Plan your PaperCut Site Server Migration

“I’m a Systems Administrator and I want to move our PaperCut Site Server to a newer/different operating system. What do I need to know before starting?”

Migrating a Site Server is a lot simpler than migrating a PaperCut Primary Application Server. You don’t need to backup and restore a database, nor do you need to copy across any configuration or license files. It’s best to just install a new Site Server and associate it with the Application Server, before switching off your pre-existing Site Server. Once setup, the new Site Server will simply copy down all the information it needs from the primary Application Server.

However, there are a couple of scenarios which might require a few more steps. Ask yourself the questions below to find out what else to watch out for.

Does the Site Server host any print queues?

Does the Site Server also act as a print server and host printer connections? If so, you will need to make sure the print queues are set up and tested. This topic is already covered in detail in the Server Migration guide.

Does the Site Server have an external database which will be re-used?

If your Site Server has been configured to use an external database of its own, then the original Site Server should be shutdown before the new one is configured to connect to both the external database and the Application Server; this will prevent two separate Site Servers attempting to access the same external database simultaneously.

Will the new Site Server have a different IP or Hostname?

It’s very important to note that if the Site Server’s name and/or IP address is changing, then any devices at your site that were configured to directly connect to it will need to be reconfigured with these new connection details. Changing your PaperCut server name or IP address is an intense process, so we recommend doing this as a separate project and not at the same time as your server migration.

Still have questions?

Let us know! We love chatting about what’s going on under the hood. Feel free to leave a comment below or visit our Support Portal for further assistance.