Keep Pulse history when migrating Pulse

In Pulse.cfg, a new parameter ServerNameOverride has been added with Pulse v5.7.5. This new parameter enables Pulse to be moved from one server to another and all of the history be kept.
It can also be used in a scenario where the server name is regularly changed, i.e. in a virtual or cloud environment. The ServerNameOverride setting should be the name of the first server Pulse was installed on and configured for. Now when you move the files to another server or change the server name Pulse will continue using the original name.

It might be a bit confusing so let’s have a look at an example. Let’s say you are currently using Pulse on one server DEV1, monitoring TM1 instances on the same machine:

Now you want to create a new server called DEV2, and migrate the Pulse history from DEV1 to this new server. The first thing you need to do is to install Pulse on this new DEV2 server, you will now have two servers with two Pulse running:

In order to migrate the Pulse history from DEV1 to DEV2, you just need to copy accross the Pulse for TM1 folder:

• Stop Pulse services on both servers DEV1 and DEV2

• Delete Pulse for TM1 folder on DEV2 server. Before deleting the folder, backup the license file (The license file is still driven by the server name where Pulse is installed).

• Copy the Pulse for TM1 folder from DEV1 to DEV2

If the Pulse version on DEV2 is different than the one installed on DEV1, copying the all Pulse for TM1 folder will not work. In this case you will have to migrate only the folders described in this article:

• Backing up Pulse

Once copied, you will have to update the Pulse.cfg in DEV2 with ServerNameOverride=DEV1. By doing so Pulse will now run on the DEV2 server using actually DEV1 as a server name. The ServerNameOverride parameter is located in the Monitoring section:

The Pulse license file can be based either on your domain or on the server name. If your license file is based on your domain and if DEV1 and DEV2 server are on the same domain, you can then use the same license file on both server.
However if your license file is based on the server name where Pulse is installed. On the DEV2 server, the server name in the Pulse license file has to be DEV2. To check the server name in the license file, just open Pulse for TM1serverLicense.xml and look for:

Server-Name="CW007"

Replacing the server name manually will not work. If you do not have a license file for your new server, you should request a new license by sending the new server name to your local contact at Cubewise.

On the DEV2 server, Pulse will now run as expected, the only difference is on the backend where it is going to use DEV1 as server name. Pulse on the DEV2 server will only monitor TM1 instances on the DEV2 server.