[sims] Summer Release 2011

[featured_spectre]

.net 4.0 can be sent out via GPO on a silent install...

[Simcfc73]

Whenever I run the Summer install I am getting tolerance not met errors on the server... looking at the package its trying to install the spring release first followed by the other ones up to Summer. I've already used Solus 2 to update the server so was hopeing Solus 3 would realise this and skip what has already been installed.

 

Just got to ring back tech support tomo and see if they can fix whats going on. None of the clients which have used Solus 3 previosuly can attach to SQL now, I have to upgrade the cleints manually.

 

Blinking pain in the bum and no mistake.

[Simcfc73]

Sorted, didn't like the SIMS DB password I had put in..

[vikpaw]

Any more issues anybody?

If people fancy doing a test install - i'm planning one, then the KBs required and some discussion of the process are here:

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/74019-setting-up-test-backup.html#post713521

[zag]

Loving System Manager 7!!!

 

Its actually really well designed.

 

I have not even read the 78 page manual yet as most things are intuitive Very refreshing.

[Sivadam]

Loving System Manager 7!!!

Its actually really well designed.

I have not even read the 78 page manual yet as most things are intuitive Very refreshing.

 

It is very good.

 

However, as I pointed out when testing it at UAT, not all System managers are on the Technical Team of a school. Indeed, some of the better ones are not! ..... Now that should illicit a few responses!!!!!

 

Such System Managers do need a way of producing SysMan backups before Sysman6 is turned off. I need them, amongst other things, to send to Capita Support and Capita UAT as and when required. I do not want to rely on one of the Technical Team doing this when they are not too busy (and that is meant in it's kindest sense!). Also, the Report in Sysman6 that gives default Passwords ought to be in System7 as easiy as it is in Sysman6. And I did said this in UAT before the release of the software, and I will continue to say it at each and every opportunity!

[creese]

Such System Managers do need a way of producing SysMan backups before Sysman6 is turned off. I need them, amongst other things, to send to Capita Support and Capita UAT as and when required. I do not want to rely on one of the Technical Team doing this when they are not too busy (and that is meant in it's kindest sense!). Also, the Report in Sysman6 that gives default Passwords ought to be in System7 as easiy as it is in Sysman6. And I did said this in UAT before the release of the software, and I will continue to say it at each and every opportunity!

 

Why not use a simple DBAttach script? We do this every night on all primaries and send these to Capita when needed.

[Sivadam]

Because I need them on demand!

 

I checked my Email at Home on Wednesday evening and by 7.30pm the next morning a dataset was on it's way to Capita Support, via ftp upload, in relation to the Home page issue!

I had backed up SIMS via Sysman6, copied it to my PC, zipped it up via Winzip v15.5 and it was uploading well before there were any other major demands on our broadband connection!

 

Had the request been made for the data mid-day then I would have again been able to do it immediately!

Edited September 7, 2011 by Sivadam

[creese]

Because I need them on demand!

I checked my Email at Home on Wednesday evening and by 7.30pm the next morning a dataset was on it's way to capita via ftp upload, in relation to the Home page issue!

 

My question still stands.

 

Run the script, 10 - 20 mins later it's ready to send, all zipped up.

[vikpaw]

And the techie could set it up for you, with a shortcut, so you don't even need any high level or server access to run it.

[creese]

Something like this:

 

cd..

cd..

cd "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.SIMSSQL2008\MSSQL\binn"

DBATTACH /AUTO /SERVER=@@@@-OFFICE\SIMSSQL2008 /database=simsburnbp /USER=sa /PASSWORD=@@@@@ /BACKUP

 

cd..

cd..

cd c:\Program Files\7-Zip

7za.exe a -mx7 d:\SIMS\SIMSSQL.7z "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.SIMSSQL2008\MSSQL\backup\*.bak"

 

optional

set FileDate=%date:/=%

ren d:\SIMS\SIMSSQL.7z SIMSSQL%filedate%.7z

[Sivadam]

No Thank you.

I prefer my Backup routine from Sysman!

Why should we have to use functionality that has worked for many, many, many years when there is no real reason to do so.

 

Coincidently my Technical colleague agrees with me.

 

And so did others at UAT including some of the Capita Staff!

Edited September 7, 2011 by Sivadam

[creese]

No Thank you.

I prefer my Backup routine from Sysman!

Why should we have to use functionality that has worked for many, many, many years when there is no real reason to do so.

 

Coincidently my Technical colleague agrees with me.

 

Your choice of course.. a shortcut in System Manager, which requires logging in, uses DBAttach, ready to zip... OR one on your desktop, which requires no login, uses DBAttach AND zips the file.

