Backing Up, Restoring, and Cloning the SmartServer (Release 3.4)

The CMS Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLERS tab provides the ability to view system information including internal flash memory, CPU utilization, and log sizes, as well as to perform a system, database, or settings backup / restore, and cloning (does not restore the original segment ID). It also provides the ability to enable or disable data and/or event logging.

SmartServer database and the SD Card

The SmartServer ships with an SD Card inserted into the appropriate slot on the device (as shown in the figure below). The CMS database is located on the SD Card. This SD Card must remain inserted in the SmartServer whenever power is applied to the SmartServer. 


For restore operations, you can either do a full system replacement (i.e., an identical replacement), or you can clone a device. 

The SmartServer system and database information that is backed up or stored can be used to configure another SmartServer. The following sections describe available methods to do so:

The table below summarizes the different types of backups that can be performed.


Description
Full SystemBacks up the entire SmartServer platform, including the Linux operating system SmartServer platform software, and local CMS.
Database

Backs up the databases in the local CMS and the SmartServer platform.

Settings

Backs up all of the configurations that are currently exported by the Settings button () → Export action.

Warnings

For a clone restore, use the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab → RESTORE action → Full System Restore Original Segment ID option set to No, which preserves the new SmartServer's Serial Number, Host Name, and Install Code, but changes the apollo password to the old SmartServer's password, the SID, which is defined from the source, and the MAC Addresses. In most cases, when you restore a database backup onto a new SmartServer, you will use this cloning feature. You cannot clone a target SmartServer with the same backup file more than once; however, if you re-image the SmartServer, then you can perform another clone. In addition, you cannot put two SmartServer clones on the same network. 

For a full restore (or full replacement), use the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab → RESTORE action → Full System Restore Original Segment ID option set to Yes, which overwrites the new SmartServer's Serial Number, Host Name, MAC Addresses, Install Code, SID, and apollo password. With this process, the new SmartServer has an identical image as the backed-up image.

Save the SmartServer Password from the Original SmartServer

You should save the apollo password for any backed-up SmartServer system image. If you restore a system image onto a new SmartServer, then the new SmartServer will have its password changed to the old SmartServer's password (from the backup image file).

This section consists of the following:

Modifying Logging Settings

The Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab provides the ability to enable or disable data and/or event logging.

To modify the logging settings, perform the following steps:

  1. Open the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab.

    Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button (  ). 



  2. Click the Action button () and select the Enable Data Logging action (if data logging is disabled) and/or the Enable Event Logging action (if event logging is disabled).

    Disable Data Logging and Disable Event Logging actions are enabled by default.



    Or, select the Disable Data Logging action (if data logging is enabled) and/or the Disable Event Logging action (if event logging is enabled).



Backing Up the Database and/or Settings, or System

You can back up the contents of the flash memory in your SmartServer so that you can recover from a hardware failure of your SmartServer should it occur.

To backup the system, or database and/or settings, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab.

    Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button ). 



  2. Click the Action button () and select the Backup action.



    Or, if you have multiple SmartServers and wish to backup certain ones, click the SmartServers to be backed up (a checkmark appears), and then click the Action button () and select the Backup Selected SmartServers action.

    Or, if you have multiple SmartServers and wish to backup all of them, click the Action button () and select the Backup All SmartServers action. 

    The backup view appears.



  3. Select DatabaseSettings, Database and Settings, or Full System. (Database and Settings checkboxes are enabled by default.)

  4. Click BACKUP.

    A confirmation dialog box appears if you selected Database, or Database and Settings.




    For Full System, the following message appears.



  5. Click OK to proceed with the Database, or Database and Settings backup.

    For a Full SystemDatabase, or Database and Settings backup, you will not be able to use your CMS until the backup is completed (about 30 minutes).

    For a Settings only backup, you will not be able to use your CMS for a few moments while the backup takes place.

Restoring the Database and/or Settings, or System

Restoring the Database

You can restore a database backup onto a new SmartServer in the event of a SmartServer hardware failure. To do so, you must first create a database backup as described in the Backing Up the System, or Database and/or Settings section, and then follow these steps:

  1. Remove power from the new SmartServer.

  2. Remove the SD Card from the SmartServer.

  3. Insert your SD Card with the backup image to be restored into the SmartServer.

  4. Open the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab.

    Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button (  ). 



  5. Click the Action button () and select the Restore action.



    The restore view appears, with Database selected for the Backup Contents by default.



