how2nw04.htm

How to Move Club Office from an Old Server Computer to a New Server

Scenario: You are replacing the server with a new one. The basic steps are as follows; be sure to read the "timing issues" notes below, too.

1. There is no need to call Club Data -- you are only moving the software.
2. Review the old server computer's settings -- you need to know the computer's network name and the network "share name" given to the Club Office folder. Club Office software and databases reside inside a folder named CDCO, but on a server computer, the CDCO folder is supposed to be inside a parent folder named CLUBDATA. You need to know the "share name" given to that parent folder.
3. On the new computer, make a folder that has the same name as the old computer's parent folder for Club Office.
4. On the new computer, assign the exact same share name to the folder as it had on the old computer. Be sure to provide the same read/write/create/delete privileges to the parent folder as were assigned on the old computer.
5. Copy the entire contents of the parent folder from the old computer to the parent folder on the new computer.
6. On the new computer, create the same user names and passwords that were used on the old computer.
7. Disconnect the old server from the network. This can be done in two ways: (a) either physically unplug the network wire or (b) change the old server computer's network name and restart it.
8. Change the new computer's network name to be exactly the same as the old server computer, then restart it. If you have done the above steps correctly, the remote workstations will automatically connect to the new server computer.

Timing Issues

• If you have a POS system on your network that is feeding data to the server computer, you must shut it down before you make any changes and keep users off it until the new server computer is on-line. Therefore, the day of the week and even the time of the day you make the change is important: you cannot accomplish this neatly if it's over a lunch hour on a busy Wednesday. Failure to heed this advice is virtually guaranteed to cause problems and/or loss of sales data.
• If you have an Employee TimeClock system that is connected to the server computer, you must shut it down before you make any changes and keep users off it until the new server computer is on-line. Failure to heed this advice is virtually guaranteed to cause problems and/or loss of employee time card data.
• If any other computers are connected to the server, they should also be shut down before the changes are made. Otherwise, it is impossible to know what, if any, data may be lost.
• If any remote units are synchronizing their computer clocks to the network server, you must be absolutely certain that the new server is set with the proper time, time zone and any other synchronization settings.

Printer Issues

• If the old server was also functioning as a printer server to report or possibly remote POS printers in the kitchen, bar or elsewhere, be sure to install exactly the same printer drivers, use the same printer and network share names as the old server. If any of these remote printers use an IP address, you must take great care to assign exactly the same IP addresses for the printers as existed on the old computer. Failure to properly install, name and assign printers will cause users numerable problems as the remote computers will not be able to print to their designated printers.

Security Issues

• Anti-virus and anti-spyware software products is always a good idea, but only if these products are kept up-to-date with the latest virus definitions.
• Remember that security software is designed to allow only "safe" connections between computers and installing new security software may actually prevent remote computers from connecting to the new server and using Club Office software. This is because the new security software doesn't yet know what it should allow and what it should prevent, and consequently, some configuration may be required to tell the software what applications are OK. You may have to configure your security software so that Club Office's files are considered "safe."

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