MediaBin 8.1 - Cloning windows Virtual server to another Virtual server

Hi ,

i would like to check if anyone done the following or can we do it?

if we install MediaBin in one environment lets say QA in windows virtual server.

Can we clone this instance into another environment . Lets say staging?

we may have to change few configuration changes, but just curious if we can avoid installation in all the environments.(QA,Stag/prod)

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rmedida

This can be done but lot of manual changes needed at MediaBin Server level and few changes on Windows Host level.

Shravan

Hi Ravi,

Thank you for the information. It would be great if you can list 2 or 3 manual/windows host level changes.

Reji Varghese

Cloning of a vm instance keep the same hostname/IP address as the parent machine.

So, first thing is changing the hostname/IP address before connecting it to the network.
Then comes the licesing part, Since the hostname/IP address is changed, a new license needs to be procured.
Then there are lot of configurations files related to MediaBIn (.cfg) files which will hold the old IP address. Get it updated with the new IP.

And you might be lucky starting the new instance up.

tposton

There are a number of machine specific settings that you would have to touch, including the licensing aspects that Ravi mentioned. You might find yourself spending a lot of time troubleshooting the new system due to a configuration change that was missed. From a sanity stand point you may want to simply install a fresh instance on a new server, rather than clone an existing one.

A few things that will need to be done for a self-contained system running everything would be:

You'll need a new GUID for the server ID.

Edit the SoftSoundServer.cfg

Edit the VideoLogger settings to use new softsoundserver (if installed on the same machine)

Edit MediaBin registry keys

Update the database DSN

Update the MBSettings table to reflect new server information

Edit the Web.config

Edit the MediaBin 8 client (new web client) settings.properties file

Edit Process Automation settings to reflect new server (if using Process Automation).

Ensure all service accounts are using domain accounts with appropriate Windows permissions.

Test

Migrateduser_427

Agree with Todd. Based on my experience with MediaBin, I don't recommend doing this type of migration.

This is not like doing a VM image for matching runtime or OS configurations since the core of MB looks at the host server IP.

Why you are considering going down this path? Is there a specific business case?

Doing a fresh install would allow the installers to configure everything for you thus saving many hours of configuration changes/checking and testing.

If you must do this, be very careful and validate EVERYTHING. One setting could be missed and the system may seem fine. However an issue may not surface until months down the road and thus unknowing where the issue steamed from.

Watch out for updates (assets, folders, permissions, workflows, etc.) done in one environment actually being made in the other environment and vice versa.