  6. Select the database backup file to be used for the restore operation from the Restore File dropdown list.



  7. Click RESTORE to proceed with the restore operation.

    A message similar to the following appears:




  8. Click OK to proceed with the restore operation.

    You will not be able to access the CMS during the database restore operation.

Restoring the Settings

You can restore a settings backup onto a new SmartServer in the event of a SmartServer hardware failure. To do so, you must first create a settings backup as described in the Backing Up the System, or Database and/or Settings section, and then follow these steps:

  1. Remove power from the new SmartServer.

  2. Remove the SD Card from the SmartServer.

  3. Insert your SD Card with the backup image to be restored into the SmartServer.

  4. Open the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab.

    Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button (  ). 



  5. Click the Action button () and select the Restore action.



    The restore view appears.



  6. Select Settings for the Backup Contents.



  7. Select the settings backup file to be used for the restore operation from the Restore File dropdown list.



  8. Click RESTORE to proceed with the restore operation.

    You will not be able to use your CMS for a few moments while the settings restore takes place.

Restoring the System

You can restore a system backup onto a new SmartServer in the event of a SmartServer hardware failure. To do so, you must first create a system backup as described in the Backing Up the System, or Database and/or Settings section, and then follow these steps:

For a full restore (or full replacement), use the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab → RESTORE action → Full System Restore Original Segment ID option set to Yes, which overwrites the new SmartServer's Serial Number, Host Name, MAC Addresses, Install Code, SID, and apollo password. With this process, the new SmartServer has an identical image as the backed-up image.

Save the SmartServer Password from the Original SmartServer

You should save the apollo password for any backed-up SmartServer system image. If you restore a system image onto a new SmartServer, then the new SmartServer will have its password changed to the old SmartServer's password (from the backup image file).

  1. Remove power from the new SmartServer.

  2. Remove the SD Card from the SmartServer.

  3. Insert your SD Card with the backup image to be restored into the SmartServer.

  4. Open the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab.

    Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button (  ). 



  5. Click the Action button () and select the Restore action.



    The restore view appears.



  6. Select Full System for the Backup Contents. 



  7. Set the Restore Original Segment ID option to Yes. 



  8. Select the system backup file to be used for the restore operation from the Restore File dropdown list.



  9. Click RESTORE to proceed with the restore operation.

    A message similar to the following appears:




  10. Click OK to proceed with the restore operation.

    You will not be able to access the CMS during the system restore operation.

Cloning the System

You can create a clone of your SmartServer from a backup system file. Cloning can be used to replicate a reference (source) SmartServer IoT to another SmartServer IoT(s), where each cloned (target) SmartServer's configuration will be identical to the reference SmartServer. Cloned SmartServers will have the same CMS configuration, external devices, external data points, custom applications, and custom web pages as the source SmartServer IoT.

For a clone restore, use the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab → RESTORE action → Full System Restore Original Segment ID option set to No, which preserves the new SmartServer's Serial Number, Host Name, and Install Code, but changes the apollo password to the old SmartServer's password, the SID, which is defined from the source, and the MAC Addresses. In most cases, when you restore a database backup onto a new SmartServer, you will use this cloning feature. You cannot clone a target SmartServer with the same backup file more than once; however, if you re-image the SmartServer, then you can perform another clone. In addition, you cannot put two SmartServer clones on the same network. 

Save the SmartServer Password from the Original SmartServer

You should save the apollo password for any backed-up SmartServer system image. If you restore a system image onto a new SmartServer, then the new SmartServer will have its password changed to the old SmartServer's password (from the backup image file).

See Cloning and Deploying a SmartServer to Multiple Systems (Release 3.4) for more information.

Deleting Backups

You can delete backup files by performing the following steps:

  1. Open the Devices widget, SEGMENT CONTROLLER tab.

    Note: To best view all of the information on this widget, click the Expand button (  ). 



  2. Click the Action button () and select the Delete Backups action.



    The Backup Contents view appears allowing you to select the backup files to be deleted.



  3. Select the type of backup file(s) to be deleted (i.e., Database, Settings, or Full System option).

    A list of available backup files to be deleted is displayed.



  4. Select the checkmark(s) for the file(s) you want to delete or the Select All button ( ) for all files.

    The checkmark changes from blue to yellow.



  5. Click DELETE SELECTED.

    The backup files that you selected are deleted.