backup and restore PWA

[Bahram]

I've already tried many different ways to do backup/restore but I haven’t got
the result that I was looking for. Please let me know what is the best way to
do that.
Here is my situation, I have a PWA site (example: aaa/pwa) on server A and I
got a backup from CA(Backup and Restore), and now I want everything that I
have on that aaa/PWA site on different URL and different server(server
B,bbb/pwa). I have server B ready with sharepoint and MS project 2007, and I
already have the backup files from the server A on the local drive in serverB.
This is what I have tried: I created the new URL (bbb/pwa) and tried to
restore the aaa/pwa backup , and also without having bbb/pwa I tried to load
the backup from aaa/pwa to the new sharepoint & MS project. On both ways I
was not able to get everything that I have (data,links,tab) on aaa/pwa on the
new link bbb/pwa.
Please advice, and let me know what is the best way to get a backup from one
PWA site on load it in new URL.

thanks

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

My preference in this scenario would be to deploy PWA and the project
workspaces in separate site collections - and separate content databases.
When I need to restore to another environment, I backup the 4 X Project
Server databases and 1 X workspace content database (5 total) and restore to
the target environment.

Then it's a relatively simple matter of provisioning a new PWA site with the
4 X restored databases, attaching the content database, and running the Site
Relinker tool to point the PWA sites to the restored workspaces.

 

[Bahram]

Would you please be more specific. I do not understand what you mean by
backup the 4 X Project
Server databases and 1 X workspace content database (5 total). Do you have
any link that you can provide to guide us?
What method of backup do you recommend to use? Backup from CA or any other
ways.
On the new server I have new SSP and PWA (bbb/pwa) and I just wanted to have
all the information that I have on the other pwa site (like
tab,users,groups,setting,..) on the new one.
If you need more info let me know.

Thank you.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

No problem.

Here's the Technet article with plenty of content: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc952749.aspx

I'll point out that since you're restoring to a different URL, it doesn't
look like you're really making a backup, but more setting up a refreshed
environment - which is something you would do to set up (or refresh) a training
or dev environment. A full backup would probably be easiest via the Central
Admin farm backup tool - which then makes it easy to restore the farm to
the box in the event of a DR scenario. That's not the scenario I presented
in my initial response.

Project Server deploys with 4 X databases in SQL: Archive, Draft, Reporting,
Published. To recreate PWA and all of your project schedule data, all you
have to do is to provision a new PWA site in the target environment, but
point it to a copy of those databases. When you do that, PWA will appear
with all of your project data intact.

The tricky bit is the actual data stored on each of the workspaces. That
resides in the fifth database: the SharePoint content database. That also
needs to be reattached to the target farm if you want your project workspaces
and all of their documents to move with you.

When you've restored those 5 databases to your target SQL environment, you
can restore pretty much your entire farm by:

1) Provisioning a new PWA site from the 4 Project Server databases.
2) Attaching the Content DB in Central Admin.
3) Running the Site Relinker tool on your PWA site to point the projects
to the restored sites.

Note that this will restore everything but custom content/settings you may
have had in your PWA site.

From a backup perspective, you'd want to implement a tiered backup on the
server, database, farm, and project level. The scenario above is based on
rebuilding your entire farm from scratch from a database backup using SQL
tools. For more information, refer to the Technet article above.

- Andrew Lavinsky
Blog: http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/epm

 

[Uttkarsh Kalia]

Hi Bahram,

If I understand correctly you are trying to backup from one instance of
project server and want to restore the data onto a different instance.
If this is case I recon you to have look at this post which might give you
some extra.

http://wp.me/pSu2o-G

Note: This will restore everything including custom content/settings you may
have in your PWA site.

 

[Bahram]

Uttkarsh Kalia ,

That is all I wanted. I want to have all the files from a PWA site to
another one, but on different server & different URL to get access to it.
I've followed the instruction, but keep receiving
The backup/restore job failed. In order to rerun the backup/restore the
timer job must be deleted from the Timer Job Definitions page. Failure
Message: The restore job failed. For more information, see the error log that
is located in the backup directory.
I am looking at sprestore txt file (the one in backup folder), but it
doesn’t give me any detail information about why it didn’t go through.
The first PWA site and the second one have different server names and
password, do you think I need to have the same user and pass. They are
running on windows administrator account, but diffrent windows name.
Please advice.

