Table of Contents
Copying the Live Database to Demo
For training purposes, you may want to copy your Live database files to the DEMO directory and have it initialized to the Demo database. Copying from your Live environment to your Demo environment facilitates your:
- Training: By providing you with a safe "sandbox" where you can learn, test, and develop in RecTrac before applying any changes to your Live environment;
- Onboarding: By ensuring your database is refreshed for new hires via the removal of any "old" and/or irrelevant data.
The Refresh utility provides the Live to Demo functionality without requiring a shutdown of your Live database.
Note:
- In all instances of <x>:\vsi\..., <x>refers to the mapped partition on which RecTrac is installed. For example, c:\ VSI3\RecTrac\Data\LIVE
- The program MUST be run on your RecTrac database server.
Running the Refresh Database Utility
Designed primarily to automate the "copy live to demo" process for training purposes, the Refresh Database Utility will run the Training Database Init/Restore program automatically.
To run the Refresh Database Utility:
1. On the RecTrac database server, launch Refresh. In Windows go to Start • All Programs • VSI3 • DB_Utilities. Right-click and choose Run as Administrator, if the option exists.
2. Read the message on the Welcome to the Database Utilities screen and click Next. You will proceed to the Database Utilities program selection screen.
3. Select the Refresh Database radio set and click Next>. You will proceed to the Refresh Database screen.
4. Accept the default Database Name (RecTrac).
5. Choose between From Backup and On Demand as the Refresh Type.
- The From Backup Refresh Type simply makes a copy of your most recent backup, which for most users, occurs overnight.
Note: Typically, you will want to choose From Backup as your Refresh Type, as often your nightly database backup will meet your needs and will be most efficient.
- The On Demand Refresh Type performs a Progress online backup of the source database directly prior to the refresh, ensuring that your database is as up to date as possible.
Note: Select On Demand as your Refresh Type only when your database refresh requires a backup more recent than your standard nightly backup, as this Refresh Type is resource intensive and takes time to complete. Consequently, when choosing this Refresh Type, you may notice a temporary performance drop while this backup is performed.
6. Click the Browse button and select your RecTrac structure file (rectrac.st). By default, the structure file is located in <x>:\VSI3\RecTrac\Data\LIVE
7. Click the Browse button and select your RecTrac database (rectrac.db). By default, the database file is located in <x>:\VSI3\RecTrac\Data\LIVE
Note: Never change the name of your database without being instructed to do so by a Vermont Systems representative (i.e. if you're restoring a RecTrac database, do not select FinTrac). Changing a database name without appropriate planning and implementation can have unexpected results.
8. Click Next>. You will proceed to the Refresh Location screen.
9 Accept the default location (<x>:\VSI3\RecTrac\Data\Demo, where <x> is the drive partition on which RecTrac is installed) or click Browse to select an alternate destination, if desired.
Note: If there is a database present in this directory, it must have the same name as the intended target. For example, you are restoring a RecTrac database (rectrac.db), and the directory you choose has a database in it. The database in the directory you choose must be rectrac.db and not some other database name, such as fintrac.db.
10 Click Next>. You will continue to the Options screen.
11 Accept the Default options on this screen.
12 Initialize Demo. This restores the database in Demo/Training mode. The utility runs the Training Database Init program on the target database automatically when the restore is complete but before the database and AppServers are started.
13 RecTrac and WebTrac Password Options: These options will set the password for all User IDs in the database to demo. Passwords in RecTrac 3.1 are case-sensitive.
14 Clear all HH and FM info? Select this option if you would like to mask last names for Households and Family Members when the database is initialized.
This option changes the last name for a Household (and family members) to the beginning letter of the Primary Guardian's/Sponsor's Last Name and random number. Address and phone number information is deleted as well.
For example, with this toggle enabled, the last name of the Penny Lane household (and all Family Members) would become something like L12300. Address and phone number data will be deleted from the household.
15 Skip interface parameter clear?:Select this option to avoid deleting all interface parameters from the Demo database. This is not recommended.
16 Tenants: Accept the default VSI entry, unless you are a Vermont Systems Hosted customer.
Note: If you are a Vermont Systems Hosted customer, contact Vermont Systems Support for your Tenant name.
17 Click Next>. You will continue to the Confirmation screen.
18 Determine whether you wish to create an input file for refresh automation. The recommended option is to leave this toggle de-selected when refreshing OnDemand.
Note: Input files should be created only if you are performing Refresh as a Scheduled Task in Windows.
19 Confirmed the settings are accurate and click Process. The Refresh utility will run.
Be patient! Depending on the size of your database, this process may take a few minutes to complete. Processes will be displayed in a DOS window. Additionally, the utility will present you with a message similar to the following:
20 At completion, click Next.
21 Select Yes when asked to Run Another Utility. Click Done.
Profile Hierarchy: Automatic Profile Unlinking
As a byproduct of running the Refresh.exe program, the following profiles are unlinked automatically from Profile Hierarchy:
- Backup profiles: To ensure valid LIVE backups are not overwritten
- Credit Card profiles: To ensure that credit cards are not processed during demo sales.
- Email profiles: To ensure that emails are not sent to customers as a result of running some program in Demo, such as Installment Billing, Statements, etc.
Troubleshooting
Depending on your RecTrac settings, when completing the Refresh.exe program, you may encounter a "502 Gateway error" or your screen may linger indeterminately on the loading page. These issues typically stem from the absence of an Interface Parameter for your Demo environment.
Note: Once you add an Interface Parameter to your Demo environment, this Interface Parameter remains in your Demo environment, ensuring that you do not encounter this error again when performing a Live to Demo refresh.
To add an Interface Parameter to your Demo database:
1 Select Update Interface Parameters and then click Next.
2 Click Browse, locate your\DEMO\RecTrac.db and then click Open.
3 Click Process.
4 Click Next. Select No to Run Another Utility. Click Done.
(Optional) Browse to your default logs directory (i.e. \VSI3\logs), if desired, to review the log file (V3_Utilities.log) that details the processes which were run.