Copying a site to other machine

[afurtado]

I have some WSS sites in a machine. I want to copy the structure and content of these sites to other machine with WSS. I have run stsadmin to generate a backup of the sites and also have a backup of the config and content databases of the original machine.

So what is the next step? In which order should I perform the following activities?

- Install WSS in the target machine
- Restore the databases
- Restore the backup file generated with stadmin

Which extra steps are required? Which are the nuances of each steps? (how do I make the new WSS to attach to the old - restored - databases, for instance?)

Thanks a lot!
-- AFurtado

 

[Thomas2000]

Hello,

I would do the following on the new machine:

1. Install WSS
2. Install SQL, create new config and content db
3. Create an empty site (stop at the template selection)
4. Run stsadm.exe with the restore option

Doing the above you do not need to restore any databases (you simply create new ones). If that is not an option you will have to restore the databases, and then install WSS, once that is done you will have to configure sharepoint to connect to existing databases (this can sometimes be a bit tricky).

There are several instructions on how to migrate and move sharepoint from one machine to another, just search on Microsofts website and you will find instructions on how to do it.

Cheers,
Thomas

http://www.thompa.se

 

[afurtado]

Creating new databases is not an option for me, since I need the content of the old databases in order to make my sites to work.

I'm having difficulties exactly in making WSS to connect to the restored databases. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find Microsoft documentation about this in the web

For example, should I run stsadmin BEFORE or AFTER restoring the databases?

Can anyone point out references or further steps?

Thanks,
-- AFurtado

 

[Thomas2000]

What kind of functionality do you have? Using the stsadm to backup you site will do a full backup of it, then you use stsadm again with the restore option and the site data will be stored into the new database. However if you have custom built webparts (or 3rd party webparts) you will have to install the again.

You have backup and restore information in the windows sharepoint services administrators guide which you can download at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...f6-8224-4b19-a6a4-3e33fa13d230&DisplayLang=en

Cheers,
Thomas

http://www.thompa.se

 

[wolvie3421]

Not sure if this process is valid for WSS but my experience with SPS is:

When trying to restore a portal server to another machine:

1) Create a new website on the server (IIS configuration & Create new portal site)

2) Delete that newly created portal site.

3) Then restore the backup to the website in IIS that you just deleted.

For some reason, SPS won't restore properly if there wasn't an existing site on the server to begin with.

 

[afurtado]

Thomas, so should I create the databases normally and then run stsadmin? Are you sure this will automatically upload the contents of the configurarion and content databases? What about the name of the databases, security permissions and so on? Will this be exported/imported correctly as well?

Thanks,
-- AFurtado

 

[Thomas2000]

You will basically create a new "environment" with a new configuration database and new contentdatabse. When you then run stsadm tool and backup your site from your other location and then restore it to the new location all the content (and user permissions) will be restored.

I have backuped and restored lots of sites. Sometimes I have taken entire sitecollections from production and put a replica of them in a development, and all I do is install WSS, configure it with a new configuration database (and I have run the stsadm.exe -o backup -url

http://yoursite

url -filename location to put the backup file). Then when I am no the new environment I create a new site, but STOP at the template selection, do not create the actual site!. Then i run stsadm.exe -o restore -url

http://yournewsiteurl

-filename location of the backupfile

All this is described in the Windows SharePoint Services Administrators guide.

Cheers,
Thomas

http://www.thompa.se

 

[SPSAdmin]

Hello,

on the target server, copy the backup of the site (i.e .dat file generated by stsadm command)
If u want to restore it as a top level site under an existing site then follow the below mentioned command

stsadm -o restore -url

http://<site

name>/sites/<NameOfSiteToBeRestored> -filename <path of the backup file name>

If u want to restore the site on the default web site then try this
stsadm -o restore -url

http://<servername>

-filename <path of the backup file name>

thanks