[sims] Offline SIMS?

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

Is it possible to have an offline copy of sims? Not the whole thing but just key details like contact details etc. Like emerge does for iOS.

 

Thanks

[vikpaw]

Use Emerge. Or do you need more?

The only option would be to export a spreadsheet with the data, or to some other medium.

However, if you're a schoolcomms user you have a nice backup available and even better, usable, as you can immediately use their cached copy of your data )

[FN-GM]

Can emerge run on Windows?

[chazzy2501]

isn't their an offline option when you install sims? (sorry vauge)

[FN-GM]

Never seen one. Will have a look.

[BKGarry]

I have a full version of SIMS server installed on a Laptop running Win 7, with SQL Express, each night a batch script to backup the database is run on the main server and each morning a batch script on the laptop runs a restore. Gives us FMS and SIMS on this laptop, which is taken out whenever an alarm goes off and is locked in the firesafe overnight :-)

 

I think this is what you want to achieve :-)

[FN-GM]

Massive overkill, we want something like emerge does for x86.

 

But that script might be handy for an emergency laptop. Can I take a look please?

[BKGarry]

I have PM's it to you :-)

[vikpaw]

Thh bromcom equivalent of emerge had a laptop version, this might do what you want, but could be overkill on price. then again, it was a nice solution. It might only have cached a single user's classes, so would need to check.

[vikpaw]

I have PM's it to you :-)

 

could you depersonalise and post it here please?

[BKGarry]

rem @echo off

rem Backup SQL Script

rem ---------------------

rem Created: 06/12/07

rem Modified: 03/06/09 - edited 1/4/10 to add two FMS databases

rem Version: v1.4

rem Update v1.3 - Added support to backup and rename old BAK file as DBAttach no longer overwrites an existing BAK file.

rem Update v1.4 - Modified destination backup path to be uniform location. This is changeable, but Attix5 needs to be told where to find the backup destination folder. ie, manually select it for backup.

 

rem Please set the following variables

rem -----------------------------------

rem PLEASE CHECK THERE ARE NO EXTRA SPACES AT THE END OF THE FOLLOWING LINES.

Set SAPassword=xxxxxxxx

Set SQLPath=xxxxxxxxMicrosoft SQL Server 2008\MSSQL10.SIMS2008\MSSQL

Set DBAttachPath=%SQLPath%\BINN\DbAttach.exe

Set SIMSInstance=SIMS2008

Set FMSDB=ccsfms

Set SIMSDB=SIMS

Set SIMSServerName=%ComputerName%

Set BackupRootFolder=XXX:\\Backups

Set SQLBackupFolder=XXX:\\Backups\SQL Backups

 

rem PLEASE CHECK THERE ARE NO EXTRA SPACES AT THE END OF THE LINES ABOVE.

rem -----------------------------------

rem First check to see if the backup destination folders exist

if not exist "%BackupRootFolder%" mkdir "%BackupRootFolder%"

if not exist "%SQLBackupFolder%" mkdir "%SQLBackupFolder%"

 

rem - Delete any existing OLD file

rem ----------------------------------

del "%SQLBackupFolder%\FMSDB.old"

del "%SQLBackupFolder%\SIMSDB.old"

 

 

rem - Backup the existing BAK file

rem by renaming it

rem ----------------------------------

REM ren "%SQLBackupFolder%\FMSDB.bak" FMSDB.old

REM ren "%SQLBackupFolder%\SIMSDB.bak" SIMSDB.old

 

 

rem - Run the CCS script - FMS

rem ----------------------------------

"%DBAttachPath%" /BACKUP /SERVER="%SIMSServerName%\%SIMSInstance%" /USER="sa" /PASSWORD="%SAPassword%" /DATABASE="%FMSDB%" /AUTO /PATH="%SQLBackupFolder%\FMSDB.bak"

 

rem - Now run the CCS script - SIMS

rem ----------------------------------

"%DBAttachPath%" /BACKUP /SERVER="%SIMSServerName%\%SIMSInstance%" /USER="sa" /PASSWORD="%SAPassword%" /DATABASE="%SIMSDB%" /AUTO /PATH="%SQLBackupFolder%\SIMSDB.bak"

 