Thanks

 

[Bahram]

Andrew,

Thanks for the information that you provided.
I am just restoring the old pwa to a new server with a new name. I am using
C A, backup and restore tool. I get backup through that menu, and I manually
copy the backup files to the new box, and trying to restore that files in a
new box with a new name from the local drive. In the backup & restore wizard
I choose New configuration. Login name by default is the old server name, but
I am not using SQL Authorization, so I am leave it blank. In the New name
section, I enter the new name that I want, and application name is PWA by
default . I Do not Create new SSP or PWA web application before this process
( I tried to create those applications before the backup wizard, that but
still same error).I leave New web application as PWA and I was hoping to get
the new URL with /pwa with all the old files.In new names I put the new
server name as the data base server name (because SQL is on the same server),
and I change the directory to the right one, and for the new data base name
section I just add _new at the end of the name. That’s it.
Is this a right way to migrate all existing PWA customization from Box (A)
to New Box (B). or no?


Thanks

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

I am not sure what else I can add to my previous post. I'm not familiar
with CA either.

Perhaps someone else on this newsgroup may be able to help you with how to
get the CA tool working?


- Andrew Lavinsky
Blog: http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/epm

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

Bahram:

The correct way to do this is, as Andrew suggested, a full farm backup. I
doubt that you can use a third-party tool to move a SharePoint farm unless
the tool was built specifically for that purpose, or you are using a full
imaging tool with a universal restore utility that can move images between
unlike hardware.

 

[Bahram]

Gary-

I am not using third-party tool. I am using Central Admin (CA), backup and
restore tool to get backup and same tool to restore the backups. I got the
backup with central admin and moved it to the new box and trying to restore
it with Central Admin.
Thanks for your reply.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

Ah. And here I was thinking CA meant some sort of third party Computer Associates
backup tool.

Main reason I see for that being an issue is some sort of mismatch in patches
from the source to target environments.

- Andrew Lavinsky
Blog: http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/epm

 

[Gary L. Chefetz]

Andrew:

Me too!

 

[Bahram]

Andrew-

What I did was I installed sharepoint and MS project 2007 from scratch on
the new machine with same SP (SP2). I didn't create new SSP or PWA web
application , and I was hoping that these will be automatically created.

I got a backup from Central admin of old server and moved the backup files
to the new server (I got the backup when the old server was not in use). From
teh new server I went to Central admin, I used restore option, and I pointed
to the backup files. I selected Farm.
On Component to Restore page, Under Component column Windows SharePoint
Services Web Application sections I chose PWA Web Application and
WSS_Content_PWA Content Database and then clicked Continue Restore Process.

I changed the data base name to the new database/windows name and I changed
the New web application URL (it was oldserver.companyname.com and I changed
it to newserver.companyname.com and I changed the New directory name to the
right one. I got the same error message :
The backup/restore job failed. In order to rerun the backup/restore the
timer job must be deleted from the Timer Job Definitions page. Failure
Message: The restore job failed. For more information, see the error log that
is located in the backup directory.
Should I create a new SSP and PWA based on tthe new name/URL that I need or
it will create the new SSP and PWA while migration.
Please let me know if I missed any step.
Thank you.

 

[Andrew Lavinsky]

I'd recommend you post this to the SharePoint newsgroup. Just don't mention
it's for Project Server or they'll bounce you back here.

- Andrew Lavinsky
Blog: http://blogs.catapultsystems.com/epm

 

[Uttkarsh Kalia]

Bahram,
The key here is to have the
- Use same UID & Password used to perform backup
- Deploy similar level of SP or CU on App & Db Server
As per my experience if these two points plays a vital role in full restore..
I recon pls try to go through the post I published before. If it doesn’t
help I will try to provide you with detail documentation of full back &
restore which I have been using for very long time & with a 100% Success rate.
Also please let me know at what level you received an error at Part-1
restore of PWA Content DB or at Part -2 restore of SharedServices & other
components.
--
Uttkarsh
EPM Solution Specialist
http://uttkarshkalia.wordpress.com

 

[Inquisit1]

Bahram,

From my experience and research, the built-in tools to backup/restore only
work if you are restoring to the exact same environment (same service packs,
patches, server name, etc). You mentioned that you are trying to restore to
a server of a different name; that is one reason your process is failing.

