Crystal Server 2013

[Former Member]

New installaion of Crystal Server 2013 box and move the existing Crystal Server 2008 data and all contents to a new server in CR 2013. What are the challenges and issues? Is this possible? Can we just do a new installation of 2013 server and import everything from 2008 server. Is everything moved over seamlessly, like the Scheduler jobs, users and groups, security etc are there any things which can't be moved over and needs to be manually created from scratch. Please share your experience.

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

When you install CRS 2013, you'll get a new tool called Upgrade Management Tool (it's only available in a server install - it's NOT part of the Client Tools!).  You will use this to migrate everything over from your CRS 2008 system.

There are a couple options when you do this -

Complete Upgrade moves everything in one process.  If you don't have a lot of reports or instances, then this will work for you.

With and Incremental Upgrade, you get to choose what gets migrated so you can break it down into multiple chunks.

Also, best practice is to remove old instances and unused reports from your 2008 system before migrating.

If you have any additional questions about this, you should post them here:  .  CRS is a subset of the full BI Platform software and you'll get better responses there.  The Crystal Reports space that you've posted in is really for the Crystal Reports design tool.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Dell for your quick response. Are you aware of any challenges or issues you faced during the migration? Also, will the upgrade management tool in 2013 allow to point it to old 2008 server which is sitting in a different box. I assume everything is moved by this, do i need to re configure/create anything after the migration is completed?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

I'm a consultant, so I've done a number of these migrations for my clients.  There were some issues with the earlier versions of the Upgrade Management Tool (UMT), but it's pretty stable now.

Yes, it will connect to your Crystal 2008 system with no issues unless there's a firewall between them.  Before doing the migration, go to the Servers section of the CMC on both systems and turn OFF all of the servers except the following:

Central Management Server

Input File Repository Server

Output File Repository Server

Crystal Report Application Server

This will not only ensure that schedules don't run during the migration, but it will decrease the amount of RAM and CPU that your system is using so that it is available for the UMT process.

Also, if you're using ODBC connections for your reports, make sure that they've been created on the new server prior to running the UMT.  CRS itself needs 64-bit connections to the CMS and Audit databases, but all of the Crystal processing is still 32-bit, so it requires 32-bit database client software and, if necessary, 32-bit ODBC connections.  Be sure to look at the Product Availability Matrix (PAM) to determine which versions of database client software you'll need to install.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dell-

Thanks a lot for sharing such a valuable info. I am confused between 64 bit and 32 bit. You mentioned, CMS and audit db is 64 bit and other processing are 32 bit. Do we need to have 64 bit and 32 bit both the client installed?

If we are using Oracle database how do i move just the portion of the information of it instead of migrating all. It's not a complete migration just need to move some portion about 40% of it from 2008 to 2013 server .How do you recommend to approach this. Thanks

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

You need to install BOTH the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the Oracle client on the server - install the 32-bit version first.

To migrate just a portion of your existing system, you would use the Upgrade Management Tool and do an Incremental Migration - just selecting the Users, User Groups, and Reports that you want to move.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks again, UMT needs to be run in the Source system or Target? Will the Security, Scheduler jobs and everything move, when we move a portion of it? What if the CR version is below 2008, does it need to be upgraded to 2008 first before moving to 2013?

If the upgrade is on same server, is UMT required? If not, just run a standalone installation?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

UMT is run on the Target system.

In general, you won't have to upgrade your reports unless they were created in Crystal 8.5 or earlier.  From Crystal 9 onward, the underlying structure of the .rpt file is the same, with new options added for new functionality.  For example, even though Crystal will throw a warning that the report was created in a "newer" version, I can use Crystal 2008 to open and edit a report that was created/updated in Crystal 2013 as long as I don't use any new features that aren't in 2008.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dell,

Sorry for the confusion. I was referring to the Server not Reports.Will the Security, Scheduler jobs and everything move, when we move a portion of the data?

If we are upgrading the same server from 2008 to 2013 do we still need to use UMT or just run the setup file for upgrade?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

The UMT calculates all of the "dependencies", so it will bring through security, schedules, and completed instances.

