Skip to main content

DW Spectrum - Migrating from Hanwha WAVE to DW Spectrum Enterprise

Updated

Migrating from Hanwha WAVE to DW Spectrum Enterprise

-----------------------------------

Affected Roles: Administrator, Power Users

Related DW Software: DW Spectrum Enterprise, DW Spectrum Professional

Software Version: DW Spectrum Client | Server (6.1)

Last Edit: April 24, 2026

-----------------------------------

 

VMS Migration

Some Hanwha WAVE users may want to continue working with a user interface (UI) with which they are the most familiar instead of being moved to a different VMS with a new UI. For those users, DW Spectrum is a viable option.

This article will outline how to migrate from Hanwha WAVE to DW Spectrum Professional and Enterprise.

 

Prerequisites

  • Hanwha WAVE version 6.0.5
  • Active perpetual license(s)
  • DW Spectrum Enterprise End User Organization
  • If the server is part of a multi-server site, detach it from the merged site

 

NOTE: All servers to be migrated to DW Spectrum must be detached from any multi-server sites. License keys must be reallocated as needed after detachment.

 

Configuration Instructions

Part 1: Preparing WAVE VMS

Perform the following actions within WAVE to prepare a server for migration to DW Spectrum.

  1. If using a multi-server site, disconnect the server from the merged site.
    • If using version 6.1 or newer, this action is performed with a web browser through the server’s Web Admin UI.
    • If using version 6.0 or older, you may disconnect the server from a merged cloud system via the System Administration > Cloud menu.

 

  1. In the Site Administration menu, select the Advanced tab.

    Click the Create Backup button and create a Local Database Backup. It is recommended to save it somewhere easy to access in case a rollback is necessary (e.g., in a folder on the computer desktop).

 

  1. Open the Licenses tab and select an Activated License, then click the Details button.

    Copy and save the License Key and server Hardware ID information using a text application (e.g., Notepad, Word, etc.) and store it with the Local Database Backup.

 

  1. Open the Hanwha WAVE installation directory.

    In the example path below, replace “{COMPANY}” with the correct association.

  • Windows
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Hanwha\Hanwha Media Server
  • Ubuntu
/opt/hanwha/mediaserver/var

 

  1. Copy the following files and save them with the database backup and License Key information files:
  • ecs.squlite
  • mserver.squlite
  • ecs_static.sqlite

 

Part 2: Preparing the DW Spectrum Site

  1. Download and install the latest version of the DW Spectrum Server and DW Spectrum Client software.

NOTE: Do not log in or connect to DW Cloud yet.

 

  1. Stop the DW Media Server.
    • Windows: Right-click the DW Icon in the Windows System Tray and select “Stop Server (started)”.
    • Ubuntu: Use the Terminal application and the command:
run sudo systemctl stop digitalwatchdog-mediaserver.service

 

  1. After stopping the DW Media Server, open the DW Spectrum Media Server directory.
  • Windows
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Digital Watchdog\Digital Watchdog Media Server
  • Ubuntu
/opt/digitalwatchdog/mediaserver/var

 

  1. Delete the following files:
  • ecs.squlite
  • mserver.squlite
  • ecs_static.sqlite

 

  1. Stop the Hanwha WAVE VMS.
    • Windows: Right-click the icon in the Windows System Tray or from the Windows Services application and select “Stop Server (started)”.
    • Ubuntu: Use the Terminal application and the command:
run sudo systemctl stop hanwha-mediaserver.service

NOTE: All cameras connected to the server will go offline at this time.

 

  1. Return to the Hanwha WAVE directory.
    • Windows
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Digital Watchdog\Digital Watchdog Media Server
  • Ubuntu
/opt/digitalwatchdog/mediaserver/var

 

  1. Paste the ecs.sqlite file that was copied from the Hanwha WAVE VMS into the Digital Watchdog Media Server directory.
  2. After copying over the Hanwa WAVE VMS’s database files, restart the DW Spectrum Media Server.
    • Windows: Right-click the DW Icon in the Windows System Tray and select “Start Server (stopped)”.
    • Ubuntu: Use the Terminal application and the command:
run sudo systemctl start digitalwatchdog-mediaserver.service

 

Part 3: Connecting the DW Spectrum Site to Enterprise

  1. Launch the DW Spectrum Client.

    In the client, the name of the previous Hanwha WAVE server will appear. Log in and verify that all cameras are present and online.

  2. Open the Site Administration menu and select the Licenses tab.

    Ensure that the current License Key(s) are present. At this point in the process, they should show as inactive and with an “Error” status. This is normal.

 

  1. After confirming that License Key registration has been copied over, select the DW Cloud tab.

    Select “My Account” and connect the server to the End User’s DW Cloud account.

NOTE: Do not connect the server to a DW Spectrum Enterprise Organization at this time.

 

  1. Click the “Open DW Cloud Portal” button and log in to the End User Organization Administrator’s DW Cloud account.

 

  1. Click on “My Sites” and verify that the server is present, then click the server tile to open it.

 

  1. Click the “Upgrade to Enterprise” button.

    A small window will open with a brief overview of DW Spectrum Enterprise. Click “Next” to acknowledge the need to transfer ownership to an Organization for upgrade to Enterprise.

 

  1. Select the End User Organization from the dropdown menu then click “Next”.

 

  1. A Transfer Ownership confirmation message will be displayed.

    Click “Transfer” to complete the transition to DW Spectrum Enterprise.

NOTE: All License Keys will be converted into 24-month DW Spectrum Enterprise subscription credits. This action cannot be undone once it has been performed.

 

Part 4: Transferring the Server Archives

  1. In the DW Spectrum Client, open the Site Administration menu.

    The name of the End User Organization will be listed in the DW Cloud tab.

    The Licenses tab will have been replaced “Services”, which will show the current Credit Core services that are equivalent to the number of converted License Keys.

 

  1. Stop the DW Media Server.
    • Windows: Right-click the DW Icon in the Windows System Tray and select “Stop Server (started)”.
    • Ubuntu: Use the Terminal application and the command:
run sudo systemctl stop digitalwatchdog-mediaserver.service

 

  1. Open the storage directory where camera recordings are stored for the Hanwha WAVE VMS.
    • Example Windows:
D:\Wisenet WAVE Media
  • Example Ubuntu:
/mnt/sda/Wisenet WAVE Media

 

  1. A folder named for DW Spectrum Media should be present as well.

    Rename the DW Spectrum Media folder to something else (e.g. DW Spectrum Media-2).

 

  1. Rename the Wisenet WAVE Media folder to “DW Spectrum Media”.

 

  1. Start the DW Spectrum Media Server.
    • Windows: Right-click the DW Icon in the Windows System Tray and select “Start Server (stopped)”.
    • Ubuntu: Use the Terminal application and the command:
run sudo systemctl start digitalwatchdog-mediaserver.service

 

  1. In the DW Spectrum Client, right-click the server and select “Server Settings”.

 

  1. Open the Storage Management tab and click the Reindex Archive button. Depending on the amount of data brought over from the old VMS, this may take a considerable amount of time.

 

  1. Once the archive has finished reindexing, verify that all old, archived video can be played in the DW Spectrum Client.

NOTE: A small gap in recording where both VMS were stopped is normal.

 

  1. Repeat this process for all other servers migrating to DW Spectrum.

 

 

______________________________________________________________________________

For More Information or Technical Support

DW Technical Support: https://www.digital-watchdog.com/contact-tech-support/

DW Sales: sales@digital-watchdog.com | www.digital-watchdog.com

Copyright © All rights reserved. Specifications and pricing subject to change without notice.

Related to

Related articles