Since you are only wanting to migrate the PWA DB's from one server to
another, my suggestion is to use the SQL backup tools to create backups of
the DBs (Archive, Reporting, Published, and Draft), then copy over to the new
server and restore.

Here is the process I tested out, and it has worked for me: (This assumes
you are using the built-in SQL Server 2005 Express)

In this process, we are migrating DBs from server 'A' to server 'B'

Before you begin, you need to create an instance of PWA on server 'B' with
DBs named the same as server 'A'.

1. Backup server 'A' DB's using SQL Server Management Studio Express
2. Copy *.bak files to server 'B' (any location is fine)
3. Using the Central Admin, delete the pwa instance on server 'B' (keep the
SSP and associated DBs).
4. Using SQL Server Management Studio Express on server 'B', restore the
*.bak files, set the option to overwrite the existing DBs (If there is
trouble try restarting the SQL Server service)
5. Using Central Admin on server 'B', create a new pwa site using the same
names for the DBs
7. Once the site is provisioned, you should be good.

Hope this helps!

 

[Inquisit1]

When using the built-in tools, you can only restore to a server with the same
environment (same service packs, patches, server name, etc). You mentioned
that you are restoring to a server with a different name. To my knowledge
the built-in tools do not support this, and would explain why your process is
failing.

My suggestion would be to try using the SQL Server tools to perform a backup
of your DBs, then copy over to new server and restore

Here is my process that I have tested out and works for me. It assumes you
are using SQL Server 2005 Express and have SQL Server Management Studio
Express. You must also have an instance of PWA and SSP configured ahead of
time in the new environment for this to work.

Migrating DBs' from Server 'A' to server 'B'

1. Setup a PWA instance on server 'B' naming the DBs the same as in server
'A'
2. Using SQL Server Management Studio Express, create backups of your DB's
and copy the *.bak files to server 'B'
3. Now delete the pwa instance you created on server 'B' (do not delete the
DB's or SSP associated with this pwa as they will be needed to restore to)
4. Using SQL Server Management Studio Express, restore the *.bak files to
the existing DBs making sure to check the "overwrite existing databases"
option.\
5. Finally, using Central admin, recreate the pwa site giving it the same
DB names again. This should create the pwa site with the restored DBs.
6. Once the site is provisioned you should be good to go.

Hope this helps!

 

[Inquisit1]

When using the built-in tools, you can only restore to a server with the same
environment (same service packs, patches, server name, etc). You mentioned
that you are restoring to a server with a different name. To my knowledge
the built-in tools do not support this, and would explain why your process is
failing.

My suggestion would be to try using the SQL Server tools to perform a backup
of your DBs, then copy over to new server and restore

Here is my process that I have tested out and works for me. It assumes you
are using SQL Server 2005 Express and have SQL Server Management Studio
Express. You must also have an instance of PWA and SSP configured ahead of
time in the new environment for this to work.

Migrating DBs' from Server 'A' to server 'B'

1. Setup a PWA instance on server 'B' naming the DBs the same as in server
'A'
2. Using SQL Server Management Studio Express, create backups of your DB's
and copy the *.bak files to server 'B'
3. Now delete the pwa instance you created on server 'B' (do not delete the
DB's or SSP associated with this pwa as they will be needed to restore to)
4. Using SQL Server Management Studio Express, restore the *.bak files to
the existing DBs making sure to check the "overwrite existing databases"
option.\
5. Finally, using Central admin, recreate the pwa site giving it the same
DB names again. This should create the pwa site with the restored DBs.
6. Once the site is provisioned you should be good to go.

Hope this helps!

 

[Inquisit1]

oops.....sorry to post my previous reply three times....didn't see my reply
coming in so I thought I had delayed to long before submitting and
resubmitted..... Just need t