host name (and possibly different IP-address).
This scenario, for example, applies if for some reason the old server hardware is getting old and a possible breakdown will be avoided, or the old hardware can no longer cope with the increased demands, so a new server with better hardware will replace it.
Note: With this scenario, LISTSERV Maestro will
never be running in parallel on the two servers.
Note: Changing the hostname may also require a DNS-mapping entry for the new hostname.
This step is not necessary if LISTSERV Maestro uses the internal database or if it uses an external database on some altogether different server (not the old server). In these cases, skip to the next step.
But, if the external database was used and it was installed on the old server, then now you need to install the same database software also on the new server. In this database software, create a new system database (or database schema), with the same name, user account (including password and access rights), and other configurations as was previously used by the system database on the old server. If necessary, check the configuration of the system database on the old server. (See Section 10.2
Preparing the System Database.
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Backup Folders: Under Global Settings > Administration Hub/Maestro User Interface/Maestro Tracker > General Administration (check for each of the three components!).
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Content Upload Restrictions: Under Global Settings > Maestro User Interface > Default Content Restrictions. Also, check for any overrides on account or group level under User Account/Group > Content Restrictions (for all non-group accounts and all groups).
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Recipient Upload Restrictions: Under Global Settings > Maestro User Interface > Default Recipients Restrictions. Also check for any overrides on account or group level under User Account/Group > Recipients Restrictions (for all non-group accounts and all groups).
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Hosted Data Import Restrictions: Under Global Settings > Maestro User Interface > Default Hosted Data Settings. Also check for any overrides on account or group level under User Account/Group > Hosted Data Settings (for all non-group accounts and all groups).
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Important: Once you have verified that LISTSERV Maestro is running properly on the new server, make sure to uninstall the old LISTSERV Maestro installation on the old server.
The LISTSERV Maestro installation will be moved from the old server to a new server. The new server will use a different host name (and IP-address) than the old server and the old server will continue to use its original hostname (and IP-address).
This scenario, for example, applies if for some reason the installation must be moved to a new server, but for other purposes, the old server must remain operational with the same host name as before, only now without a LISTSERV Maestro installation on it.
Note: With this scenario, LISTSERV Maestro will
never be running in parallel on the two servers.
Important: Moving a LISTSERV Maestro installation to a server with a
different hostname is
not a good idea and should be avoided, unless absolutely necessary.
The reason for this is the following: When LISTSERV Maestro sends out e-mails with tracked links, then the URLs of these tracked links point back to the LISTSERV Maestro server, using the server's hostname. But, if LISTSERV Maestro's hostname is changed (which would be the case if the LISTSERV Maestro installation is moved to a server with a different name), then all the already delivered e-mails still contain tracking links that point to the old hostname. Only now there is no LISTSERV Maestro installation with that hostname anymore. This has an effect both on the recipients of the already delivered messages and on the LISTSERV Maestro user who owns the mail jobs for these messages:
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Negative effect for the recipients – All tracked links in all e-mails that were delivered before the server was moved cease to function. If a recipient clicks one of these links, then instead of seeing the intended target page, he will see a "server not found" message (or similar).
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Negative effect for the LISTSERV Maestro user – Since the tracked links cease to function, no tracking events for these links will reach LISTSERV Maestro. Therefore, all mail jobs that were delivered before the server was moved will no longer receive any new tracking events. Their tracking data will appear "frozen" in the state that it had at the moment the server was moved.
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Therefore, unless the negative effects described above are acceptable in your situation, you should never move a LISTSERV Maestro installation to a server with a new name. If you have to move to a new server, then consider if it is not possible to also "move" the hostname from the old server to the new server. I.e. assign a new hostname to the old server and assign the old hostname to the new server (possibly as an alias, if the new server already had a different hostname before). If you can find a way to also "move" the hostname to the new server, then you are no longer dealing with "moving" a LISTSERV Maestro installation, as described in this section, but instead you are dealing with a "server replacement". In this case, please see Section 23.1
Server Replacement for details.
But if you have decided that you do indeed want to move a LISTSERV Maestro installation to a new server, with a new hostname, in spite of the negative effects that this has, then follow theses steps:
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Backup Folders: Under Global Settings > Administration Hub/Maestro User Interface/Maestro Tracker > General Administration (check for each of the three components!).
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Content Upload Restrictions: Under Global Settings > Maestro User Interface > Default Content Restrictions. Also, check for any overrides on account or group level under User Account/Group > Content Restrictions (for all non-group accounts and all groups).
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Recipient Upload Restrictions: Under Global Settings > Maestro User Interface > Default Recipients Restrictions. Also check for any overrides on account or group level under User Account/Group > Recipients Restrictions (for all non-group accounts and all groups).
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Hosted Data Import Restrictions: Under Global Settings > Maestro User Interface > Default Hosted Data Settings. Also check for any overrides on account or group level under User Account/Group > Hosted Data Settings (for all non-group accounts and all groups).
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Important: Once you have verified that LISTSERV Maestro is running properly on the new server, make sure to uninstall the old LISTSERV Maestro installation on the old server.
The replacement/moving procedures described in the previous sections require you to perform a safe backup as their first step. The procedure on how to do this safe backup is described here:
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Go to Global Settings > Maestro User Interface > General Administration.
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Select the Login Access: LISTSERV Maestro User Interface is locked checkbox.
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Click on the Switch to LUI link at the top of the screen to go to User Interface.
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Go to Mail Job > Mail Jobs Overview.
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Click on the Display the jobs owned by drop-down menu and select <Any Owner>.
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If there are still jobs in the "being processed" state, then wait for these jobs to be completed: If they are completed successfully, they will be removed from this list. If they fail, they will change into the "
failed" state on this list.
While there are still jobs "being processed", refresh the list regularly until all jobs are either gone or only "
failed" and "
authorized" jobs remain.
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Once there are no jobs "being processed" anymore, use the Switch to HUB link at the top of the screen to go back to the HUB.
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Go to Global Settings > Administration Hub > General Administration.
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