Migrating your FileWave Server to new Hardware

When looking at migrating your FileWave server we recommend contacting our FileWave support team for assistants with this process. If you would like to migrate your FileWave server on your own you are able to with the directions below. If you need an older install of FileWave to complete this migration please contact support.

Do not change any IP or DNS information to point to the new FileWave server you are migrating to until after the migration is complete and you have checked to make sure all information is showing correctly.

After migrating and ready to upgrade to latest version, your FileWave Server must be version 13.3.1 or higher before you can upgrade to FileWave 14.7.2 and then from 14.7.2 you can upgrade to 14.10.1. More information can be found here: https://fwkb.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DOW/pages/140574721

1. Lock Desktop Clients

It's always a good idea to lock all your Desktop clients before migrating your FileWave server. That way you can verify that the new server is running correctly and prevent issues with your macOS and Windows Clients if the migration is not successful. To Lock the clients highlight all of your Desktop devices → right click on them → select "Lock" and then perform a Model Update so that the server database is 1 model ahead of clients.

What is a Lock?

Locking a device binds that client to the current model number. Meaning that if something unexpected should happen during a migration or update, a connecting client ignores the new manifests from the server.

See: Locking Devices

2. Backup your FileWave server for the migration

The backup you create for your FileWave server is what you will use to migrate your server to your new hardware. For this, you will need to use the backup script that we provide to backup your server. This is the only way to make sure you pull all of the necessary files to your new server and will not lose any information. We offer this knowledge base article for this process and the commands you will need to run as well as a way to check the backup file.

There are a few files that we will need during the migration that are not yet included in the backup script. We will need to grab the macOS Custom Client, the Windows Custom Client, and another server configuration file. You will want to add these files to your Backup Folder. The client files listed below will exist if you added them to your server. If you don’t have one or all of these files, that is ok.

Copy macOS Custom Client to Backup Folder

cp /usr/local/filewave/fwcld/FileWaveClient.pkg /path/to/backup/

Copy Windows Custom Client to Backup Folder

cp /usr/local/filewave/fwcld/FileWaveClient.msi /path/to/backup/

Copy fwxserver.conf to Backup Folder

cp /etc/xdg/filewave/fwxserver.conf /path/to/backup/

Once you have created the backup file with the script we offer, shut down the FileWave server services so that you do not make any changes after running the backup that will be used to migrate servers. If you make changes on the old server after the backup the changes will not move over during the migration. To stop the services you can run the below commands. Do not shut off the old server completely, because this Backup file will need to be transferred in the next few steps.

Do not delete or wipe the old server yet. It is always best to keep the old server and just turn it off for a few weeks after the migration just incase you need any information from the server.

macOS / Linux

sudo fwcontrol server stop

Windows

In an Administrator Command Prompt, run the following command. You can also stop all FileWave Services using the Services tool.

fwcontrol server stop

3. Migrating your Server

Once your backup is completed it is time to start the migration process to your new FileWave server. The backup process can change depending on what server hardware you are migrating to and from so the steps are listed below for each.

If you have any questions about the process or would like assistance on this please contact our FileWave support team and they will be able to assist you with this. Also during the process, if you run into any issues or errors please contact our support team as soon as possible so they can assist you with this.

If you are wanting to Migrate to a Linux Virtual Server we offer a pre-built appliance that you are able to bring up in your Virtual Environment. You would go to FileWave Management Suite Downloads Page. Scroll to the bottom of the software downloads page and you will see the option below to download a Virtual Server appliance.

When you are migrating your FileWave server you need to migrate the server to the same version of FileWave that you are currently running. For example if you are running FileWave 12.1 you must migrate to a FileWave 12.1 server. If you try to migrate from a FileWave 12.1 server to FileWave 12.3 the migration will fail.

3.1 macOS or Linux server → macOS Server

Install the same FileWave server version that you are currently running on to your new Server.
1. On your macOS server go to the FileWave website → Support → Software Downloads → FileWave Management Suite → select "Release notes and Download". (You will select the same release that you are running on your current server. For the screenshots I am migrating to a FileWave 14.7.2 server)
  FileWave Management Suite Downloads Page
2. You will then scroll down on the page until you see "macOS Installers" and select it. This will download the FileWave Installers for the version of FileWave you are migrating to in a .dmg file.
3. Next you will find the FileWave dmg file that was downloaded in step "b" and double-click on the file to open it.
4. You will be presented with a similar window on the server and will be looking for the "FileWave Server.pkg" in the top right above "Server Installer"
5. To run the install you just need to double click on the "FileWave Server.pkg" and go through the steps as prompted on the machine.
6. The installer can take a few mins to run but when it is finished you will be presented with the window below and you are finished with upgrading the server.
7. The server is now installed and you can continue with the migration.
Once the server is installed you will open Terminal and Stop the FileWave server services that are running on the new server.

sudo fwcontrol server stop
Next, move the FileWave backup that you created previously on your old server to the new server. You are able to do this however you would like. Two ways that are most common is by moving the backup to a network share or using scp command on the server. You will need to move all of the files created in the "fw-backups" folder including the zipped folder, Data Folder, media, and IPA folder. We would suggest moving it to the /tmp directory of your FileWave server.