There is no "Upgrade" install - CRS 2008 is 32-bit software and CRS 2013 is 64-bit software.  DO NOT install CRS 2013 on the same server as CRS2008!  They will not play well when installed on the same server - there will be competition for resources between both of the installations and the UMT, which will potentially cause migration failures.  Also, the tables in the CMS database for CRS 2013 have some slightly different structures, so there is no way to connect that install to the CRS 2008 CMS database and get it to work.  So yes, you must use the UMT to migrate your content and security.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks a lot Dell for your response. Now everything is not stored in the Database is that correct? Input file store, output file store, log folder and data folder. What are these why are they pointing to the drive folders. Shouldn't it be on the database?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

The CMS database contains a bunch of information about objects in the system, including a pointer to where the files reside in the Filestore folders.  The actual report files live in the file system.  The Input file repository contains the report "template" files, which are the reports that you see in the GUI.  The Output file repository contains the report "instance" files, which are the completed schedules that contain data from when the report was run.

The logs are also physical files and are different from the audit data that's stored in the audit database.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Dell. Does the file store gets moved automatically through UMT or we need to move the files store manually?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

The files will automatically be moved.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Dell,

Thanks a lot for your response.

In order to start the migration with UMT, do we need to have the firewalls rules removed from both the source and target servers? If both the servers are in same domain. Is it still required or we can start the migration without disabling the firewall rules.

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

If both servers are in the same domain, I would turn off the Windows firewall on both servers prior to running the UMT.  If they're not on the same domain, I would do the following:

1.  On the source system, log in to the CMC and go to Servers.

2.  Edit the Central Management Server properties.  Set the Request Port to 6401.

3.  Edit the Input File Repository Server properties.  Set the Request Port to 6402.

4.  Edit the Output File Repository Server properties.  Set the Request Port to 6403.

5.  Go to the CCM and restart the SIA.

Now you can set firewall rules to open ports 6400, 6401, 6402, and 6403 between the two servers.  Your new server will initiate the communication.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Dell,

Do we need to setup AD accounts before we can import the users & groups from the source to destination? Do we have to identify and add each user or its moved through UMT.?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Here's what I do in a new system when I'm migrating AD users and groups:

1.  In the CMC, go to Authentication and then to Windows AD.

2.  In the Configuration Summary, set the AD Administration Name and the Default Domain.

3.  Under AD Alias Options, set Alias Update Options to "Create new aliases when the Alias Update occurs".

4.  Under Attribute Binding Options, turn on "Import Full Name, Email Address and other attributes".

5.  Click on Update.

This configures the system for AD authentication without actually importing any AD groups.  Now you can migrate your groups and users from the old system and they'll come over with no problems.  After the migration, if you go to the Win AD authentication configuration screen, you'll now see the AD user groups that were migrated from the original system.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dell,

If we don't have the ad setup in target system. Can't we just move the users and groups from the source to target via UMT and later configure the AD part on the target system? Will there be a problem?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

No.  They will throw an error and not import if the AD Authentication configuration for the new system is not completed prior to trying to import them with the UMT.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Dell. In the old system its LDAP and new system is AD. Will it make any difference?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Yes.  You need to configure LDAP initially to get the users to come over correctly.  After the users are there, configure AD authentication, add the AD groups, and import the users.  This will create and AD "alias" for any user who is already in the system as an LDAP user - in other words, if you go to a user's properties and scroll to the bottom, you'll see two aliases, one for LDAP and another for WinAD.

If you've set security using the LDAP groups, you'll then want to transfer security to the new WinAD groups - best practice is to map each WinAD group to a corresponding Enterprise group and then use the Enterprise group to set security.

After that is done, you'll go to the LDAP section of Authentication, delete the LDAP groups, update the groups and users, and then turn off LDAP authentication.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dell: Thanks a lot for providing all the information. It's very helpful and will be useful for all of us.

So, If I want to configure and use LDAP instead of AD. Is there a specific settings I need to do to configure LDAP and import my users and group correctly?

