Database Migrations

This guide explains how to perform different kinds of database migrations.

Firebird Migration

To perform the Firebird Migration, one should have access to the Service Pages.

Prerequisites

Make sure there is a Firebird 5.0 database server available. If not, it can be installed with the TICS Viewer installer, with an installer from Firebird 5.0 downloads or by deploying a Docker container using the Firebird 5.0 image.

If running on Windows with both Firebird servers running on the same machine, a separate directory for Firebird 5.0 databases must be created (and used for configuring the Firebird 5.0 database in step 1). This can be put next to the existing Firebird 2.5 DBServer path (for example: C:\Program Files\TIOBE\TICS\DBServer5).

Step 1: Configure Databases

Put the configuration of the current Firebird database server defined in the Administration Pages into the SERVER.yaml property OLD_DATABASE. Please keep in mind that there is no <default> value replacement for OLD_DATABASE and properties SERVER, DBPATH, USERNAME and PASSWORD are mandatory.

Example for a Windows deployment:

OLD_DATABASE:
  SERVER: localhost
  DBPATH: C:\Program Files\TIOBE\TICS\DBServer
  USERNAME: <username>
  PASSWORD:PLAIN: <password>

Then update the Administration Pages with the location of the new Firebird database server. If installed on Windows using the TICS Installer, the Firebird server will be running on port 3051. The server field then would be: "localhost/3051".

Please keep in mind that the database path must be different from the one configured in OLD_DATABASE when running both Firebird servers on the same machine. In this case, the database path for the new database has to be created manually.

After this step the viewer should remain working as before, newly created databases are now created on the new database server. This can be checked in the Service Pages by checking if the values of DB Path and Firebird version match the expected database servers and versions.

Step 2: Migration

If all is setup the migration can be performed in the Migration Panel of the Service Pages. Simply check all projects that you want to migrate (or use the check all checkbox) and hit Migrate. The migrations will then be scheduled and executed by the Viewer.

As soon as a project is scheduled for migration it is not possible to run TICSQServer runs until the migration is finished.