All command examples will be shown as if the backup is in the /tmp directory
Once the backup is moved to the new server the next step is to unzip the Zip folder that is inside of the "fw-backups" folder. This zip file contains the configuration and Database files that you will be using for the migration. Screenshots below show the files that will be in your backup.
The next step is to start moving files from your backup to locations on your new FileWave server. You will need to replace the files already in the location. For the commands below we will move the file that is at the location of the new server so that you are available to replace it from your backup. For the commands below the backup is located in the "/tmp" directory of the new server. The commands will be slightly different on your server depending on your file path and name of the backup folder since it is named by default with the day and time the backup was taken.
1. Open Terminal on your server and type the below command to receive root access
  
  sudo -s
2. Certs folder of your backup to /usr/local/filewave/certs/
  1. Move the "certs" folder from the new server
    
    mv /usr/local/filewave/certs /usr/local/filewave/certs.bak
  2. Copy the "certs" folder from your backup
    
    cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/certs /usr/local/filewave/
3. Media folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/
  1. Move the "media" folder from the new server
    
    mv /usr/local/filewave/media /usr/local/filewave/media.bak
  2. Copy the "media" folder from your backup
    
    cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/media /usr/local/filewave/
4. ipa folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/ipa/
  1. Move the "ipa" folder from the new server
    
    mv /usr/local/filewave/ipa /usr/local/filewave/ipa.bak
  2. Copy the "ipa" folder from your backup
    
    cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/ipa /usr/local/filewave/
5. Data Folder from backup to /fwxserver/Data Folder/
  1. Move the "Data Folder" folder from the new server
    
    FileWave server 13.1.3 and lower:
    mv /fwxserver/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/Data\ Folder.bak
    
    FileWave server 13.1.5 and above:
    mv /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/Data\ Folder /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/Data\ Folder.bak
  2. Copy the "Data Folder" folder from your backup
    
    FileWave server 13.1.3 and below:
    cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/
    
    FileWave server 13.1.5 and above:
    cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/Data\ Folder /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/
6. Move the below two files to /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  1. httpd_custom.conf
    1. Move the "httpd_custom.conf" file from the new server
      
      mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "httpd_custom.conf" file from your backup
      
      cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  2. mdm_auth.conf
    1. Move the "mdm_auth.conf" file from the new server
      
      mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "mdm_auth.conf" file from your backup
      
      cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
7. Move the passwd files from the backup to the new server
  1. 1. Move the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.bak
        
        mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest.bak
    2. Copy the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
        
        cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
Next step is to run the below commands on your new server's database.
1. Open terminal and give yourself root access for the next commands. After entering the command you will need to type in the admin credentials for the new server.
  
  sudo -s
2. First, you need to start the postgres process on your new FileWave server. You can do so with the below command.
  
  FileWave server 13.1.3 and below:
  sudo -u postgres /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/pg_ctl start -w -D /fwxserver/DB/pg_data -m fast
  
  FileWave server 13.1.5 and above:
  sudo -u postgres /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/pg_ctl start -w -D /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/DB/pg_data -m fast
3. Once postgres has been started you will now need to access the Database on the server using the below command.
  1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql postgres postgres
4. Then you will need to drop the MDM table of the database
  1. drop database mdm;
5. Create a table you are then able to restore your mdm-dump.sql file to
  1. create database mdm OWNER postgres ENCODING 'UTF8' TEMPLATE template0;
6. Quit out of the Database with the below command
  1. \q
Now you need to run the restore on the mdm-dump.sql file on your new server. You can do so with the below command. For my command the "mdm-dump.sql" file is located in the "/tmp" directory but the command you run will match the location of your backup. This command can take a little while to run. If you see any errors at the end of the output there is most likely an issue with the migration and please contact our FileWave support team for assistants.
1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql -U postgres mdm < /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/DB/mdm-dump.sql
Once the command finishes we will now need to start running the migration for the Database manually. First migration you will run with the below command.
1. /usr/local/filewave/python/bin/python /usr/local/filewave/django/manage.pyc migrate --no-input --fake-initial
Then we will need to do a server migration which can be done with the command below.
1. /usr/local/sbin/fwxserver -M
Run the script attached below with sudo to fix the server's folder permissions and ownerships.

If you are on an older version of FileWave use one of these instead ->
1. You will need to give the script 755 permissions first. You will run the command to the path to the script. For the example it is in the /tmp folder.
  1. chmod 755 /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
2. Then you will need to run the script.
  1. /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
After this command finishes you are almost done with migrating the information for the server. Next step is to restart the FileWave services to start checking if the migration has completed successfully. This can be done with the below commands to stop and start the services.
1. Stop the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server stop
2. Start the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server start
With the FileWave server services started you are now done with migrating the Data on the FileWave server and Move on to Checking the migration in the FileWave Admin. Do not change your IP or DNS to match that of the old server yet. This will be one of the last things you do so you can make sure everything is correct before having your devices connect to the new server.