 

rem - Stop SIMS and FMS (2008) service

rem ----------------------------------

REM net stop "SQL Server (%SIMSInstance%)"

 

rem - Copy SIMS MDF and LDF

rem ----------------------------------

REM xcopy "%SQLPath%\Data\sims.mdf" "%SQLBackupFolder%\" /y

REM xcopy "%SQLPath%\Data\sims.ldf" "%SQLBackupFolder%\" /y

 

 

rem - Copy FMS MDF and LDF (SQL 2008)

rem ----------------------------------

REM xcopy "%SQLPath%\Data\school_ccsfms.MDF" "%SQLBackupFolder%\" /y

REM xcopy "%SQLPath%\Data\school_ccsfms.LDF" "%SQLBackupFolder%\" /y

REM xcopy "%SQLPath%\Data\academy_ccsfms.MDF" "%SQLBackupFolder%\" /y

REM xcopy "%SQLPath%\Data\academy_ccsfms.LDF" "%SQLBackupFolder%\" /y

 

rem - Start SIMS and FMS (2008) service

rem ----------------------------------

REM net start "SQL Server (%SIMSInstance%)"

 

REM pause

 

Restores are done with DBattach, I have not recovered the batch file yet, as the laptop with it on is locked away in the Finance room and they are in meetings all day

[matt40k]

Ensure the laptop is encrypt please - don't fancy reading about some laptop being stolen with all the schools data. Sure you guys have\will - it's more for the people who find this thread later.

 

Offline SIMS - they used to have an option to use a local SIMS db for some bits of SIMS then sync up with the main SIMS database - however it was pretty insecure and problematic - they have enough problems getting schools MIS sync'ing with the LA MIS system. It's been utty dropped ages ago.

[BKGarry]

Fully Encrypted laptop, very very cautious on this, there are also 3 encrypted USBs with reports of key info from SIMS in excel format for worse case scenario.

[FN-GM]

Ensure the laptop is encrypt please - don't fancy reading about some laptop being stolen with all the schools data. Sure you guys have\will - it's more for the people who find this thread later.

 

Offline SIMS - they used to have an option to use a local SIMS db for some bits of SIMS then sync up with the main SIMS database - however it was pretty insecure and problematic - they have enough problems getting schools MIS sync'ing with the LA MIS system. It's been utty dropped ages ago.

 

All ours are Encrypted anyway so we are staff there

[PhilNeal]

I would not risk placing any pupil data on "encrypted" USBs. One day it won't be encrypted, it will be lost and the fine will hurt!

[BKGarry]

Sorry Meant to explain, these USBs contain 2 in our safe (1 to update which the other is in there) and 1 in our "safety" schools safe, sealed in an envelope with our headteachers signature

[PhilNeal]

Understood!!

[BKGarry]

@PhilNeal thank you for pointing it our before another place has a couple of usbs sitting in a draw at home.

I should explain a lot more before clicking post.

[vikpaw]

I've got a couple of mods to suggest for you @BKGarry

I don't think you need to copy the mdf / ldf. The .bak file should be plenty good and it will negate the need to stop and start services, which means it's less likely to fail when you least expect it.

Also, if you don't specify a filename at backup time will it autoname it with a date? Or is it only SQL backups that do that. I like this feature and keep as many as possible.

Otherwise, i've used something like this to create a folder or to append to the filename for other similar scripts, which would be the easiest thing to do here:

\%date:~8,2%%date:~3,2%%date:~0,2%\

the format might need tweaking depending on your datetime settings and preference.

It's probably overkill to store more than one recent and a backup, but if you did want to, some snazzy tool like TidyBackups - Home might be worth setting up to keep it tidy.

[tombry]

I would not risk placing any pupil data on "encrypted" USBs. One day it won't be encrypted, it will be lost and the fine will hurt!

 

Can I ask why?

 

I use an encrypted container on my thumb drive to move my excel files to/from school daily, some of which are chock full of student data.

 

I'd be well impressed if someone could get into my encrypted file.

[BKGarry]

Thank you @vikpaw I only do 2 days worth for the restore on the laptop, our standard backup schedule does atleast 30 days worth of SQL backups for SIMs and then there are even more on archived tapes.