Moving the FileHoldData Directory (Document Repository, FullTextSearch, FHURMBackups) to a Different Server or Storage Device

Generally speaking, the FileHoldData folder, is housed in the three (3) distinct folder structures, or they can be placed in different, separate locations. However, it is easier to do nightly backups of this information to an external backup system when all 3 items are located in one location.

1) The electronic files managed in FileHold are stored in the DocumentRepository

2) The Full Text Search Indexes are stored in the FullTextSearch\DTSIndex folder structure

3) The FileHold User Role Manager Instance files are bulk exported to XML nightly via scheduled tasks - and stored in the FHURMBackups folder.

FileHold recommends that your nightly SQL backups files be placed into a "SQLBackup folder" within the FileHoldData structure - so that all can be backed up easily. Once you change these locations, you should then ensure that your Data/database backup scheduled and target locations are updated properly, as well as your Disaster Recovery documentation that documents your backup and restore procedures for your organizational data. Please refer to the Backup and Restore whitepaper page.

These 3 items, can be copied to a different location by following this procedure - please note that if this procedure is followed in careless fashion, that data loss can occur. This procedure requires you to be both careful and patient, althought it should take less than 5 minutes for configuration changes, and then a variable length of time to copy the contents of these 3 locations over to their new home.

Please note that we require you to first COPY all 3 items over to their new storage path, and not to MOVE these items. This way your information is kept intact on the original location. When you move large amounts of data, there is a chance for data loss. Always copy to be safe.

Pre-requisites:

• If you wish to change the location to an external device, or server, or NAS or SAN appliance - then - Your FH_Service account that runs FileHold must be a domain account.
  
• If moving the FileHoldData location to a new drive system on the same server, and you are using a LOCAL FH_Service account, then you do not need a domain account.
• The new location ( Server, NAS, San etc ) must have a shared folder setup with FH_Service having full control over the new FileHoldData directory
• Make proper, verified backups of all data before starting
• Always copy the information, do not move the information (to avoid data loss) - this way you always have the originals to ensure this is a successful move.
• To copy the information, we like to use the open source FastCopy tool using the verify, estimate flags, and we also specify a large file buffer.
• Copying these files over GB ethernet using the x64 bit version of FastCopy helps dramatically with completion time.
• Take screenshots of the File/folder counts of all 3 areas to be moved - you will use these screenshots to compare with the copies when this procedure is completed.
  1. DocumentRepository File/Folder Count
  2. FullTextSearch File\Folder Count
  3. FHURMBackups File\Folder Count
• You must use a UNC path or actual drive path at all times.
• Working Knowledge of SQL management studio is a strong requirement (However - You do not need to be a SQL Developer to do this)

Procedure:

1. Ensure users are logged off - you can check this by going to Web Client > System Admin > Activity Log
2. Have people log off gracefully by letting them know the system will be going down for a few hours and to wait until notified that the system is ready again. Then double check the report.
3. Stop the FH App Pool in IIS Admin
4. Stop the FHURM Service
5. Stop the FileHold Workflow Host Service (if running, and if this optional module is present in your licensing)
6. Stop the WWW Service
7. Prepare the new location by creating a FileHoldData share - and assigning the FH_Service account full control over this location
8. Copy over the 3 directories to be moved
9. Once the copying is complete, verify file/folder counts and ensure they are exactly the same.
10. Force down the FH_Service account to ensure that it has full control over all child objects in the FileHoldData directory
11. Backup the ch_documentrepository database in SQL Management Studio

Move DocumentRepository Path

1. Change the DocumentRepository Path in SQL Management Studio (Make sure the final \ is at the end of the DocumentRepository path like below ! )
   • Open up the ch_documentrepository database in SQL management Studio
   • Within the Object Explorer of SQL Management Studio, open up the Tables section of ch_documentrepository
   • Edit the dbo.StorageLocations
   • Change the location to the new location  - example: D:\FileHoldData\DocumentRepository\
   • Second reminder: Make sure the final \ is at the end of the path! Very important
   •  Once complete, then close the SQL table you are editing

 Full Text Search

1. Edit and save the FullTextSearch collection storage path on the FileHold Server in the FullTextSearch web.config (always back up the web.config before editing a web.config file)
2. Windows 2008: \Program Files\FileHold Systems\Application Server\FullTextSearch
3. Windows 2003: \inetpub\wwwroot\FH\FileHold\FullTextSearch
4. Backup the web.config file using a simple file copy (right click and drag/copy)
5. Look for the <appsettings> section in the web.config file using Notepad or similar text editor. 

FHURM Backups  

• Edit and save the FHURMBackups path  in the FHInstrumentation.exe.CONFIG file (always back up the web.config before aediting a web.config file)
• Windows 2008: \Program Files\FileHold Systems\Application Server\FHInstrumentation
• Windows 2003: \inetpub\wwwroot\FH\FileHold\FHInstrumentation

 Testing your Work:  

1.  Carefully verity all 3 settings have been changed correctly
2. Start up FHURM, Workflow (if used) and WWW Services
3. Start the FHApp Pool in IIS Admin
4. Login to FileHold
5. Add a file that contains unique information and unique metadata
6. Search for this file to verify that FullTextSearch is working
7. Now look for the file in the FileHoldData\DocumentRepository folder structure - you will be looking for a numerically named file, with the data/time stamp of the recent addition. Open the file to verify its contents
8. If you encounter any issues, please verify the correct paths in all 3 locations (after stopping the services) and working through the procedure carefully.
9. The final test - is to run the FHURMBackups scheduled task (FH backup ADAM objects) in the task scheduler of the Windows server, and then look for the backup XML file in the FHURM folder structure.
10. At this point, we then compare the screenshots taken of the locations copied over, and ensure they match identically.
11. You then should ensure that all 3 areas of the system are pointing at the new location, before you remove the data from the original locations.

About the DocumentRepository structure

• FileHold stores the files in a technical storage structure - with numeric folder names, this storage system does not match the FileHold user interface.
• FileHold creates a 000 folder underneath our sample folder path of D:/FileHoldData/DocumentRepository/ folder structure
• A series of folders, each containing 1000 files is then added. Once there is 1000 folders containing 1 million files, then a 001 folder is placed in the above directory.
• The file should not be located in the same folder as the top level 001 folder, if you see this, then the final / was forgotten.