3.2 macOS or Linux server → Linux Server

If you are using the Virtual Appliance that we offer for Linux you will not need to install the server as it comes pre-installed. Just remember to download and run the Virtual Appliance that matches your current version of FileWave. If you get the Appliance from the Version 12.3 downloads page but you are running 12.1 for example you will need to uninstall the FileWave server first so you can install the correct version as you have to migrate to the same release you are running on your old server. As long as you are running the same version as your old server you can skip to step 9.

On your workstation go to the FileWave website → Support → Software Downloads → FileWave Management Suite → select "Release notes and Download". (You will select the same release that you are running on your current server. For the screen shots I am migrating to a FileWave 12.3 server) FileWave Management Suite Downloads Page
You will then scroll down on the page until you see "Linux Installers". You do not need to select this as you will not be running them on your machine but it will show you the commands that you can use on your new Linux server.
Next step would be to connect to your FileWave Linux server. For this there are a few options you are able to use depending on if you are running a macOS or Windows computer as your workstation. Two options you are able to do is to use ssh to the server using terminal on macOS or use "putty" on a windows machine.
This step is optional but, is something that will help with organization of your installers on your server. I will make a directory for the FileWave Installers and a folder for the version I am upgrading to. If you do not want to do this you can skip to step 5.
1. Move to the "/" level
  1. cd /
2. Make a Directory named "FileWaveInstallers"
  1. mkdir FileWaveInstallers
3. Go in to the "FileWaveInstallers" directory.
  1. cd /FileWaveInstallers
4. Make a folder for the version you are upgrading to, I will be using "v12.3"
  1. mkdir v12.3
5. Go in to the folder you created in step d. For me that is "v12.3"
  1. cd v12.3
We will now start to download the installers needed for upgrading the FileWave server. For this we offer the command to grab the installers for the version of FileWave you are installing on your new server. You are able to copy and paste in to your terminal window connected to the server. This command is found on the software downloads page and was shown in step 2 and I highlighted below.
Once the installers are downloaded they will be zipped so you will need to run the unzip command. This command is found on the software downloads page and was shown in step 2 and I highlighted below.
Once the installers are unzipped you will need to run the command to upgrade the server found on the software downloads page. This command is found on the software downloads page and was shown in step 2 and I highlighted below.
Once you have run the command on your server it can take a little while to finish and you will be presented with a similar message as below. In the example I installed FileWave 12.3 but your messages would match the version of FileWave you are installing.
Once the server is installed you will Stop the FileWave server services that are running on the new server.

sudo fwcontrol server stop
Next step is to Move the FileWave backup that you created previously on your old server to the new server. You are able to do this how ever you would like. Two ways that are most common is by moving the backup to a network share or using scp command on the server. You will need to move all of the files created in the "fw-backups" folder including the zipped folder, Data Folder, and ipa folder. We would suggest moving it to the /tmp directory of your FileWave server. For all example commands we will show from that directory.
Once the backup is moved to the new server the next step is to unzip the Zip folder that is inside of the "fw-backups" folder. This zip file contains the configuration and Database files that you will be using for the migration.
1. Move to the location of the backup file. My backup is in the /tmp/ directory of the server.
  1. cd /tmp/FileWaveBackup/fw-backups/
2. Then unzip the zip file. The file will be named based on the date it was made.
  1. unzip fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34.zip
The next step is to start moving files from your backup to locations on your new FileWave server. You will need to replace the files already in the location. For the commands below we will move the file that is at the location of the new server so that you are available to replace it easily with your backup. For the commands below the backup is located in the "/tmp" directory of the new server. The commands will be slightly different on your server depending on your file path and name of the backup folder since it is named by default with the day and time the backup was taken.
1. Run the below command on your server to receive root access
  1. sudo -s
2. Certs folder of your backup to /usr/local/filewave/certs/
  1. Move the "certs" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/certs /usr/local/filewave/certs.bak
  2. Copy the "certs" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/certs /usr/local/filewave/
3. Media folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/
  1. Move the "media" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/media /usr/local/filewave/media.bak
  2. Copy the "media" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/media /usr/local/filewave/
4. ipa folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/ipa/
  1. Move the "ipa" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/ipa /usr/local/filewave/ipa.bak
  2. Copy the "ipa" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/ipa /usr/local/filewave/
5. Data Folder from backup to /fwxserver/Data Folder/
  1. Move the "Data Folder" folder from the new server
    1. FileWave server 13.1.3 and below:
      mv /fwxserver/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/Data\ Folder.bak
      
      FileWave server 13.1.5 and above:
      mv /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/Data\ Folder /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/Data\ Folder.bak
  2. Copy the "Data Folder" folder from your backup
    1. FileWave server 13.1.3 and below:
      cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/
      