Like for the AD you have provided some instructions above. Do you have the same instructions for LDAP Setup? Along with LDAP, all the enterprise users will get imported as well I guess?

Here is how I am following your instructions, correct me if I am wrong:-

Before importing users and group, turning off all the servers except these:

CMS, Input FRS, Output FRS, Crystal Report App server. Now start the migration Users, Group migration? Is that correct?

Couple of other concerns.

1)Will the user be able to login to the source system infoview while migration is in process?

2)How do I select the data with datetimestamp only. Say I want to move the data from last month only, is there a way to filter this out while using UMT?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

In your old system, go to Authentication and then to LDAP to see what the settings are there.  As in my WinAD instructions, DO NOT add the LDAP groups to the new system - they will be brought over during the migration.

Yes, you have the right order for importing things.

Answers to your questions:

1.  Yes, they will but the system might be a little slow.  When you're ready to do your final production migration, I would turn off Tomcat and all of the servers except the CMS and both file repositories.  This will ensure that no users can get in to modify anything and there are no schedules running during that final migration.

2.  Unfortunately, that is not an option.  You would have to delete the old instances from the source system prior to using the UMT.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Dell - Thanks again. If i use Import wizard to export it to BIAR file system. Can i import the users and objects and everything in there to the target system without the ldap authentication setup and do the LDAP setup later on.

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

No.  You won't be able to import the LDAP users until the LDAP configuration is done.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

So can i just import the reports and other objects related to it for now and once the ldap is setup import the users and group at that time?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Yes and no.  If you just want to test to make sure that the system is working correctly, then go ahead and do that.  Be sure to uncheck the users and user groups that appear as dependencies before you click on the Start button.

However, if you do it this way, you'll lose all of the ownership information for objects in the system.  So, while doing this is ok for testing purposes, you'll want to delete the objects and re-migrate them after you have LDAP set up so that you can include ownership in the final migration

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Dell. I will follow this. Is there a way to find inactive user's if they haven't logged in to the system for a while and proper way to delete old instances. To delete the instances do i have to go the history of each report and delete manually?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Can we use Live to Live update with UMT from XI 3.1 to 4.1, is it possible? I need some advise on data migration from BOE XI 3.1 to BI 4.1, I am using import wizard and selecting all users/groups and one folder at a time to export to BIAR file. Do I need to select all the users and groups each time I do a export of other folders to BIAR file? The folders are big so breaking into several BIAR files. Do each BIAR files needs to have users/groups selected?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

To get the last login for users you can use QueryBuilder in your old system.  The URL is something like http://boserver:8080/AdminTools.  You'll run a query like this;

Select SI_ID, SI_NAME, SI_LASTLOGONTIME from CI_SYSTEMOBJECTS where SI_KIND = 'User' order by SI_LASTLOGONTIME

This will give you the users who have never logged in first - there will probably be a number of "system" users that you won't be able to delete, such as Guest and QaaWSServletPrincipal.  After that you'll see the users with the oldest last login first.

As for deleting old instances, that is a manual process unless you want to write something using one of the SDKs to automate it.

-Dell

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Yes you can do live to live from 3.1 to 4.1.  I would do an "Incremental Upgrade" so that you can break the migration down into manageable parts.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks again Dell. While using Import wizard and selecting all users/groups and one folder at a time to export to BIAR file. Do I need to select all the users and groups each time I do a export for other folders to BIAR file? The folders are big so breaking into several BIAR files. Do each BIAR files needs to have users/groups selected?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Yes, in order to get ownership to come through correctly.  That's the beauty of the UMT in a live to live migration - it will automatically calculate dependencies and give you the option to bring over everything you need or decides which specific items to bring over.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Exporting all the users/groups every time with each folder can be painful. I am wondering if we move the users/groups once why do i need to move it again with other folders?

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Dell,

I am unable to login to source while using UMT. I am getting following error:

Error : Could not reach CMS 'Server name'. Specify the correct host and port and check for network issues. (FWM 20030) What could be the issue?

I telnet port 6400 and its open for Target and Source system. Please advise.

