Moving Archive Manager to New Server

Question

We are currently running Archive Manager (5.3) on a Windows Server 200R2 instance, and are considering a move to a 2012R2 server. 
 The current server has all the services, the attachment store and the website as well as SQL server installed on it. 
 We have found the KB articles that explain how to move the attachment store or the SQL database to another server. 
 
 Our question relates to the Full Text Index. 
 If we install Archive Manager on a new server (having already moved the attachment store and database), point the new install to the current database and attachment stores what about the FTI? 
 Is it possible to move the FTI, or is a full rebuild of the index required in this scenario? 
 Thanks in advance ...

David.Cummings · Accepted Answer

Hello John Barry, 
 
The Index will rebuild itself if no Index is present when the Full Text Index Service (FTI) starts. 
 
When the FTI starts, it attempts to scan/verify all of the index partitions based on the FTPartition table. 
 
If it cannot find the index, it either will create a new one if the path is valid, or throw errors to the FTI.wlog saying it cannot access the index location for that partition. 
 
In some scenarios we recommend rebuilding the index depending on the state of it. However, you could manually move it and update the paths to reference the new locations before starting the FTI service in services.msc. 
 
You can find all of the paths under the FTPartition table in the Archive Manager database by running: 
 
SELECT * FROM [ArchiveManager].[dbo].[FTPartition]​ 
 
When running that query you will notice the FTPartitionID column and the Location column. 
 
If you move the Index to a new server along with all of its subfolders including the Message & Attachment folders, you would want to update the paths. 
 
Before moving the index also ensure the "Archive Manager Full Text Index" service is set to Stopped / Manual start up or disabled then perform the move. 
 
Another way of doing it, which can take some time but at least you will know your index is getting rebuilt fresh and will be fully functional when it does is- 
 
Set the Locations Column for each of the Partitions to be the directory of your choice on the new machine: 
 
E.g. 
C:\Dell\ArchiveManager\Index\Message1 
C:\Dell\ArchiveManager\Index\Message2 
C:\Dell\ArchiveManager\Index\Message3 
C:\Dell\ArchiveManager\Index\Attachment4 
 
Once you start the Full Text Index Service, it will begin to rebuild the Paths and Index that are missing on the machine. 
 
This process can take up to a week or longer depending on how large the index is. There is also a chance that if you do an index move it may become corrupted and you may have to rebuild it anyway. 
 
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. 
 
Thank you, 
 
Dave