      FileWave server 13.1.5 and above:
      cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/Data\ Folder /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/
6. Move the below two files to /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  1. httpd_custom.conf
    1. Move the "httpd_custom.conf" file from the new server
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "httpd_custom.conf" file from your backup
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  2. mdm_auth.conf
    1. Move the "mdm_auth.conf" file from the new server
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "mdm_auth.conf" file from your backup
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
7. Move the passwd files from the backup to the new server
  1. 1. Move the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.bak
        
        mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest.bak
    2. Copy the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
        
        cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
Next step is to run the below commands on your new server's database.
1. Open terminal and give yourself root access for the next commands. After entering the command you will need to type in the admin credentials for the new server.
  1. sudo -s
2. First you need to start the postgres process on your new FileWave server. You can do so with the below command.
  1. FileWave server 13.1.3 and below:
    sudo -u postgres /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/pg_ctl start -w -D /fwxserver/DB/pg_data -m fast
    
    FileWave server 13.1.5 and above:
    sudo -u postgres /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/pg_ctl start -w -D /usr/local/filewave/fwxserver/DB/pg_data -m fast
3. Once postgres has been started you will now need to access the Database on the server using the below command.
  1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql postgres postgres
4. Then you will need to drop the MDM table of the database
  1. drop database mdm;
5. Create a table you are then able to restore your mdm-dump.sql file to
  1. create database mdm OWNER postgres ENCODING 'UTF8' TEMPLATE template0;
6. Quit out of the Database with the below command
  1. \q
Now you need to run the restore on the mdm-dump.sql file on your new server. You can do so with the below command. For my command the "mdm-dump.sql" file is located in the "/tmp" directory but the command you run will match the location of your backup. This command can take a little while to run. If you see any errors at the end of the output there is most likely an issue with the migration and please contact our FileWave support team for assistants.
1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql -U postgres mdm < /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/DB/mdm-dump.sql
Once the command finishes we will now need to start running the migration for the Database manually. First migration you will run with the below command.
1. /usr/local/filewave/python/bin/python /usr/local/filewave/django/manage.pyc migrate --no-input --fake-initial
Then we will need to do a server migration which can be done with the command below.
1. /usr/local/sbin/fwxserver -M
Run the script attached below with sudo to fix the server's folder permissions and ownerships.

If you are on an older version of FileWave use one of these instead ->
1. You will need to give the script 755 permissions first. You will run the command to the path to the script. For the example it is in the /tmp folder.
  1. chmod 755 /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
2. Now you will need to run the script.
  1. /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
After this command finishes you are almost done with migrating the information for the server. Next step is to restart the FileWave services to start checking if the migration has completed successfully. This can be done with the below commands to stop and start the services.
1. Stop the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server stop
2. Start the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server start
With the FileWave server services started you are now done with migrating the Data on the FileWave server and Move on to Checking the migration in the FileWave Admin. Do not change your IP or DNS to match that of the old server yet. This will be one of the last things you do so you can make sure everything is correct before having your devices connect to the new server.

3.3 Windows Server → macOS

Install the same FileWave server version that you are currently running on to your new Server.
1. On your macOS server go to the FileWave website → Support → Software Downloads → FileWave Management Suite → select "Release notes and Download". (You will select the same release that you are running on your current server. For the screen shots I am migrating to a FileWave 12.3 server) FileWave Management Suite Downloads Page
2. You will then scroll down on the page until you see "macOS Installers" and select it. This will download the FileWave Installers for the version of FileWave you are migrating to in a .dmg file.
3. Next you will find the FileWave dmg file that was downloaded in step "b" and double click on the file to open it.
4. You will be presented with a similar window on the server and will be looking for the "FileWave Server.pkg" in the top right above "Server Installer"
5. To run the install you just need to double click on the "FileWave Server.pkg" and go through the steps as prompted on the machine.
6. The installer can take a few mins to run but when it is finished you will be presented with the window below and you are finished with upgrading the server.
7. The server is now installed and you can continue with the migration.
Once the server is installed you will open Terminal and Stop the FileWave server services that are running on the new server.

