This article discusses how to migrate either the vCommander® application, the vCommander SQL database, or both to new servers. As always when dealing with mission critical applications, before making any changes to your environment, be sure that you have snapshots of your application server and backups of your database. This will allow you to return to a known good configuration in the event something unforeseen occurs during the migration process. The vCommander application installer is only able to upgrade or replace data when it is pointed at an existing database, which means that if you need to reinstall the application, you must do so against a dummy database, and use the vCommander Control Panel to change the connection strings which define the database to which the application connects.


Along with backing up and restoring the database, this is how you can move vCommander between servers. Please refer to your specific scenario below.


Migrating vCommander and PostgreSQL Database

A vCommander installation using the default postgres database cannot be separated from the database. The database is installed with the application into the vCommander program group. However, you can still keep your existing data if you need to deploy to another server.

Embotics® now recommends that production environments be installed against Microsoft SQL rather than PostgreSQL. This is largely due to expected performance gains. Please refer to the article Scaling vCommander™ Hardware Requirements for more information. If you wish to transition to Microsoft SQL, you must perform a new install and recreate your configuration choices.

Follow the process below to move your installation to a new server:

  1. On the vCommander application server, copy the contents of the directory \<Install_Directory>\Embotics\vCommander\tomcat\reports\data\ from the originating server to a temporary location. Do the same for any scripts called by vCommander workflows.
  2. Login to vCommander and under the Help menu, choose About. Note the installed version number (5.1.2 in the example below).

  3. Confirm you have the same version of the installer. You can download the current installer from the Embotics website, or get legacy versions here.
  4. On the original server, backup the PostgreSQL database.
  5. Install the same version of vCommander on the destination server.
  6. Once the installation has completed, stop the vCommander Windows service.
  7. On the destination server, restore the PostgreSQL database backup you took in step 3.
  8. Overwrite \<Install_Directory>\Embotics\vCommander\tomcat\reports\data\ from the temporary location where you stored it in step 1. Do the same for any scripts.
  9. Restart the vCommander Windows service.

Once the service initializes, and you have confirmed that you’re using the existing data and configuration from the original server, you may decommission the original server.

Migrating vCommander Application Using Microsoft SQL

When installed using a Microsoft SQL database, the vCommander application can, and should, be installed on a separate server from the database itself. This section covers how to keep the database in its current location and move the vCommander application to another server.

Follow the process below to move your installation to a new server:

  1. On the vCommander application server, copy the contents of the directory \<Install_Directory>\Embotics\vCommander\tomcat\reports\data\ from the originating server to a temporary location. Do the same for any scripts called by vCommander workflows.
  2. Login to vCommander and under the Help menu, choose About. Note the installed version number (5.1.2 in the example below).

  3. Confirm you have the same version of the installer. You can download the current installer from the Embotics website, or get legacy versions here.
  4. Create a new, empty database on a database server running the same version of Microsoft SQL. Run the installer and complete a new install against this database.
  5. Once the installation has completed on the destination application server, overwrite \<Install_Directory>\Embotics\vCommander\tomcat\reports\data\ from the temporary location where you stored it in step 1. Do the same for any scripts.
  6.  Shutdown the legacy vCommander server to prevent simultaneous connections to the database.  It is recommended to also change the startup type of the vCommander service to manual.
  7. On the destination vCommander server open the vCommander Control Panel from the Embotics program group in the Start menu.

  8. Switch to the DB Management tab and update the details to connect to the original database.


  9. Click Test Connection to confirm that the database is accessible. Click OK.
  10. You will be prompted to confirm a service restart. Click Yes.

Once the service initializes, and you have confirmed that you’re using the existing data and configuration from the original server, you may decommission the original server.

Migrating vCommander’s Microsoft SQL Database

When installed using a Microsoft SQL database, the vCommander application can, and should, be installed on a separate server from the database itself. This section covers how to keep the application in its current location and move the vCommander database to another server.

  1. Login to vCommander and under the Help menu, choose About. Note the installed version number (5.1.2 in the example below).

  2. On the application server, open the vCommander Control Panel from the Embotics program group in the Start menu.
  3. On the Service Control tab, click Stop Service.
  4. On the original database server, backup the MS-SQL database.
  5. Restore the MS-SQL database backup to the destination server.
  6. Back in the Control Panel on the application server, switch to the DB Management tab and update the details to connect to the original database in the new location.

  7. Click Test Connection to confirm that the database is accessible. Click OK.
  8. You will be prompted to confirm a service restart. Click Yes.

Once the service initializes, and you have confirmed that you’re using the existing data and configuration from the original server, you may decommission the original server.