[sims] Instructions for setting up a test system

[kennysarmy]

We're running the latest SIMS and have had some issues recently with Lesson Monitor.

 

I'd like to be able to use one of our backups that SIMS stores in S:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL11.SIMS2012\MSSQL\Backup to check some data.

 

I obviously can't recover this to the live system so thought I could use a decent workstation and get SIMS running as a standalone copy and restore the backup to it.

 

Does anyone have any instructions for creating such a setup?

If I ask our SIMS LEA for any instructions they will likley just say "No because you don't pay for hardware support"

 

Many thanks.

[Banjo]

I haven't got a paper guide as we install SIMS from a script. You should be able to get away with SQL Express install with a names instance and use an SA password.

 

And this is where is gets tricky - You need to install doc server on the Workstation so you will need the an up to date .exe to install it. You can pretty much copy and paste the rest of SIMS to the workstation including the program files folder where the apps live. Change the connect ini to point to the new server name and Sims is ready to go. Restore the db using db attach - login, change the DOc server settings to point to the new server name, then upload a test document against a student, then look for the doc server folder structure and copy the old docs into it.

[kennysarmy]

I haven't got a paper guide as we install SIMS from a script. You should be able to get away with SQL Express install with a names instance and use an SA password.

 

And this is where is gets tricky - You need to install doc server on the Workstation so you will need the an up to date .exe to install it. You can pretty much copy and paste the rest of SIMS to the workstation including the program files folder where the apps live. Change the connect ini to point to the new server name and Sims is ready to go. Restore the db using db attach - login, change the DOc server settings to point to the new server name, then upload a test document against a student, then look for the doc server folder structure and copy the old docs into it.

 

 

 

Thanks I came at it from another angle - as the Server was virtual I created a clone - changed the name and IP and now have a test setup.

 

Cheers

[MrMat]

As above, it's not a massively complicated process. If you want to install from fresh rather than copying from another workstation it's just the following:

 

Install SQL express.

Grab a copy of SIMSApplicationSetup.exe and SIMSSQLApplicationsetup.exe (and SIMSDocumentServerInstaller.exe is you need to set up the DMS)

Run SIMSSQLapplicationsetup and install it to the BINN folder of the SQL instance you just set up (something like: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL12.SIMS\MSSQL\Binn). This will install DBATTACH.

Run DBATTACH. Log in via SA and restore the backup to the new instance.

Run SIMSApplicationsetup to install SIMS to C Program Files etc. Ament the connect.ini.

Run SIMS. If it crashes due to SIMS.ini (because we skipped a few install steps), instead just browse to the SIMS .net folder in program files and run Pulsar.exe. This will bypass SIMSload so doesn't need a SIMS.ini.

 

Feel free to drop me a DM if you need a hand with anything.

 

Edit: Too slow! Doh!

[kennysarmy]

As above, it's not a massively complicated process. If you want to install from fresh rather than copying from another workstation it's just the following:

 

Install SQL express.

Grab a copy of SIMSApplicationSetup.exe and SIMSSQLApplicationsetup.exe (and SIMSDocumentServerInstaller.exe is you need to set up the DMS)

Run SIMSSQLapplicationsetup and install it to the BINN folder of the SQL instance you just set up (something like: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL12.SIMS\MSSQL\Binn). This will install DBATTACH.

Run DBATTACH. Log in via SA and restore the backup to the new instance.

Run SIMSApplicationsetup to install SIMS to C Program Files etc. Ament the connect.ini.

Run SIMS. If it crashes due to SIMS.ini (because we skipped a few install steps), instead just browse to the SIMS .net folder in program files and run Pulsar.exe. This will bypass SIMSload so doesn't need a SIMS.ini.

 

Feel free to drop me a DM if you need a hand with anything.

 

Edit: Too slow! Doh!

 

 

Might still try this in a quiet moment - thanks.

[Banjo]

Thanks I came at it from another angle - as the Server was virtual I created a clone - changed the name and IP and now have a test setup.

 

Cheers

 

Remember to change the Doc Server settings to point to the new server name. Also, and it might not effect what you are testing, but some parts of SIMS doesn't like a server name change with an attached DB. You might get away with this on a test environment, but it's a pain in the neck on a live one. I've had to hack host files in the past to get bits to work because a 3rd party IT person has renamed the SIMS server to their naming convention.

[matt40k]

Kinda going off topic, but I wonder why Capita hasn't produced a test dev Azure Quickstart Template? - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/resources/templates/ - @PhilNeal. For those unaware, all Microsoft Agreements these days comes with Azure credit, this is "free" credit to run services on Azure such as a virtual machine in the cloud (to tease you into the cloud). The quickstart template is basically a button. You press it, log in to Azure and boom, you have a configured server.

 

So why hasn't Capita produced one? Serious question. Click button, log into Azure, enter the url and password for the SIMS setups, upload SIMS backup. Login to VM and you have a test machine. Security wise you would limit the IP to your own IP, you'd upload the data over HTTPS, delete the VM afterwards, auto generate random secure passwords blah blah blah. So why hasn't Capita spent, what a day or 2 doing it? Surely it'll only take a few schools asking how to setup a test machine to cover the cost, plus you've got a air tight way of ruling out "environment" issues. Got issues? Can't replicate it? OK, spin up test VM, oh look, it works ok in Azure, must be your setup. Think you should be using Standard edition, pick the one with Standard edition.

[Banjo]

Capita could add it as a line to the annual maintenance agreement - Test Server - £x per annum

[matt40k]

If they were to charge, they'd have to do some actual real work - ideally sticking a upload button into SOLUS3. Which could turn into them building a backup tool.