Moving mainline branches to different databases or servers

By default, the Surround SCM Server database and all mainline branches are stored in one RDBMS database. You can convert mainline branches to store them in a different RDBMS database, distribute them across multiple RDBMS databases, or move them to a different Surround SCM Server.

When you convert the server database or mainline branches, the data is copied from the current RDBMS database to the destination database. The data is not deleted from the original database.

Following are common scenarios for changing database configurations for mainline branches.

Converting mainline branches stored with the server database to a new RDBMS database

You may decide to switch to a different RDBMS type or host mainlines and the server database in a different RDBMS database. To do this, you need to convert the server database, which copies all the server database and mainline branches to a different RDBMS database.

To copy the mainline branches and server database to the new RDBMS database:

1. Convert the server database. See Converting the server database to a different type.

2. Restart the Surround SCM Server.

3. Optionally delete the server database and mainline branches from the original RDBMS database. You must manually delete the server database. See Deleting mainline branches permanently.

Converting mainline branches not stored with the server database to different RDBMS databases

Mainline branches can be stored separately from server databases and hosted in multiple RDBMS databases. This may help alleviate performance or disk space restriction issues. To move a mainline branch to a different RDBMS database, you need to convert it.

To copy a mainline branch to a different RDBMS database:

1. Inactivate the mainline branch. See Inactivating and activating branches.

2. Convert the mainline branch to copy it to the other database. See Copying mainline branches to different databases.

3. Activate the mainline branch. See Inactivating and activating branches.

4. Optionally destroy the mainline branch from the original RDBMS database. See Deleting mainline branches permanently.

5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 for each mainline branch to copy to the new RDBMS database.

Converting a mainline branch to a different server

Some organizations use multiple Surround SCM Servers for load balancing reasons or to support geographically-dispersed teams. Only one server can connect to an RDBMS database at a time. To host a mainline branch on a different server, copy the mainline to an empty RDBMS database that is not connected to a server, remove it from the source server, and then add it to the destination server.

To copy a mainline branch to a different server:

1. Inactivate the mainline branch to move. See Inactivating and activating branches.

2. Convert the mainline branch to move it to the different RDBMS database. See Copying mainline branches to different databases.

3. Remove the mainline branch from the current server. See Removing mainline branches.

4. Log in to the destination server.

5. Add the mainline branch to the destination server. See Restoring removed branches.

6. Optionally convert the mainline branch on the destination server to host it in the same RDBMS database as the server database.

7. Optionally destroy the mainline branch from the original RDBMS database. See Deleting mainline branches permanently.