How to Preserve Data From Any Powered-by-DW Spectrum Product

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Affected Roles:  Owner, Administrator

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps:  DW Spectrum IPVMS

Last Edit:  May 22, 2023

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This article walks you through how to preserve and backup all the data from your Powered-by-DW Spectrum product for migration or recovery and can be used for any of the following scenarios:

• Switching from one Powered-by-DW Spectrum product to another without losing data.
• Changing, upgrading, or reinstalling the server Operating System.
• Replacing the server hardware, such as the motherboard or network card.

This process will be presented in three parts:

• Part 1: Copying the necessary data that will be needed for restoring the system after replacing the hardware.
• Part 2: Replacing the hardware.
• Part 3: Restoring the system after replacing the hardware.

 

WARNING: If you plan on making any of these changes to a production system, be aware of the potentials risks of data loss, difficulty restoring the system, or invalidating your licenses. We recommend you discuss your plans with our support staff first, and once the risks are understood, follow the steps below exactly as they are written on how to back up and restore the necessary data.

 

**NOTE: Licenses are specific to the original Powered-by-DW Spectrum product and cannot be activated on other Powered-by-DW Spectrum products.

 

Supported/Affected Devices:

• DW Blackjack Products

 

What Data Should I Backup From My Powered-by-DW Spectrum System?

There are two types of data in every Powered-by-DW Spectrum System, System Data and Server Data.

 

System Data is synchronized across all Servers in a System and includes:

• Licenses
• Server settings
• System resources and their configurations (cameras, streams, I/O devices, URLs, Layouts, etc.) that can be found in the Resource Panel.

 

Server Data is specific to each Server within a System. It is not synchronized and must be backed up independently for each Server for a full recovery or migration. Server data includes:

• Server database – Audit Trail and Bookmarks
• Video archives – recorded video and audio from connected devices and streams.
• Smart motion index – motion metadata used for smart motion search.
• Certificate – Server TLS/SSL certificate file.
• Analytics data – metadata captured by 3^rd-party video analytics (optional).

 

Version Compatibility

When using this process to back up and restore/migrate your data, it is essential to pay attention to the VMS versions that you are using. Use the same VMS version and build number or a newer build of the same version.

For example, if a backup was made while using DW Spectrum 3.2.0.28676, the replacement system must be using the same version and same build (ex: 3.2.0.28676) or higher (e.g., 3.2.0.28749, 3.2.0.29151, etc.) when restoring the system. Restoring the system to a version that is older than the backed-up version will result in errors. DW Spectrum database backups are not backwards compatible.

So in the case where a system is being migrated to a new Powered-by-DW Spectrum product, use the same version and build number (or a subsequent/later build of the same version) when restoring the system. Once that is done, you can perform an in-client update to get the latest version and update the entire thing.

Although the changes will not apply to all servers, it is still strongly recommended to follow the same back up procedure on each server in the Powered-by-DW Spectrum System to your external storage before you attempt this process.

 

Understanding the Instructions

File paths for Ubuntu servers and Windows servers will be provided for each step. The file paths have been modified with variables to be applicable for the different Powered-by-DW Spectrum products and storage locations. Please note the capitalization and spacing of the variables. 

 

Part 1:  Back-up Your Powered-by-DW Spectrum System Data

Make sure all necessary data is backed up to an external storage drive instead of to the same storage drive as the OS disk.

1. If your server is part of a multi-server system, detach/unmerge the server from the system before continuing. Replicate these steps for any other servers as necessary.
2. Backup the system database. Click the Main Menu button, navigate to the System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A) menu, then click “Create Backup....” to proceed with the backup process.
3. Copy the backup file (*.db) to your external storage to keep it safe.
4. Stop the Powered-by-DW Spectrum Server application/service from running.
   • Windows:

1. Open Taskmanager and select the Services tab.
2. Right-click on the “MediaServer” service then click “Stop”.
   • Ubuntu:

Open Terminal and use the command:

For example:

 

5. After stopping the server, backup the following data files.

 

License keys and Hardware ID

If you are NOT changing the motherboard or network card, you will not have to detach the Server from the System for this process. Following the release of Version 3.0 , the Hardware ID (HWID) is only changed when the motherboard or network card is replaced. Other hardware or OS changes should not cause any issues, however, it is still recommended to back up recording license information and data before making any significant changes to your DW Spectrum System.

If you are NOT changing the motherboard or network card, you will not have to detach the server from the system for this process since the Hardware ID (HWID) does not change. After the release of version 3.0, the HWID only changes if the motherboard or network card changes. Other hardware or OS changes should not cause any issues.

• • If you ARE changing the motherboard or network card: the HWID will change. Before changing the motherboard or network card, detach your Server from the System and backup your licenses. Deactivate the recording licenses so that they can be reactivated later. Keep in mind there is a limit to the number of times a license key can be reactivated on different hardware.
  • If you are changing from one Powered-by-DW Spectrum product to another: you will need to purchase new licenses as the same licenses that came with the hardware will not work on a different Powered-by-DW Spectrum product.

 

Server Database

Copy the Server's raw database files found in the following location. For more information about copying raw database files, you may refer to “DW Spectrum – Creating a Database Backup”.

 

• • Windows:

• • Ubuntu:

 

Server Settings

Instead of copying the entire file, only save the values from the following parameters to a text file: serverGuid, storedMac, and systemName.

• • Windows:

In the Taskbar search box, type regedit and select the Registry Editor application:

• • Ubuntu:

In Terminal, type “vi ”. Find and save the appropriate values from the following location to an external document:

 

Security Certificate

If a custom certificate that was either self-signed or was obtained from a Certificate Authority was applied to the Server and must be saved, you can find the data files in the following locations:

• • Windows:

• • Ubuntu:

 

Smart Motion metadata

• • Windows:

• • Ubuntu:

 

Video Archives

Only copy the hi_quality and low_quality folders from the following locations to save recorded video archives.

