The Software Resource Replicator - Migrate Software Resources from one SMP to another, including from older versions to new

Products

• Software Management Solution
• Client Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

Currently the 7.5, 7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5 migration tool does not migrate Software Resources from 7.5, 7.6, 8.0, or 8.1 to 8.5, 8.6, or 8.7. This was originally due to the expectation that any upgrade from 7.5, 7.6, 8.0, or 8.1 should use the previous version's database as part of the upgrade process. This is not always the case, especially when multiple servers may need the data from one (such as breaking out a top-level NS into an Asset and top level servers). A common scenario is an upgrade in server hardware or migration to a virtual environment when upgrading.

Environment

ITMS 7.5, 7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7.x

Resolution

**Version 8.6 has been added. Please note that you MUST use the 7.6 version to export from 7.5 or 7.6, and use the 8.0 for export or import to the 8.0 or 8.1 version of the SMP. Version 8.6 supports export from 8.0, 8.1 and 8.5, but only import to 8.5 or 8.6. Use the below matrix as a reference:

Export / Import from	7.6	8.0	8.5	8.6	8.7
Export 7.5	X
Import 7.5	X
Export 7.6	X
Import 7.6	X
Export 8.0		X	X	x
Import 8.0		X
Export 8.1		X	X	x
Import 8.1		X
Export 8.5			X	x	x
Import 8.5			X	x	x
Export 8.6			X	x	x
Import 8.6			X	x	x

Symantec Software Resource Replicator utility v.7.6.1376, 8.0, 8.5, 8.6 Release Notes

About Symantec Software Resource Replicator
The Symantec Software Resource Replicator utility is designed to migrate logical information for deliverable software resources from one Notification Server to another. Note that the utility does not migrate physical packages. Physical packages should be migrated manually.

How to use the utility

1. Extract the .zip file to any location on the source Notification Server and launch SoftwareReplicator.exe. (The source Notification Server is the one from which the export is performed.). You have to be a member of Local Administrators, Symantec Administrators and SQL db_owner roles.
   NOTE: The password for the zip is "symantec" (without the quotes)
2. Select the software resources you want to export. Use the “Filter software resource by name“ edit box to show only the required resources.
3. Define the Export path and select software resources export parameters.
4. Click Export now.
5. Extract the .zip file to any location on the target Notification Server and launch SoftwareReplicator.exe. (The target Notification Server is the import destination.)
6. If the Software Library was used on the source Notification Server, make sure that the Software Library is also configured on the target Notification Server. It can be configured to any desired location, and not necessarily to the same location as on the source Notification Server).
7. Copy the physical packages you want to import to the proper locations, if their location is changed during their migration to the new Notification Server.
8. Select the location from which the XML files that you defined in step 3 above should be imported.  Click Refresh.
9. Ensure that the mappings between “Root on Source” and “Root on Target” are correctly defined.
10. Click Import now.
11. Wait until the import is complete. Check the message column for any errors (highlighted in red) or warnings (highlighted in blue). The migration is done!

Limitations

1. The utility does not migrate physical packages. These packages should be copied manually to proper locations.
2. The utility does not migrate software resources created by Patch Management Solution.
3. The utility does not migrate information not directly related to software resources (like Organizational views, users etc.).
4. Packages assigned to a specific Package server on the source Notification Server will be assigned to “All Package servers” after migration is complete. The custom package download location on the package server is reset to its default.
5. Only Deliverable Software resources (with at least one command line defined) are replicated.

 

Known Issues
1. For 8.1 RU7 'SoftwareReplicator.exe' doesn't export custom icons therefore all exported SW data from 8.1 RU7 and then imported to 8.5 RU4 or 8.6 RU1 will be shown without icons in SMP Console

• This is not something new introduced and this worked in same way in previous SoftwareReplicator.exe release versions.
• No such problems with custom icons export import, if customer exports data with custom icons from 8.5 x or 8.6.x and then imports to 8.5.x or 8.6.x so all custom icons will be imported and shown in SMP Console.