sudo fwcontrol server stop
Next step is to Move the FileWave backup that you created previously on your old server to the new server. You are able to do this how ever you would like. Two ways that are most common is by moving the backup to a network share or using scp command on the server. You will need to move all of the files created in the "fw-backups" folder including the zipped folder, Data Folder, and ipa folder. We would suggest moving it to the /tmp directory of your FileWave server. For all example commands we will show from that directory.
Once the backup is moved to the new server the next step is to unzip the Zip folder that is inside of the "fw-backups" folder. This zip file contains the configuration and Database files that you will be using for the migration. Screenshots below show the files that will be in your backup.
The next step is to start moving files from your backup to locations on your new FileWave server. You will need to replace the files already in the location. For the commands below we will move the file that is at the location of the new server so that you are available to replace it from your backup. For the commands below the backup is located in the "/tmp" directory of the new server. The commands will be slightly different on your server depending on your file path and name of the backup folder since it is named by default with the day and time the backup was taken.
1. Open Terminal on your server and type the below command to receive root access
  1. sudo -s
2. Certs folder of your backup to /usr/local/filewave/certs/
  1. Move the "certs" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/certs /usr/local/filewave/certs.bak
  2. Copy the "certs" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/certs /usr/local/filewave/
3. Media folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/
  1. Move the "media" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/media /usr/local/filewave/media.bak
  2. Copy the "media" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/media /usr/local/filewave/
4. ipa folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/ipa/
  1. Move the "ipa" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/ipa /usr/local/filewave/ipa.bak
  2. Copy the "ipa" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/ipa /usr/local/filewave/
5. Data Folder from backup to /fwxserver/Data Folder/
  1. Move the "Data Folder" folder from the new server
    1. mv /fwxserver/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/Data\ Folder.bak
  2. Copy the "Data Folder" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/
6. Move the below two files to /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  1. httpd_custom.conf
    1. Move the "httpd_custom.conf" file from the new server
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "httpd_custom.conf" file from your backup
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  2. mdm_auth.conf
    1. Move the "mdm_auth.conf" file from the new server
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "mdm_auth.conf" file from your backup
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
Move the passwd files from the backup to the new server
1. 1. 1. Move the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.bak
        
        mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest.bak
    2. Copy the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
        
        cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
Next step is to run the below commands on your new servers database.
1. Open terminal and give yourself root access for the next commands. After entering the command you will need to type in the admin credentials for the new server.
  1. sudo -s
2. First you need to start the postgres process on your new FileWave server. You can do so with the below command.
  1. sudo -u postgres /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/pg_ctl start -w -D /fwxserver/DB/pg_data -m fast
3. Once postgres has been started you will now need to access the Database on the server using the below command.
  1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql postgres postgres
4. Then you will need to drop the MDM table of the database
  1. drop database mdm;
5. Create a table you are then able to restore your mdm-dump.sql file to
  1. create database mdm OWNER postgres ENCODING 'UTF8'TEMPLATE template0;
6. Quit out of the Database with the below command
  1. \q
Run the following command to import your old database. Since you are coming from a Windows server you will need to modify the Administrator user for the Database. The below command will be able to modify the backup file mdm-dump.sql. For the example my file is in /tmp directory but the path would match the location of your backup.
1. vi /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/DB/mdm-dump.sql
Go to the end of the file and change where it says the user is "Administrator" and change it to "postgres". Change it to look like the below text.

REVOKE ALL ON SCHEMA public FROM PUBLIC;
REVOKE ALL ON SCHEMA public FROM postgres;
GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO postgres;
GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO PUBLIC;
Save the dump by hitting: esc then ":wq"
Now you need to run the restore on the mdm-dump.sql file on your new server. You can do so with the below command. For my command the "mdm-dump.sql" file is located in the "/tmp" directory but the command you run will match the location of your backup. This command can take a little while to run. If you see any errors at the end of the output there is most likely an issue with the migration and please contact our FileWave support team for assistants.
1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql-U postgres mdm < /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/DB/mdm-dump.sql
Once the command finishes we will now need to start running the migration for the Database manually. First migration you will run with the below command.
1. /usr/local/filewave/python/bin/python/usr/local/filewave/django/manage.pyc migrate --no-input --fake-initial
Then we will need to do a server migration which can be done with the command below.
1. /usr/local/sbin/fwxserver -M
Run the script attached below with sudo to fix the server's folder permissions and ownerships.

If you are on an older version of FileWave use one of these instead ->
1. You will need to give the script 755 permissions first. You will run the command to the path to the script. For the example it is in the /tmp folder.
  1. chmod 755 /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
2. Then you will need to run the script.
  1. /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
After this command finishes you are almost done with migrating the information for the server. Next step is to restart the FileWave services to start checking if the migration has completed successfully. This can be done with the below commands to stop and start the services.
1. Stop the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server stop
2. Start the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server start
With the FileWave server services started you are now done with migrating the Data on the FileWave server and Move on to Checking the migration in the FileWave Admin. Do not change your IP or DNS to match that of the old server yet. This will be one of the last things you do so you can make sure everything is correct before having your devices connect to the new server.

3.4 Windows Server → Linux

If you are using the Virtual Appliance that we offer for Linux you will not need to install the server as it comes pre-installed. Just remember to download and run the Virtual Appliance that matches your current version of FileWave. If you get the Appliance from the Version 12.3 downloads page but you are running 12.1 for example you will need to uninstall the FileWave server first so you can install the correct version as you have to migrate to the same release you are running on your old server. As long as you are running the same version as your old server you can skip to step 9.

