Migrate GpsGate system to a new server

Is your site or business growing in popularity? Are you going to install more trackers on GpsGate? Perhaps your current server is 10+ years old and can't handle the heavy workload. Maybe it's time to upgrade the server and migrate GpsGate to the new server for better performance. 

How should you migrate GpsGate to the new server? The installer actually handles most of the migration work for you!

Requirements

If you have had GpsGate installed on the destination server before, you first need to do a complete uninstallation. Follow this guide to uninstall. NOTE: legacy servers must have a valid support subscription to migrate to a new server.

Backup the database on the original server

• Follow the backup and database restore procedure to back up the whole GpsGate database and transfer it to the new server. 

Restore the database on the new server

• Install the Mysql 8.0 or MSSQL on your new server. 
• If you have more than 5000 units, we recommend using AWS Aurora as a database. It has more advanced features like real-time backup, and it's easy to scale-up as your installations grows.
• Cluster installations need to be performed on demand. Please contact support.
• Follow the backup and database restore procedure to restore the whole GpsGate database on the new server. 

Use the same Database

• It is possible that you use the same database If the database is sitting on a separated server.
• NOTE: You should stop the old GpsGate application first before you start to install the new GpsGate on the new server! That's very important! 
• It's not supported that two GpsGate application servers run on the same DB and that could cause many issues on the database. 

Install GpsGate on the new server

In the new server, perform the following steps:

1. Start the GpsGate installer (make sure you install the latest version from this link).

2. Choose the database type. 

3. Input the database login credentials. 

4. The installer will detect the database and find the original data from the restored database. 

When you click the button "Check repositories for latest plugin versions" the installer will show which plugins will be updated and which plugins will be removed/uninstalled. 

Click "Next" to continue. The installer will install all the required components and configure IIS and database connector. 

5. Select the virtual directory path to host GpsGate.

6. The installer will start to download the required plugins. Once done, a webpage will pop up and ask you to input your admin username and password. 

7. Now we are on the last installer step: the installer will load all the plugins and configure the server the same as the original system (including all the settings). 

Note: This process could take 1-4 hours depends on how many plugins and how much tracker data you had in your original system. 

8. Once Step 7 is done, you are redirected to Site Admin. GpsGate is live on your new server!

Note: As the geofence service is running on a separate service, it may take 20-30 extra minutes after the system is up (and can't be found immediately). 

9. IP address updates (see steps below for using the same IP or a new IP address)

Migration reusing the same IP address

1. Follow the backup and restore procedure as described in this guide.
2. Verify the new migrated server works by logging in to the URL of the new migrated server.
3. Enter the IP address of the old server for the new server. Now all devices will start sending up buffered data to the "new" server.

Migration to a server with a new IP address

Use the DataForward plugin to keep the servers in sync during the migration. DataForward sends unmodified data from a device to one or many other different servers.

1. Set up DataForward on your original server to send data to the new (not yet existing) server.
2. Make a backup and restore it to the new server as described in this guide.
3. Verify the 'new' migrated server works, login in to the URL of the new migrated server.
4. Start the 'old' server again. Now all devices will start sending up buffered data. And DataForward makes sure data comes to both the original and the new server.
5. Start migrating applications/devices to send data directly to the 'new' server.

10. Additional steps:

• Double-check if the email provider needs to be re-authenticated. 
• Double-check if your map provider has domain limitations and if they need to be updated.