[sims] Starting SIMS from scratch?

[quietriot1983]

Currently we use SIMS only in the office, and the new head wants it on her laptop, and she wants the teachers to use attendance instead of paper registers. Trouble is, I've inherited this system from the LA, and as such don't have the sa password. This means when we back up, I've had to script it to stop the SIMS services, copy the relevant folders/files and then restart the services...not ideal! Also, this means I can't use dbattach to transfer the entire database to a new office machine (seeing as they are stopping XP support).

 

So my question is, what is involved in starting a new SIMS environment from scratch? As if it's all brand new?

[creese]

 

So my question is, what is involved in starting a new SIMS environment from scratch? As if it's all brand new?

 

Not a good idea IMHO. What about all your historic data? You are legally bound to keep this.

 

I'm not highly technical but I'm sure a better alternative would be to change the password. I'm sure there is a way, or get it from the LA.

 

From the Capita website:

The SIMS Service desk CANNOT advise customers on how to do this as this is a Microsoft product. If you require assistance on resetting your SA password please contact Microsoft via their website.

Edited June 24, 2013 by creese

[Steve21]

Unless it's changed there's a few threads on here about resetting SA passwords for SIMs.

 

Not sure if starting a whole new database setup etc would need relicensing etc if anything is changing that much.

 

Steve

[quietriot1983]

Hmm. Might be a no-go then.

 

I did hear somewhere that you could install SQL and set up new sa/admin accounts before copying and pasting the .mdf and .ldf files across...not sure how legit that is though.

[Ghostgame]

You will need your databases if your doing a SIMS migration (I'm assuming your keeping the domain name the same). Just make sure that if you change the server name, that it is also changed in the connect.ini.

 

You can install SQL on the new server and with a new SA account, attach the databases with dbAttach.

 

As for the teachers doing attendance, its just a case of installing the SIMS .net client on your teachers workstations and making sure that SIMS .net can communicate with your SIMS server (if you have two domains, you put the IP address in connect.ini file instead of the server name).

Edited June 24, 2013 by Ghostgame

[number34]

Currently we use SIMS only in the office, and the new head wants it on her laptop, and she wants the teachers to use attendance instead of paper registers. Trouble is, I've inherited this system from the LA, and as such don't have the sa password. This means when we back up, I've had to script it to stop the SIMS services, copy the relevant folders/files and then restart the services...not ideal! Also, this means I can't use dbattach to transfer the entire database to a new office machine (seeing as they are stopping XP support).

 

So my question is, what is involved in starting a new SIMS environment from scratch? As if it's all brand new?

You say it is used in the office, do you mean on a standalone machine or a network? If it is networked then you just(!) have to set up the laptops as SIMS workstations and sort out users etc. I would assume your LA would support this.

Edited June 24, 2013 by number34
typo

[edutech4schools]

If it was me I would be getting the sa password sorted asap. it could cause you all sorts of issues without it. For example if your sims backup is not using the SA account is it actually backing up all the sims user accounts or just the data?

[quietriot1983]

I have exhausted options for getting hold of the sa password. LA are no help as we are a 'black sheep' school who opted out of RM's managed service, so they try to make it as difficult as possible for us.

[creese]

I have exhausted options for getting hold of the sa password. LA are no help as we are a 'black sheep' school who opted out of RM's managed service, so they try to make it as difficult as possible for us.

 

If they have it and are making it difficult for you to manage your data... They could be on dodgy ground. Maybe some pressure high up... mention of the Data Protection Act.

[edutech4schools]

I have exhausted options for getting hold of the sa password. LA are no help as we are a 'black sheep' school who opted out of RM's managed service, so they try to make it as difficult as possible for us.

 

That is no different than them not giving you the server admin password and probably not legal. They also should have kept an up to date list of passwords on school property. Have you tried the school safe?

[Ghostgame]

Found a link for resetting your SA password on Asp.net forum.

Hope this helps.

[CAM]

Will this help? I think I did this before on a test database:

Resetting the SA password for SQL Server

 

You need to connect to it using Windows Authentication so it uses the local admin account on the server for management tasks, such as resetting administrator passwords.

 

You only need to install SIMS Server in one place though and having a copy of the database on a laptop would be a gross violation of data protection, encrypted or not. Plus SIMS server will cripple it and the data will not match up with what is on your main server if something changes (which it will). Look into remote access like VPN if someone wants access to SIMS outside of school.

[vikpaw]

Part of the installation, leaves a file called ChSAPwd.exe in the server binn folder under your SQL instance - not sure on the syntax but i'm sure it's covered here. I'm guessing it's there on all install types even Express.

 

I wouldn't bother though, if you're going to be migrating to a new machine, do a clean install yourself with a new SA password and then attach the files from the old server after turning services off.

 

I don't think the plan was to put a server install on the laptop was it? Just to access from the laptop...

The only thing that might sting you is the logins might not carry forward.

 

Also, you should be able to get a system manager backup, at least from sysman 6 it worked fine as system manager user, and you can just restore that to the new server, so you don't even have to turn your old setup off.

[Sylv3r]

This is what I have used in the past and worked well.

 

osql -SERVER\SIMSSQL2008 -E -n -Q”sp_password @old =null, @new= 'NewSAPassword1#' , @loginame = 'sa'”

 

This command assumes that

 

The server name is SERVER The instance name is SIMSSQL2008 The sa username is sa The new sa password is NewSAPassword1#

[jinnantonnixx]

As @CAM says, the way back in is with an administrative Windows account.

 

Also, your backup method would get you shot at dawn for a month. Just kidding.

 

Once you have the sa back under your control, you can use the free tool 'SQLCMD' to backup your database either from the server or a workstation. You don't need to suspend the SQL service to do this. SQL backups can run at any time, even if the server is in full flow.

 

In the example in the link below, you don't even need sa as it uses the '-E' switch which uses a Windows account.

Backup and Restore Your SQL Server Database from the Command Line

Edited June 24, 2013 by jinnantonnixx

[quietriot1983]

Thanks for all the replies. An added obstacle, that I'm sure you all face too, is that the secretary is *always* on her machine (which is the SIMS server).

 

Not too fussed about things carrying forward other than the data, as it is, no-one really has access other than the secretary, so it might be overdue a clean out of all the old LEA accounts etc etc.

[Greg]

Easiest option is to reset the SA pasword and continue with your existing setup (assuming everything else works ok), saves you reinstalling.

What is in your SLA for SIMS support, did you purchase the SQL license.

We supply the SA passwords to any of our schools that need them.

 

I'd give the secretary a workstation to work on and keep the SIMS server safe from day to day human intervention if you're rolling out SIMS to the school