Moving CENTRAL deployment to a new server

Support
1

Hi,

For one project, I setup ODK central on AWS and collected data in phase 1, which is about 35GB. Now for phase 2, the organization wants to run the data collection on their own hosted physical server, and the data needs to be migrated to that as well.

How to do it properly?

  • Since the new server is not on AWS, I cannot take snapshot and deploy it there.
  • Its not compulsory that I take everything strictly as-it-is to the new server (including CENTRAL config). I can setup a new central software on the new server and migrate the data from old to new machine (how?).

What other options do I have?

Thanks,
Saad

2

Hi Saad,

Yes, there are ways you may migrate the complete VM instance from the cloud to the local infrastructure. This documentation explained the process other way around; however, it can be done from AWS to local server using the export import tool.

Hope you will find this helpful,
Imran

3

Thanks.

Is there a way to transfer odk data only, without VM? Meaning I install new Central on new server and just migrate data from old server?

4

Something like this should work.

1 Like
5

While on the topic of migration, please suggest this as well:

If the data size is low (1000 or 2000 submissions; but with images), is it possible to pull it via briefcase and push it into the new server?

6

Yes, Briefcase should work. See https://docs.getodk.org/central-briefcase for more guidance.

1 Like
7

Great.

So although on the new server I need to deploy a newer version of the form (against which i collected old data), I should probably first deploy old form version on the new server, upload previous data, then deploy upgraded version of the form, and then start new data collection. Right?

Just sharing simple steps for the benefit of others who need guidance on similar matter here.

2 Likes