The best practice to transfer the ArcGIS Server data from one machine to another,

[JamalNUMAN]

The best practice to transfer the ArcGIS Server data from one machine to another,

In case of failure, what might be the best practice to transfer the ArcGIS Server data (published services including the cached) from one machine to another? I’m aware that the ArcGIS Server is housed in arcgisserver by default in the C:\ drive. Is all what I need is to install the ArcGIS Server in the destination machine and just replacing the new arcgisserver with the old one? Does the ArcGIS Server recognize the published services of old machines in the new one right away?

The ArcGIS preserves a copy of the mxd in the folder below

C:\arcgisserver\directories\arcgissystem\arcgisinput\XXXX\extracted\v101

Thank you

Best

Jamal

[JordanPorter]

Hi Jamal,

Did you ever resolve this?  I am about to start attempting this same thing.

[Juan_ManuelAngel]

Jamal i think the best practice is get a backup, then install a new site of the ArcGIS Server and in that new machine restore the back up, then manually copy and paste the caches, i hope this will help you or if you have information share it please.

this will help you Migration checklist—Documentation | ArcGIS Enterprise 

Thank You.

[AhmadSALEH1]

Hi Juan,

I tried this before, it seems a good tool to restore the site, but I think that the data source and mxds and the cache should be manually copied before restoring the site , also do you this that this tool can be trusted in case of system failure and after format?.

Thanks,

Ahmad

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Take a look at this thread

https://community.esri.com/message/316167 

I have had luck transferring services using the tool they mention that is on github.  I actually copy the .mxd and actual data and cache directories over first (using windows explorer or other OS tools), but then have success with the transfer services tool.  I've modified it some for our internal use, but it worked pretty much right away.

[AhmadSALEH1]

Hi Rebecca,

Suppose that your server A was suddenly down and you need to move the last version of your Arcgisserver  to Server B. I think this tool fails to do this.

Thanks

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

correct.  This expects that both machines and AGS software are up and running.  This is more for moving to a new machine or from staging/development to staging.

[JamalNUMAN]

I’m not sure why this shouldn’t be as easy as copying the C:\arcgisserver for the first machine to the second! Why this might not work?

[JonathanQuinn]

There are a lot of places within the config-store and directories that store values specific to the machine it's on, (machine name, file paths, etc).  You'll likely run into more problems with the machine name that's stored within the config-store and possibly directories than file paths, assuming all file paths are accessible on the second site.  Note that updating files manually within the config-store or directories is not supported and not recommended.

[JamalNUMAN]

Does this mean that there is no way to backup the services including the cached ones to be able to transfer them to another machine or even to restore them to the same machine (after being formatted) in case of failure