[Sivadam]

Your choice of course.. a shortcut in System Manager, which requires logging in, uses DBAttach, ready to zip... OR one on your desktop, which requires no login, uses DBAttach AND zips the file.

One would assume that one would have to re-zip that file anyway, to include the level of encryption required and reduction to as small as size as possible, as per Winzip v15.5 can produce?

Or is that automatisable (is there such a word?) as well? If it is then I would have to wait to see the tekkie to find out what each encryption password was!

I am one of the few that was glad when Sysman stopped producuing automatic zipping because we still had to re-zip the zip, to encrypt it, before an ftp upload!!

[creese]

One would assume that one would have to re-zip that file anyway, to include the level of encryption required and reduction to as small as size as possible, as per Winzip v15.5 can produce?

Or is that automatisable (is there such a word?) as well? If it is then I would have to wait to see the tekkie to find out what each encryption password was!

I am one of the few that was glad when Sysman stopped producuing automatic zipping because we still had to re-zip the zip, to encrypt it, before an ftp upload!!

 

Right click 7z file and add password via one of the choices... email, archive...

 

I use CoreFTP which seems really fast uploading lately.

[Sivadam]

Yep, me too.

Less than one hour at 7.15am. Several hours if started during the day when all Sheffield Users are on the very poor Broadband connection that we keep subscribing to (now there is another issue!)

We have quite a large database! Though I expect larger schools will have bigger ones!

[creese]

We have to bring the data back here then FTP it. Fortunately we have fast connection to all but 2 schools. Except the 2 we have no connection to.

[vikpaw]

The new FTP servers are pretty hot if you get a chance to try them.

I'd have thought there would be command line options for encryption as well as compression levels, so it should all work. Or you could look at @matt40k 's TidyBackups routine which could be used. Maybe it could be modified to allow you to run a backup too, and / or redirect the output. Usually the most recent overnight backup should be sufficient for Capita, unless it's literally a case of clicked an irreversible routine which then broke something. So access to those would be a workaround.

It is a loss of functionality, but they've taken it away, and these alternatives are pretty darn good, so worth considering.

[matt40k]

With version 2 of TidyBackups I was aiming to create a library that people could use, so Capita use it to replicate the old tidy backups in SysMan6, however rather then a static list that Capita adds when they're tool it used, it would look at the directory and work out if it's a backup, what type of backup (mssql backup, discover export), if it's compressed, the compression technology, how old it is, any description, size (uncompressed\compressed), if it's corrupt (compressed file only) and so on, and based on your rules determine what action will be required (compress, deletion, upload\copying, encryption and so).

 

Now as I understand it SOLUS3 will be doing the backup, sysman7 will have a option to interface with SOLUS3 to deal with backup tasks. In theory, Capita could integrate a ZIP library, like DotNetZip and a SSH library, like SharpSSH and create a upload method. I would hope if they did, they have the server SSH fingerprint as a patch.

 

I personally still find the new SFTP server a bit pants. I've getting a good 80KBs from it, but when you think I get 300KBs+ uploading via HTTPS via a server in the USA. SFTP and SSH isn't accepted by Microsoft and still feels like it needs so love from Microsoft to make it main stream and supportable.

 

HTTPS also doesn't need firewall ports opening, SSL certificates are generally accepted as a secure way to verify servers are who they say they are. This is why I'm planning on using AnyComms Plus and then getting Capita to download from me. Still, that's just the current plan. It might all change if\when they have built in support.

[vikpaw]

When you click on System Manager 7 from the Focus menu, there is a little icon next to it. Does anyone have this on their SIMS shortcuts bar at the top? I don't and want it there.

[Sivadam]

All SIMS School Users might want to check out thread 'Set Primary ............. (33006)' on SupportNet.

 

Matt,

I hope you see this post sooner rather than later!

You won't be able to see it probably but if you can get one of schools to view it then you might find it interesting.

Keeping the two forums separate is a massive disadvantage when an issue like this crops up!

Changing of priority on Contact phone numbers is a massive, massive error!

It need others to realise the implications and report it as I have!

 

I post this here as I am currently having problems getting Support to understand the full implications of this change! I don't go public on these sort of things lightly! As most of you are aware!

 

Phil,

If you see this then the Case number is:- 1109-956403

[Sivadam]

I now stand corrected!

 

Apologies for the long rant about an error in the software!

 

It should have been a short rant about an error in the Release Notes!

 

How could I possibly think of criticising the SIMS Software publicly? I should have know better!