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

If you're not assigning security to specific users and just using groups for security, you can do this:

1.  Migrate users and groups.

2.  Migrate folders and groups without users.

This will ensure that the security gets migrated correctly.

-Dell

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

You could try using the fully qualified server name.  Do not include ":6400" on the name of the server.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Dell. I tried fully qualified server name as well as IP. Nothing works. What else should be done? I noticed my SIA port is not in the range of 6400 - 6404. I don't have that port open for SIA? Do i have to. Is port 8080 also required to be open?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

It's not the SIA port that you need to worry about - it's the one for the Central Management Server (CMS).

You can get to that information a couple of ways:

1.  On the server, run the Central Configuration Manager (CCM).   On the "Startup" tab you'll see what port the CMS is running on.

2.  In the Central Management Console (CMC), go to Servers and then to the properties of the Central Management Server.  You want to look for the "Name Server Port", NOT the "Request Port".

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks i just did. It's 6400 and the port is open.

Now what are my options now?

I just checked the host files entry on Source system it doesn't have the entry for Target system. Does it need one?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

I don't think so - you're running the UMT on the target server, so having a hosts file entry for the source on the target might make a difference.

At this point you're dealing with a network communication issue or a firewall issue on the source server - there's not much I can do to help you diagnose it because it's not an issue with the BO software itself.

If you have a license for CRS, you should be able to open a support ticket on support.sap.com to get assistance.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks Dell. I have the host entry for source in Target. I already checked. It. Thanks a lot for your help

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

I will let you know what was the issue with UMT. One thing, just wanted to confirm.

My LDAP in Target is configured the same way as the Source.

Just made updates to the below.  Is that OK or I don't need to change these settings at all? Please suggest

1.  In the CMC, go to Authentication and then to LDAP.

2.  Under LDAP Alias Options, set:

New Alias Options to ("Assign each added LDAP alias to an account with the same name")

Alias Update Options to ("Create new aliases when the Alias Update occurs")

New User Options to ("New users are created as concurrent users)

3.  Under Attribute Binding Options, turn on "Import Full Name, Email Address and other attributes" and Set priority 1.

4.On-Demand LDAP Update to ("Do not update LDAP user groups and aliases now)

5.  Click on Update.

Is that all correct?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Yes.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

What will happen if i don't make these updated to the Source LDAP?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

If you configure LDAP authentication but do not add the groups, the users and groups will come over cleanly from your source system.

If you configure LDAP and add the groups, you will potentially end up with duplicate users - the one that came from the authentication update and a "(copy)" that comes from the UMT.  Also, favorites, inboxes, and personal categories will throw errors in the UMT because the base folders for them already exist with different internal ID (SI_CUID) values.  None of them will import.

If you don't configure LDAP authentication at all, none of your LDAP users and groups will import.

-Dell

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks. When you say groups what groups are you referring? Is is the LDAP group? Because LDAP was configured by the admin. I just made additional updates to the options you had provided. 

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

One more thing. I just discovered, very strange. CMC login page page has a different System name eg: TEST:6400 and when i go to SIA startup tab and Local CMS Servers Name is different. eg. BITEST:6400. How is this possible? Can that be a problem. I tried with both the CMS name. none works.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

I just checked the CMC Metrics. and Machine Name and Server name are also different. I am going with the host name which i see as "TEST" . Request port in there is something different not in the range 6400 - 6404. I have firewall ports opened for only 6400 - 6004. Can that also be a problem?

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

Yes, LDAP groups on the LDAP Authentication configuration screen.  In the UMT you'll want both LDAP and Enterprise groups.

-Dell

[DellSC · Accepted solution]

From an instance of the CMC web application you can connect to any BO system on the network - it doesn't have to be the one which that web server is supposed to connect to.  Also, when you log in to the CMC a cookie is generated that contains the name of the CMS, the user ID, and the authentication type.  So, it's possible that's what you're seeing.

Also, be sure you're using the CRS 2008 version of the CMC to connect to the source system and the 2013 version of the CMC to connect to the destination system.

-Dell