 

**NOTE: DW Spectrum Server 4.2 and older versions do not create a folder.

 

• • Windows:

• • Linux

If using multiple video storage drives or using a non-default video storage drive, archive files can be found in:

 

Analytics Data

Skip this step if analytics data is not created by your Server.

 

**NOTE DW Server 4.2 and below does not create the folder.

 

The file path depends on which drive is storing analytics data. Go Server Settings > Storage Management > Storage Locations, you can identify if a drive is storing analytics data if it is marked with “Stores analytics data”.

 

Go to each file location where analytics data is stored and back up the data folder and database file (respectively).

 

**NOTE DW Server 4.2 and below does not create the folder.

 

• • Windows:

 

• • Ubuntu:

**NOTE To prevent server conflicts, make sure that the previous Powered-by-DW Spectrum Server will never be returned to an ONLINE status within the same network as the replacement server.

 

Part 2: Replace the Powered-by-DW Spectrum Product

Proceed with the replacement scenario below that best applies to your situation:

 

A. Replace the Server Hardware Components

Shut down and swap the server parts that need replacement. If the main storage drive/OS drive is being replaced see “Change, Upgrade, or Reinstall the Server OS".

 

B. Change, Upgrade, or Reinstall the Server OS

1. Keep in mind our list of officially supported operating systems.
2. Before wiping your OS drive, write down the version of the currently installed Server application (for example, 4.2.0.32842). To find it, open the Desktop client and connect to the server. Click on Main Menu > About (F1), you will see the version number next to your server’s name under System Servers.
3. Download and install the same version of your Powered-by-DW Spectrum product. Go through the initial setup process.

 

C. Switch from an Old Powered-by-DW Spectrum Product to a New Powered-by-DW Spectrum Product

1. Write down the version of the currently installed Server application (for example, 4.2.0.32842). To find it, open the Desktop client and connect to the server. Click on Main Menu > About (F1), you will see the version number next to your server’s name under System Servers.
2. If the server has an OS that is not officially supported, please install a new 64-bit OS from our list of officially supported operating systems. Supported Windows and Ubuntu options are under "DW Server Application".
3. If not installing a new OS, do a clean uninstall of your existing Powered-by-DW Spectrum product.
4. Download and install your new Powered-by-DW Spectrum product. Make sure that it's the same version as the one you wrote down earlier. Go through the initial setup process.

 

**NOTE Please take notice that licenses are product specific and cannot be activated on other Powered-by-DW Spectrum products, other than the original product. 

 

Part 3a:  Restore your Powered-by-DW Spectrum System

After replacing the hardware as needed, you will need to restore the system onto the new server hardware. Perform the following to restore the system.

1. Log into the Server via the DW Spectrum Client desktop software application.
2. Restore the system database. Click the Main Menu button and navigate to System Administration (CTRL+ALT+A). Click Restore from Backup... and select the backup file of the system database  (*.db).
3. The name of the previous system will be restored and the newly set up system will appear offline and can be removed by left-clicking the x in the top right corner. 
4. Stop the Server application service:
   • Windows:

Open Taskmanager > Services tab > right-click on the “MediaServer” service > click Stop.

• • Ubuntu:

Open Terminal and enter:

 

5. Connect all the storage drives.
6. Copy and paste (overwrite) the backup files saved from Part 1 of this guide to the new server.

 

Server Database

• • • Windows:

• • • Ubuntu:

 

Server Settings

Using the values (serverGuid, storedMac, and systemName) you saved in the earlier text file, replace the corresponding values in the appropriate file below:

• • • Windows:

• • • Ubuntu:

 

**NOTE Ensure that the parameter guidIsHWID is set to no.

 

Security Certificate

If a custom certificate that was either self-signed or was obtained from a Certificate Authority was applied to the Server and was saved, you can paste the data files in the following locations:

• • • Windows:

• • • Ubuntu:

 

Smart Motion Metadata

• • • Windows:

• • • Ubuntu:

 

Video Archive

Transfer the backup folders (hi_quality and low_quality) to the Media folder of all connected disks (all db and .ref files within should be deleted).

• • • Windows:

• • • Ubuntu:

 

Analytics Data

Skip this step if analytics data is not created by your Server.

Choose which storage location(s) will store your analytics data. Go to Server Settings > Storage Management. Any eligible drive will display the option "Use to store analytics data" upon hovering over that drive. Click on that option to begin storing analytics data on that drive, one folder and one file will be created: archive and objects_detection.sqlite.

Go to each storage location and paste the files you saved in Section A

• • • • Windows:

• • • • Ubuntu:

 

Part 3b:  Start the DW Spectrum Server

After restoring the server data that was migrated from the old Powered-by-DW-Spectrum product:

1. Start the Server application service and log in to the system using the Desktop client. If you had to deactivate your licenses, reactivate each recording license on the new Server.
2. Go to Server Settings > Storage management tab and remove the old storage locations that show up as “inaccessible”.
3. Click Reindex Archive. Then wait for the process to complete.
4. Merge your server with any other system as needed.
5. Perform an in-client upgrade to the latest version of the Powered-by-DW Spectrum product:
   Main Menu > System Administration > Updates.

 

**NOTE If you face any issue while retrieving the license key(s), please refer to the article “License Problem: Server Not Found for information on restoring the license key(s).

 

 

 

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Rev: 06/25                              Copyright © DW. All rights reserved. Specifications and pricing subject to change without notice.