You can perform various migration procedures for Community Edition servers and databases.

Migrate servers

The process of migrating an instance of Community Edition running on one server to another server follows a similar pattern to the backup process, with additional steps to ensure any configuration is also copied over.

The dir.root property is usually defined in the alfresco-global.properties file.

The dir.root is often a directory named alf_data within the directory where Community Edition is installed, and will hold both content and full text indexes by default. The dir.root location is also reported in the logs when the server is started.

Back up Community Edition Server 1

This task describes how to back up the first server for migration.

1. Stop the Community Edition server to ensure that no changes can be made while backing up or restoring.

2. Export the database to dir.root (same location as content and indexes).

3. Copy the configuration directory to dir.root.

   For example:

   Code copied to clipboard.
    cp -r tomcat/shared/classes/alfresco/extension alf_data
   

4. Back up dir.root.

Restore to Community Edition Server 2

This task describes how to restore a back up of a server to another server.

1. Install a compatible Community Edition server. This is typically an identical version to server 1.

   Note: Do not start the new server.

2. Restore dir.root. If the path is different on server 2, change the dir.root configuration.

3. Rename the new server’s configuration directory.

   For example:

   Code copied to clipboard.
    mv tomcat/shared/classes/alfresco/extension new_ext
   

4. Move the configuration directory from dir.root to the appropriate location

   For example:

   Code copied to clipboard.
    mv alf_data/extension tomcat/shared/classes/alfresco
   

5. If any configuration references server 1 explicitly, change these references to server 2.

6. Import the database from dir.root.

7. Start the server.

You should now have a new instance of Community Edition on a second server with identical data.