In case of custom icons export in 8.1 RU7, customer can download all custom icons from ITMS 8.1 RU7 server which are stored in "C:\Program Files\Altiris\SoftwareManagement\Web\AppIcons" and download them in  the same directory on destination ITMS 8.5 RU.x or ITMS 8.6.x server.

 

2. After completed import of all required packages via SoftwareReplicator.exe tool, all these packages will automatically have "Package Assignment" to 'All Package Servers' despite that previously they had other custom assignments.

If customer is aware of this, then there is an easy way how to bulk change all required packages to required Site or Package Server(s).
As an example how this can be accomplished.

 

Known Issues (pre-8.6 version)

1. “Contains” software resource associations are lost during the migration with this utility.
2. Association type Updates (software updates) will get migrated even if corresponding export parameter is unchecked.
3. Association type Supersedes will not be migrated if specified using “software resource that supersedes this software resource” option.
4. The Software Release association with the software product will appear in Managed Software on the Target Activity Center only after this software is discovered by Software Discovery, or Software Inventory. This issue is not specific to the Software Replicator utility.
5. Error message regarding published command line is displayed in NS command line during export. The error does not affect functionality.
6. File Inventory Data will also get migrated when selecting a Resource to be migrated even if the File Inventory checkbox is unchecked.
7. When using the "Exclude Security and NS Origin information" checkbox it is not removing Software Product Security and NS Origin information. Security and NS Origin information are contained within exported XML files.
8. Replicator: Modified command line migration failures using Software Replicator tool. Slated to be fixed in a future version
9. Replicator: Modified applicability rule doesn't work after re-importing by Replicator tool.

Fixed Issues comparing to previous versions of the utility

1. Added support for ITMS 7.5, 7.6, (7.6 version), and 8.0, 8.1 (8.0 version), 8.5 (8.5 version) and 8.6 (8.6 version).
2. Skip resources without command line checkbox was removed as a tool designed to replicate only deliverable resources.
3. In case of Package source is "Access package form URL", added ability to edit the package directory path, if it is present.

Important Notes

1. Software Replicator is using the full export/import functionality of Notification Server. One Software Resource includes associated items (it sometimes exports 50+ items if a Software Release has a lot of dependencies/packages/command lines and etc). The export of 5,000 Software resources can take approximately 45 minutes. The import of 5,000 Software resources can take approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.
2. The Solutions Agents/Plug-ins Software Resources are excluded from the list of software resources for export.
3. Software Replicator never removes existing associations. Only new ones will be added. (Previously imported Software resource settings like File Inventory, Software associations, Software Publishing settings, Applicability and Detection Rules will be preserved after re-importing for the same  Software resource with fewer settings which were exported using fewer Export parameters).
4. For correct Software publishing information migration from one NS to another, source and target NS servers should be registered either to the same domain or to trusted domains.

NOTE: This utility is being provided with limited support. All usage scenarios may not have gone through the QA cycle due to limited time, resource constraints, or that the use case was not identified during the creation of this utility.

NOTE 2: Every new HF or vRollup the new version of the plugins can appear in list for migration. Due to this issue, we created a gatherer application which collects info about plugins and updates the ExcludedSoftwareList.xml file.

How to use the gatherer utility (only for 7.6 version)
Run the utility on a machine with the ITMS which should be upgraded. The file "ExcludedSoftwareList.xml" must be in the same folder as the "Gatherer" file utility.
In the right part of the interface is a list of components that have already been excluded from the list of transfer and left part is list of possible software resource candidates for exclude. Select software components in left window and press ">>"
button to move to right window. The "Delete from list" key is used to reverse the action. After closing the utility "ExcludedSoftwareList.xml" is ready and should be attached to replicator.

NOTE! This utility should not be used on Software Resources that have been upgraded already. For example if you use this tool to export your Software Resources, then proceed to upgrade your database to 8.0, trying to import an already existing, upgraded resource will cause issues and should not be attempted.