On your workstation go to the FileWave website → Support → Software Downloads → FileWave Management Suite → select "Release notes and Download". (You will select the same release that you are running on your current server. For the screen shots I am migrating to a FileWave 12.3 server) FileWave Management Suite Downloads Page
You will then scroll down on the page until you see "Linux Installers". You do not need to select this as you will not be running them on your machine but it will show you the commands that you can use on your new Linux server.
Next step would be to connect to your FileWave Linux server. For this there are a few options you are able to use depending on if you are running a macOS or Windows computer as your workstation. Two options you are able to do is to use ssh to the server using terminal on macOS or use "putty" on a windows machine.
This step is optional but, is something that will help with organization of your installers on your server. I will make a directory for the FileWave Installers and a folder for the version I am upgrading to. If you do not want to do this you can skip to step 5.
1. Move to the "/" level
  1. cd /
2. Make a Directory named "FileWaveInstallers"
  1. mkdir FileWaveInstallers
3. Go in to the "FileWaveInstallers" directory.
  1. cd /FileWaveInstallers
4. Make a folder for the version you are upgrading to, I will be using "v12.3"
  1. mkdir v12.3
5. Go in to the folder you created in step d. For me that is "v12.3"
  1. cd v12.3
We will now start to download the installers needed for upgrading the FileWave server. For this we offer the command to grab the installers for the version of FileWave you are installing on your new server. You are able to copy and paste in to your terminal window connected to the server. This command is found on the software downloads page and was shown in step 2 and I highlighted below.
Once the installers are downloaded they will be zipped so you will need to run the unzip command. This command is found on the software downloads page and was shown in step 2 and I highlighted below.
Once the installers are unzipped you will need to run the command to upgrade the server found on the software downloads page. This command is found on the software downloads page and was shown in step 2 and I highlighted below.
Once you have run the command on your server it can take a little while to finish and you will be presented with a similar message as below. In the example I installed FileWave 12.3 but your messages would match the version of FileWave you are installing.
Once the server is installed you will Stop the FileWave server services that are running on the new server.

sudo fwcontrol server stop
Next step is to Move the FileWave backup that you created previously on your old server to the new server. You are able to do this how ever you would like. Two ways that are most common is by moving the backup to a network share or using scp command on the server. You will need to move all of the files created in the "fw-backups" folder including the zipped folder, Data Folder, and ipa folder. We would suggest moving it to the /tmp directory of your FileWave server. For all example commands we will show from that directory.
Once the backup is moved to the new server the next step is to unzip the Zip folder that is inside of the "fw-backups" folder. This zip file contains the configuration and Database files that you will be using for the migration.
1. Move to the location of the backup file. My backup is in the /tmp/ directory of the server.
  1. cd /tmp/FileWaveBackup/fw-backups/
2. Then unzip the zip file. The file will be named based on the date it was made.
  1. unzip fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34.zip
The next step is to start moving files from your backup to locations on your new FileWave server. You will need to replace the files already in the location. For the commands below we will move the file that is at the location of the new server so that you are available to replace it from your backup. For the commands below the backup is located in the "/tmp" directory of the new server. The commands will be slightly different on your server depending on your file path and name of the backup folder since it is named by default with the day and time the backup was taken.
1. Run the below command on your server to receive root access
  1. sudo -s
2. Certs folder of your backup to /usr/local/filewave/certs/
  1. Move the "certs" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/certs /usr/local/filewave/certs.bak
  2. Copy the "certs" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/certs /usr/local/filewave/
3. Media folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/
  1. Move the "media" folder from the new server
    1. mv/usr/local/filewave/media /usr/local/filewave/media.bak
  2. Copy the "media" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/media /usr/local/filewave/
4. ipa folder from backup to /usr/local/filewave/ipa/
  1. Move the "ipa" folder from the new server
    1. mv /usr/local/filewave/ipa /usr/local/filewave/ipa.bak
  2. Copy the "ipa" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/ipa /usr/local/filewave/
5. Data Folder from backup to /fwxserver/Data Folder/
  1. Move the "Data Folder" folder from the new server
    1. mv /fwxserver/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/Data\ Folder.bak
  2. Copy the "Data Folder" folder from your backup
    1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/Data\ Folder /fwxserver/
6. Move the below two files to /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  1. httpd_custom.conf
    1. Move the "httpd_custom.conf" file from the new server
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/httpd_custom.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "httpd_custom.conf" file from your backup
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/httpd_custom.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
  2. mdm_auth.conf
    1. Move the "mdm_auth.conf" file from the new server
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/mdm_auth.conf.bak
    2. Copy the "mdm_auth.conf" file from your backup
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/mdm_auth.conf /usr/local/filewave/apache/conf/
7. Move the passwd files from the backup to the new server
  1. 1. Move the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.bak
        
        mv /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/passwords.digest.bak
    2. Copy the "passwords" and "passwords.digest" file from the new server. (You may not have a passwords.digest file. If so you can skip without any issues)
      1. cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
        
