Moving Enterprise Vault to data center

[Fred_E_]

We have two EV servers 10.0.3 non-clustered, a SQL server and an EV reporting server.  We have partiion stores and file vaults configured to use shares on a NAS via UNC path. 

We have about 2TB of file data vaulted and less than 400GB in e-mail.  I am trying to determine with the least amount of down time, how to move these servers and their data to our new data center. 

The EV servers themselves are ESX Servers and can be moved, my problem is the data.  Keeping EV up anbd running, is there any way to start copying that data to our data center to pre-seed the data ahead of the final cut over?  I am fine if EV file vaulting of new items needs disabled, but I would like users to be able to continue to recall files if needed.

Trying to keep EV up and running for both file and e-mail archiving and retrieval with as little downtime as possible is my goal. 

Thanks,

Fred

[JesusWept3 · Accepted solution]

Well you can probably start the copying of the data now, especially for Closed Partitions, because that data isn't gonna change much, unless you use collections, in which case it can change every so often.

Then when the time comes, you just do another copy based on differentials, like with Robocopy, you can have it only copy new items or items that have changed etc so you're not copying the full dataset.

Be sure to have full and proper backups incase something doesn't get copied properly or you're missing data, you will have it on the backup

Then after the server moves, you simply need to update the PartitionEntry table with the new locations of where the data now resides.

You definitely should go in to backup mode though whilst doing this, and would also suggest that you tell people there will be down time because theres not really much choice to have zero down time and let people work as they were before, because its possible you're going to be updating DNS and all sorts of things that may take time to propogate, and trying to troubleshoot why an item won't retrieve when you have so many moving parts can be problematic

But if you have the space now, i'd start copying the old partitions across as we speak, you could even try updating the PartitionEntry afterwards and seeing if you can recall items, that when when you do move, you have very little new data to finish migrating across

[GabeV]

Hi,

There are a few things you might need to confirm before copying the data over the new storage, In a nutshell, you can perform these steps:

1. Start disabling the archiving task schedule.
2. If you allow users to archive emails manually from their mailboxes, disable it from the mailbox policy.
3. Make sure that all the queues (MSMQ) are cleared.
4. If you are using collections, you can "disable" collections setting the "Start at" and "End at" time to the same time or increasing the age at which files will be collected to 999 years.
5. Set backup mode in all Vault Stores and indexes and start copying the data to the new storage. Users will be able to retrieve any emails, recall any placeholders or perform a search but it won't make any changes to the storage and/or the SQL server databases.

This TN will help you to move the Enterprise Vault server to the new server:

How to move Enterprise Vault to a new server
http://www.symantec.com/docs/TECH55377

I hope this helps.

[Fred_E_]

OK, thank you both for your suggestions.  I like the idea of setting backup mode and continuing to allow the to recall archived files and e-mail.  We have a fairly strict quota and many users archive mail items manually to stay under the quota, they will need to simply adjust their working methods during this time.

We are going to try to keep the EXS Vmware Enterprise Vault servers in tact and will move them to the new data center via Veeam.  The only servers I see changing names will be the DB server, the UNC server name that replaces the NAS, and reporting server.

We have tasks based on not modified in 2 years that runs and archives office files, we also have a task that runs and archives e-mail older than 45 days in your mailbox.

I think I have a good starting point.

[Fred_E_]

OK, now I would like to move both EV servers and databases to the data center.  Can you confirm the following?

1. Set both the EV File Archiving and EV Exchange archiving server tasks/schedule so they do not run a colletion and archive any new e-mail or files.
2. Copy vaults for file and exchange to similar volumes at the data center.
3. Perform backup and move copies of the databases to the new SQL server at the data center.
4. Use Veeam (ESX migration utility), to migrate the two EV servers to the data center.
5. Attach the vault partiion volumes to their respective EV servers. File to file archiving EV server, Mail to Email archiving EV server.
6. Step 5 would cause EV to be differently configured, currently the vaults are connected to via UNC path on a different server, can i change these within the console failry easily?
7. Use this technote for the databases being hosted on a new SQL server: http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH35744

None of the server names would change only IP addresses, this is fine though as all parts of EV use name resolution and not IP correct?

I will look for technotes on how to perform this, but mainconcerns are copying of the data to be sent to the data center.  Files and e-mail can still be recalled during the copy but NOT archived, correct?  Changing the file vault partiions from UNC to local volumes.

Thanks for all of your help.