Migration of SQL server by using BUS AutoReplace task

Sometimes the SQL servers used for DigaSystem must be migrated. Usually this is done by using DigAlign. DigAlign will copy the content from the tables of the old server to the new server. Depending on the configuration the name of SQL server and the path of the audio file share is changing at the same time.

When using BCS for playout the audio elements which are stored in templates or jingle banks must be updated to point to the new SQL server and path.

The RefNr of the database elements is changed while doing the migration. DigAlign creates new RefNr for each copied element.

Before starting the migration the template and jingle banks must be exported inside DigAIRange by using DirectExport.dll. This action will create .xml files which can be used for importing to new BCS or into same BCS later - depending of the complexity of the migration (database only; database and BCS)

This means that the BUS AutoReplace task needs another identifier to point to the correct elements in the migrated database. AutoReplace task supports Title, MusicID, CDID, Motive and DBRefNr as reference. For music usually unique MusicIDs are used. For jingle banks this is normally not working but maybe there are no doubled title information in the selected table(s). This must be checked carefully before running AutoReplace task.

By default AutoReplace task won't replace the medium information which was copied during the planning phase of the templates or jingle banks. This would mean that after running the task the paths for media files are not completely updated. Even if the primary media directory path is replaced by AutoReplace task the media entries are still pointing to the obsolete path. This could cause problems.

Therefore the exported .xml files should be scanned for the included entries of medium table. The number of entries per element depends on the files attached to each database entry. It could look like this:

<MEDIUM.FILE1.FILEREF>\\server\share$\folder\check.DBX</MEDIUM.FILE1.FILEREF>
<MEDIUM.FILE1.TITLE>check.DBX</MEDIUM.FILE1.TITLE>
<MEDIUM.FILE1.TYPE>Data.DB-Info</MEDIUM.FILE1.TYPE>
<MEDIUM.FILE2.FILEREF>\\server\share$\folder\check.RTF</MEDIUM.FILE2.FILEREF>
<MEDIUM.FILE2.TITLE>check.RTF</MEDIUM.FILE2.TITLE>
<MEDIUM.FILE2.TYPE>Text.InfoText</MEDIUM.FILE2.TYPE>

To include those medium entries in BUS AutoReplace task a special field treatment must be created inside the configuration dialog by pressing "..."

For each medium line a line must be created inside the Field selection dialog. The checkbox must be set to "Prefer DB".

The BUS AutoReplace task must be configured to run with the following activated options:

Replace / update / reset trigger
- New or different database entry (Compares all search criteria, replace if found DB entry is new or a different one)
- Use newest database entry if multiple matches found
- DB entry changed (Compares change timestamp of referenced DB entry, update if different)

No additional conditions should be set.