        cp -r /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/passwd/passwords.digest /usr/local/filewave/apache/passwd/
Next step is to run the below commands on your new servers database.
1. Open terminal and give yourself root access for the next commands. After entering the command you will need to type in the admin credentials for the new server.
  1. sudo -s
2. First you need to start the postgres process on your new FileWave server. You can do so with the below command.
  1. sudo -u postgres /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/pg_ctl start -w -D /fwxserver/DB/pg_data -m fast
3. Once postgres has been started you will now need to access the Database on the server using the below command.
  1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql postgres postgres
4. Then you will need to drop the MDM table of the database
  1. drop database mdm;
5. Create a table you are then able to restore your mdm-dump.sql file to
  1. create database mdm OWNER postgres ENCODING 'UTF8'TEMPLATE template0;
6. Quit out of the Database with the below command
  1. \q
Run the following command to import your old database. Since you are coming from a Windows server you will need to modify the Administrator user for the Database. The below command will be able to modify the backup file mdm-dump.sql. For the example my file is in /tmp directory but the path would match the location of your backup.
1. vi /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/DB/mdm-dump.sql
  l
Go to the end of the file and change where it says the user is "Administrator" and change it to "postgres". Change it to look like the below text.

REVOKE ALL ON SCHEMA public FROM PUBLIC;
REVOKE ALL ON SCHEMA public FROM postgres;
GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO postgres;
GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO PUBLIC;
Save the dump by hitting: esc then ":wq"
Now you need to run the restore on the mdm-dump.sql file on your new server. You can do so with the below command. For my command the "mdm-dump.sql" file is located in the "/tmp" directory but the command you run will match the location of your backup. This command can take a little while to run. If you see any errors at the end of the output there is most likely an issue with the migration and please contact our FileWave support team for assistants.
1. /usr/local/filewave/postgresql/bin/psql -U postgres mdm < /tmp/fw-backups/fwxserver-Config-DB-Jan-12-18--10-34/DB/mdm-dump.sql
Once the command finishes we will now need to start running the migration for the Database manually. First migration you will run with the below command.
1. /usr/local/filewave/python/bin/python /usr/local/filewave/django/manage.pyc migrate --no-input --fake-initial
Then we will need to do a server migration which can be done with the command below.
1. /usr/local/sbin/fwxserver -M
Run the script attached below with sudo to fix the server's folder permissions and ownerships.

If you are on an older version of FileWave use one of these instead ->
1. You will need to give the script 755 permissions first. You will run the command to the path to the script. For the example it is in the /tmp folder.
  1. chmod 755 /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
2. Now you will need to run the script.
  1. /tmp/fixfwxserverPermissions14fwxserver.sh
After this command finishes you are almost done with migrating the information for the server. Next step is to restart the FileWave services to start checking if the migration has completed successfully. This can be done with the below commands to stop and start the services.
1. Stop the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server stop
2. Start the FileWave services
  1. sudo fwcontrol server start
With the FileWave server services started you are now done with migrating the Data on the FileWave server and Move on to Checking the migration in the FileWave Admin. Do not change your IP or DNS to match that of the old server yet. This will be one of the last things you do so you can make sure everything is correct before having your devices connect to the new server.

3.5 Windows Server → Windows Server

Windows Server is no longer supported but please contact support and we will help you migrate to Linux.

4. Launch the FileWave Admin to confirm the Migration

The next step once the migration is complete is to Launch the FileWave Admin application to connect to the newly migrated server. After a migration you always want to connect to the server and verify everything is running and working correctly before you make any changes to the IP or DNS address. If you change the IP address or DNS reservation first before confirming the migration was successful you run the chance of your devices losing Filesets and un-enrolling themselves. This will allow you to spot any issues quickly and if necessary contact our FileWave Support Team for assistants.

It may be necessary for the new FileWave server to be patched during this process. In this instance, the new server will require external network access to FileWave and yum repos during the migration process.

Do not hesitate to contact our Support Team quickly if you think there may be an issue so that we can help get you back up and running quickly.

Log in to the FileWave admin to your new server. You will need to enter the IP address of the new server as you have not changed any of the DNS or IP information yet.
Once you are logged in you will need to temporarily change the address listed in the mobile tab of the FileWave admin. To do so go to FileWave Admin → Preferences → "Mobile" tab → Type the new server address in for your FileWave server for "Server Address". The light will turn green and select "OK" to close Preferences.
First thing to check in the FileWave admin is the warning light in the bottom left hand corner. You are looking for it to say "Everything is OK" as shown below. If you have any warning or errors this may be an issue with the migration but is not necessarily depending on what is giving the error. If you see the light as yellow or red please select the message to view the error. I posted the messages and severity below.
1. APN, If you are using iOS and this is anything but green please contact our Support Team
2. Inventory, if this is anything other then green contact our Support Team
3. GCM, if you are using Android or Chromebooks and this is not green contact our Support Team
4. DEP, if this is yellow or red please open FileWave Admin → Preferences → VPP & DEP tab → OK, to close preferences. If it is still giving an error contact our Support Team.
5. Engage, if you are using Engage and this is anything other then green contact our Support Team
Second thing to check is to make sure Filesets are showing. The easiest way to do this is to select the Filesets tab of FileWave admin and make sure you see your Filesets and structure. If you are having issues contact our Support Team.
If you have iOS devices, Select "iOS Inventory" to make sure you see rows of iOS device information. Also select "Refresh" from the top menu to make sure this information refreshes. The devices will not check in yet since the IP/DNS information has not been changed but you should see rows of information. If you receive any errors or information is not showing please contact our Support team.
Go to the Clients tab of the FileWave Admin and make sure you see your correct group structure and your Clients showing. If you do not please contact our Support team. Remember your FileWave Clients will not check in yet since the IP/DNS information has not been changed on the new server

As long as everything is green and showing correctly you are now ready to move on to changing the IP and DNS information so your devices will see the new server.

