How to move GroupWise data between two servers.

  • 7017027
  • 30-Nov-2015
  • 06-May-2019

Environment

Novell GroupWise 2014
Novell GroupWise 18.0.x
Novell GroupWise 18.1.x

Situation

Due to some HW failure or exchange there is a need to move GroupWise domain and PO from old server on a new with new IP address.

Resolution

Here is one possible scenario when moving a primary, a secondary domain and POs:
 
1. Copy existing GW data on a new server (domains and POs dir structure).
 
2. On a new server install GW server part .. no configure section. Copy from old server /opt/Novell/GroupWise/ a directory called "certificates" on a new server.
 
3. Make sure that no GW modules are running on a new server - check it via "rcgrpwise status" and stop them.
 
4. Since moved GW data still hold old server information, these would not start properly without a reconfiguration that would reflect new server location and IP addresses. In order to do that changes, you must start gwadminservice in some "manual" mode from a terminal:
 
a) change to /opt/Novell/GroupWise/admin
b) start gwadminservice script with following options:
 
./gwadminservice -detached -home <Linux path to primary domain dir> -ip <new IP> -adminPort 9710
 
This is java based tool so you would see lines being listed in the terminal you started it from. It would end with info about the service being started on specified IP address and port 9710 (or whatever you specified in the startup). Do not terminate this program ...
 
5. Now you shall be able to start webadmin console with https://<new_ip>:9710/ and login as admin.
 
6. Adjust new UNC path / IP addresses on any domain / PO / gwia. Note, keep configuring MTA, for instance, all tabs without closing a dialog window. Otherwise you will not be able to return back to MTA due to pending operations as the domain MTA is not started.
 
7. Once you finished, open extra new terminal window and type:
 
gwsc -i <path to primary>
 
This will update existing gwha.conf file on a new server.
 
8. Terminate (Ctrl + C) manually started java gwadmin service from step 4.
 
9. Do "rcgrpwise status" -> you shall be seeing gwadminservice and newly added domain listed. Now start these two via "rcgrpwise start".
 
10. Once these two instances get started on a new server, you can connect with gwadmincosole to a started domain MTA and then rebuild each domain or PO that would run on this server.
 
11. You can add / upgrade existing gwha.conf file with other instances that shall be run on this server via:
 
gwsc -i <Linux path to secondary domain> .. to include any domain
gwsc -i <path to domain>\wpgate\gwia .. to include a GWIA
gwsc -i <Linux path to PO> ... to include any PO
gwsc -i -dva ... to include dva
 
Once this is done, "rcgrpwise status" would list all these added entries which can be started.
 
If you do not want to take over those older certificates, you can regenerate them on a new server.
 
1. Open a terminal and go into specified undefined undefined undefined undefined/opt/Novell/GroupWise/certificates directory and type:
 
gwadminutil ca -d /<Linux path to primary> -g -f
 
That will create a new set of files in case it was a primary domain that was moved. If you plan to move only a secondary domain, then you will need to download primary domain certificates via:
 
gwadminutil certinst -db /<path_to_secondary> -ca < DNS_or_IP_of_Primary>:9710 - a admin -p <pwd>
 
2. Start gwadminservice script from /opt/Novell/GroupWise/admin directory on a new server with following options:
 
./gwadminservice -detached -home <Linux path to primary domain dir> -ip <new IP> -adminPort 9710
 
When you go now into primary domain MTA (or other domain MTA, any POA .. GWIA) -> SSL Settings, here delete existing entries in certificate and key files and click on "Generate certificate".
 
3. Rebuild any involved domains / POs from webadmin console to bring updated certificate information into GroupWise databases
 
4. Terminate (Ctrl + C) manually started java gwadmin service from step 4.
 
5. Start GroupWise via "rcgrpwise start" command.
 
Other, web based services like Webaccess, Calendar Publishing host, GW monitor needs to be reinstalled on a new server if needed.