Banjo

I wouldn't split SIMS from SQL as there is no need. What you can do is install a 2nd instance of SQL on the same VM and the 3rd party add-ons can be attached to that instance rather than the SIMS instance. As for any tips, make sure you have the licence file for NOVA on the new server.

If you have upgraded to 7188 then just copy the files from SIMS /FMS / Discover into the 'SIMS setup' folder from the upgrades folder. I'd also log into SIMS to check that the upgrade went through ok and the workstations did upgrade.

You will need to install SQL manually (or own script) on the new server as you are running Standard rather than Express. Also worth dropping on SSMS as well. The migration tool moves the database(s) across, but all its saving you doing in running Dbattach on the old server then on the new. The migration tool is good at upgrading instances (on the same server) where it can attach a redirect to the old instance, pointing at the new instance to save editing the connect.ini file. However, for a new build you will need Borland & MSXML installing manually from the 2013 installers. Copy the old folder structure across to the new server (for CTFs and other files). On top of this you then have to install and setup DOCServer and migrate the old to the new, install SIMS Service Manager and Discover (if you use it). Then drop on Solus 3 to get the updates from Capita/LA.

The 'Migration Tool' is designed to upgrade the SQL databases to a newer instance. What it wont do is move the whole SIMS installation on the old server to the new. If you were installing a newer version of SQL on the old server then the Migration Tool is the way to go. Moving to a new server, then it's pretty much a waste of time as there is quite a bit more stuff to do than what this tool can offer.

But Solus 3 won't work in this instance. You can only have 1 instance of Solus 3 linked to your account. You will need SQL/SIMS/FMS/Discover/SSM/NovaT, etc installing on every laptop/desktop of each MIS techie in the team as if they where setup as individual MIS servers in separate schools. One central Solus server managed by corporate ICT won't manage these machines, especially when they have multiple DBs eg (Pri, Sec, Special & Nur).

The issue you will have is that the SIMS teams members will each need SQL installing. They will then need to run and install patches for testing. Some team members may upgrade to the latest version of SIMS whilst other may hold back as some schools will not be fully upgraded. Some might want to roll back an upgrade to test a bug/functionality. I had this battle with my ICT Dept in the LA. The SIMS team members will need local admin rights otherwise they will be logging calls every 5 mins as they wont have permissions to do to their job properly.

The are really good with great support. They can 'write back' into the SIMS database which is a big plus for our schools.

I might be tempted to create an SQL instance for each school. I run multiple training DB's on the same machine with different Doc folders, with no issues.

You can, you just need to do it outside of Solus. You can do DB upgrades and patching from the cmd line and schedule these using Windows Sched. Tasks.

If you are training team (School Support) then you will have paid Capita for you license and support for this product including new installations. Most likely you will need to install SQL on the new laptops and attach the DB's to them.

I would be very careful with this process. For example, the SENCO forgets to record the student as a E/K on SIMS and you delete their electronic record > ouch!

Is this for archive purposes as they have now moved on to a new MIS or you want to centralize the servers in one place? You can run all three off the one server if it's just for archiving quite easily, it's not so easy if they are still live and you have to patch and update them.

What permissions does the app ask for when it installs?

Are these targeted Ads at the parents where the app is monitoring the users activity from their phone/devices or just 'spam' for other Bromcom products?

Opps - .mdf > most definitely not Access

Only if you were publishing to the web which is a really bad idea regardless of where you are grabbing the data from. If you are 'worried' about support then its a simple task to create a shadow SIMS_Reporting.mdb (DB) and automate the backup/restore routines from live and point Power BI to this warehouse.

The issue LA's have is that one of the biggest indicators for NEET is exclusion data/flags. When you profile NEETs you will pretty much find a history of FT/Perm exclusions. If you remove exclusion data from your modelling your identification of potential NEETs falls off the cliff. What you can do is profile the 'risk of exclusions' which does factor in low attendance and academic performance. Some LA's in London are moving to these models to predict issues within the Social Care arena.

You can also link directly to the SIMS DB with Power BI and miss out the middle man (Excel). Are school publishing to the web by accident as they have not purchased the BI license to just publish internally?

If you are using the migration tool you have the option of a 'redirect' on the SQL2012 instance. This is just a signpost on SQL2012 to point any request for SIMS to SQL2016. The advantage is that you don't need to update your connect .ini files or any other addon's, the con, is that you have to leave SQL2012 running in the background. > You might want to change the connect.ini but still use the redirect so the addon's work. (edit)

If SQL2017 isn't supported, then the migration tool would probably have failed. You could try running SQL 2017 in compatibility mode with 2016. Capita advised this with SQL 2014 > to run as SQL 2012.

I think Office 2019 and future SQL releases will be needed for the secondary market even if SIMS8 comes to the primary sector in the next 18 months.

Capita working at the very cutting edge of technology ! SQL 2016 SP2 is missing from the roadmap as well.

From the looks of it - you are a bit ahead of the game. It's not on Capita's radar as yet. You could try SQL 2016 SP1 in the meantime.

You will need the installers from 2013 > then run through the upgrades to 7184. Might be easier to just VM the existing server and fire it up when required.

Ah! > Wales :-) Not sure what gets produced and when by the Ed Dept. I have seen KS5 VA by region and by national (Wales) - but not seen it published at school level. I wouldn't substitute ALPS data for VA though. Two very separate measures.