5. Changing the IP or DNS information to match that of the old FileWave server

Now you are able to change the IP or DNS information on the new server to match that of the old FileWave server. You are able to change your IP address on the new server so that it matches the old server or Change your DNS record for your FileWave server to point to your new server's IP address. If your old server was only using IP and not a DNS name you will need to make sure the IP does not change.

5.1 Changing the IP address

5.1.1 macOS Server

Turn off the old server so that it is no longer using the IP address.
Change the Network Configuration of your new server in System Preferences → Network

5.1.2 Windows Server

Turn off the old server so that it is no longer using the IP address.
Change the Network Configuration of your new server in Start → Control Panel → Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center → Local Area Connection Status → Properties → Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → Properties → select "Use the Following IP address" → Enter the correct information you are wanting to set → OK.

5.1.3 Linux Server

Depending if you are using the appliance we offer for a Linux virtual server or a Linux machine you built the steps may be slightly different. The steps shown below will be for the FileWave virtual appliance that we offer.

Turn off the old server so that it is no longer using the IP address.
Configure the "ifcfg-ens160" file on the server. (This file will be different if you are not using our Virtual Appliance and will have a different name like "ifcfg-eth1" for example)

vi /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ens160
Change/add the following values of the file.
1. Change BOOTPROTO=none
2. Add "IPADDR", "NETMASK", "GATEWAY", "DNS1" to the file with your network configurations. I attached a screen shot of a completed file below. (If you want to add more then one DNS server you can add DNS2, etc to the file)
3. Save the file using "esc" then ":wq"
Now you will need to restart the network services on the server.

/etc/init.d/network restart
Now the IP address is changed for the new server.

5.2 Changing the DNS record

For changing the DNS record to the new FileWave server you would change the DNS entry in your DNS servers and allow the new entry to propagate out to your computers.

6 Checking your FileWave server after the IP address/DNS entry is changed

Steps will be similar to what you checked previously but now you will point the Admin to the DNS address and make sure you devices are checking in. Do not hesitate to contact our Support Team quickly if you think there may be an issue so that we can help get you back up and running quickly.

Log in to the FileWave admin to your new server with the DNS address.
Once you are logged in you will need to change the address listed in the mobile tab of the FileWave admin back to the DNS address. To do so go to FileWave Admin → Preferences → "Mobile" tab → Type the DNS address in for your FileWave server for "Server Address". The light will turn green and select "OK" to close Preferences.
First thing to check in the FileWave admin is the warning light in the bottom left hand corner. You are looking for it to say "Everything is OK" as shown below. If you have any warning or errors this may be an issue with the migration but is not necessarily depending on what is giving the error. If you see the light as yellow or red please select the message to view the error. I posted the messages and severity below.
1. APN, If you are using iOS and this is anything but green please contact our Support team
2. Inventory, if this is anything other then green contact our Support team
3. GCM, if you are using Android or Chromebooks and this is not green contact our Support team
4. DEP, if this is yellow or red please open FileWave Admin → Preferences → VPP & DEP tab → OK, to close preferences. If it is still giving an error contact our Support team.
5. Engage, if you are using Engage and this is anything other then green contact our Support team
Second thing to check is to make sure Filesets are showing. The easiest way to do this is to select the Filesets tab of FileWave admin and make sure you see your Filesets and structure. If you are having issues contact our support team.
If you have iOS devices, Select "iOS Inventory" to make sure you see rows of iOS device information. Also select "Refresh" from the top menu to make sure this information refreshes. While in this tab as well please select an iOS device you know is on to make sure it is checking in. If you receive any errors or information is not showing please contact our Support team.
Go to the Clients tab of the FileWave Admin and make sure you see your correct group structure and your Clients showing. If you do not please contact our Support team. Remember your FileWave Clients (macOS and Windows should still be locked so they will not be getting any changes yet)
Update the Model, If this fails please contact our Support team
Go back to the FileWave client tab and unlock one or two clients that you know are on to make sure they are checking in correctly. We suggest checking a couple machines first before unlocking all of your clients.
After you make sure the couple of test devices you unlocked first are working correctly you can select all of your devices and unlock them.
You are now done checking the Server after the migration. If you have any issues do not hesitate to contact our FileWave support team as soon as possible so that we are able to assist you.

Knowledge Base

Note: You should update any bookmarks to point to https://kb.filewave.com We will be working on links from FW Central/Anywhere that still come to this Atlassian site over the next couple of releases and then phasing out this site entirely in Jan 2024.