Updating test server

[Robin Gage]

We are not hosted, our PS Prod and Test servers are across the hall from me.  About once a month I update our test server.  Here are the steps I follow, I am curious if I am missing any steps, or if you also follow the same steps.  I first started documenting the steps when we were running PS6, because it was a bit more complicated and there was no single piece of documentation that covered everything that I had to do to make it work.

On PS Prod Server

1. Export new copy of database (~10 minutes)
1. @ command prompt, change to D: then \oracle\scripts
2. “export.bat psproddb [filename]”
2. Copy data pump from PS Prod to shared drive

On PS Test Server

3. Copy data pump from shared drive to data_pump_dir (shortcut on desktop)
4. Open PowerSchool Installer.html (shortcut on desktop)
1. Stop PowerSchool/PowerTeacher Services
2. Stop ReportWorks Services
5. Shutdown, restart Oracle (added this step because I could not dropschema because user could not be dropped).
1. Open command prompt
1. sqlplus / as sysdba
2. SYS@PSPRODDB AS SYSDBA> shutdown immediate (1 min)
3. SYS@PSPRODDB AS SYSDBA> startup (1 min)
4. SYS@PSPRODDB AS SYSDBA> exit
6. Drop database schema, import new database
1. @ command prompt, change to: D: then to \oracle\scripts
1. dropschema.bat psproddb (2 min)
1. If error message says ps_mgmt user does not exist, ignore, import anyway
2. import.bat psproddb [filename] y (~20 min)
7. Open PowerSchool Installer.html
1. Configure Application Instance (~1 min)
1. Error message says ‘Inconsistent state between database and local system. Run this task to resolve.’.  Use default settings.
2. ***May need to repeat this step, not sure why, maybe this step starts services and needs time to finish?***
   
2. Start PowerSchool/PowerTeacher Services
3. Start ReportWorks Services
4. Configure PowerSchool Backup Jobs (~30 min)
1. Backup email server: fc.nwarctic.org
2. Backup email from: ps7...@nwarctic.org
3. Backup email to: rg...@nwarctic.org

Lot into PS Admin Account

8. Log into PS Test Admin (pstest.nwarctic.org/admin)
9. In District, System Setup > System Settings > Server Settings > Global Server Settings
1. Change server IP to server name
10. In District > District Setup > Miscellaneous
1. Change Mobile App address to: pstest.nwarctic.org
11. Change all teacher teacherloginpw to ******

--
Robin Gage
PowerSchool Admin
Northwest Arctic Borough School District
907-442-1833
www.nwarctic.org

[Kyle Schneider]

That looks almost exactly like what I do, with a few exceptions.  Also - the time it takes me is nothing like what you have listed.  In its entirety, this process takes me maybe 20 minutes.

* Step 1: I don't create a new backup, I just grab one of the latest nightlies from the production server's datapump directory.

* Step 5:  I ran into the user not being able to be dropped issue and called Pearson Support about it.  They ended up having me use the Services tool in Windows to stop the "Pearson PowerSchool Message Service".

* Step 7a: I've never run into this issue and don't do this.

* Step 7d: I don't fill any of this info out on the test server, but I have to click through anyways. (We don't make backups of the test server.  We were, but old ones weren't being auto-deleted properly and the drive the Oracle database lives on filled up.  I decided we didn't need them and disabled backups.)

--
Kyle Schneider
Student Support Specialist
Southwest Region School District
PO Box 90
Dillingham, AK 99576
Phone: 907 842 8221
Fax: 907 842 5428

Skype: call or chat
kschn...@swrsd.org

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[Robin Gage]

Thanks for the tips, Kyle.

Sometimes I'll use a nightly backup, those steps are a bit legacy from back when PS did not do automatic data pumps.

I wonder if my issue with the user not being dropped is also related to my 'inconsistent state', I'll try stopping the service next time instead of shutting down Oracle.

You're right, I probably don't need to set up our Test server to do backups, and I know of the issue where old backups don't get deleted properly.  It does take a long time to do, but it can be left alone while it does it, I guess I am paranoid and superstitious.

--
Robin Gage
PowerSchool Admin
Northwest Arctic Borough School District
907-442-1833
www.nwarctic.org

[Robin Gage]

I updated my test server today and tried your step of stopping the "Pearson PowerSchool Message Service".

I was able to then run dropschema and import no problems, but when I went back to the installer it gave me the 'inconsistent state between database and system' message, I went through the steps to resolve that and got an error message.

Ironically my test server is up and running, I am able to connect, but the PowerSchool Message Service still shows as not running.  When/how/do you start that service back up in your process?  Or does it start on its own?

--
Robin Gage
PowerSchool Admin
Northwest Arctic Borough School District
907-442-1833
www.nwarctic.org

On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 9:08 AM, Kyle Schneider <kschn...@swrsd.org> wrote:

[Kyle Schneider]

You know, I honestly couldn't say.  I always just figured that when it did the Configure Backup Jobs step something magical happened because that's when error messages would go away.

I've restarted my test server since the last time I did an import, so I can't tell you if it was restarted automatically or not.  Next time I do an import, I'll keep an eye on that.

--
Kyle Schneider
Student Support Specialist
Southwest Region School District
PO Box 90
Dillingham, AK 99576
Phone: 907 842 8221
Fax: 907 842 5428

Skype: call or chat
kschn...@swrsd.org

[Kyle Schneider]

I just imported my end of year data to our test server and the Pearson PowerSchool Message Service restarted itself by the time I loaded the installer page to start the PowerSchool service.

--
Kyle Schneider
Student Support Specialist
Southwest Region School District
PO Box 90
Dillingham, AK 99576
Phone: 907 842 8221
Fax: 907 842 5428

Skype: call or chat
kschn...@swrsd.org