Setting Up External Media Storage
The default storage location for Content Server media files is the E: drive. You also have the option to store files on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device so that recording capacity is not limited by Content Server disk space. If you set up a NAS device, the Content Server stores recording media to a temporary directory on the Content Server and then automatically stores the media on the NAS. The Content Server streams the media from the NAS.
Cisco recommends using a NAS device that is built on the Windows Storage server and that is also Windows Hardware Quality Lab certified. The file sharing protocol that is used by the Content Server to the NAS is Microsoft SMB.
Note For best performance, you should dedicate the NAS device to media storage. Running applications such as domain controllers, databases or external streaming servers on the same device could result in errors.
Note The Content Server and the NAS must be in the same domain.
For more information about external storage, see the following sections:
•Changing the Local Storage Location to Network Attached Storage
•Reverting the Storage Location to the Default Storage Location
•Changing the Storage Location from One NAS Location to Another
•Managing the Domain Account Used to Access the NAS
Changing the Local Storage Location to Network Attached Storage
Ensure that you have enough time to complete the process of moving media files from the local database to the external storage location. The TCS Wizard copies all media files that are referenced by the Content Server database from the E: drive to the NAS device.This operation can take several minutes, depending on the quantity of media to be moved.
Caution
Using the TCS Wizard to move media from the E: drive to the external storage location does not move any media files that are not associated with the Content Server database. These files include orphaned temporary files not used in any recording; .tcb import or export files; and files that are placed in the data folder by users. These files are not moved and are deleted.
However, if you use the TCS Wizard to move media between one NAS location and another or from the NAS back to a local Content Server disk drive, these files are not moved, and the TCS Wizard does not delete them from the NAS.
To change the media storage location from the default E: drive to a NAS device, do the following:
Step 1 Back up the Content Server. See "Backing Up the Content Server" section on page 7-1 for more information about backup.
Step 2 Add the Content Server to the same domain as the NAS. If you add the Content Server to an existing domain, you need to define a separate security policy for the Content Server; otherwise, the existing security policies might prevent the server from functioning correctly. Contact your authorized Cisco reseller for details of the recommended security policy settings.
Step 3 Choose or create an account in the domain that IIS (the Microsoft Internet Information Server) on the Content Server will use to access the share on the NAS. This domain account needs to have both administrative rights on the Content Server and permissions over the NAS share.
The TCS Wizard can run under these user accounts:
•A domain administrator account
•The created special domain account—for example, MYDOMAIN\TCSNASUSER
•The local administrator account
Step 4 Configure the NAS (if you have not already done so).
a. Using Windows Remote Desktop Connect, log in to your NAS device.
b. Set up a shared folder.
c. Set permissions on the share to allow the Content Server and the shared account (MYDOMAIN\TCSNASUSER in this example) to have full control over the share. Right-click on the share and click Sharing and Security. Then click Permissions. Click Add.
d. Click Object Types. Select Computers. Click OK.
e. Enter the Content Server server name as it is registered in the domain. Click Check Names and OK.
f. Enter the shared account name (MYDOMAIN\TCSNASUSER). Click Check Names and OK.
g. Give the Content Server and the shared account (MYDOMAIN\TCSNASUSER) full control over the share.
h. Click the Security tab. Click Add. Repeat step d to step g to give the Content Server and MYDOMAIN\TCSNASUSER full control of the NAS share.
Step 5 Using Windows Remote Desktop Connection, log in to the Content Server.
Step 6 Run the TCS Wizard.
Step 7 Click Alternate Storage [NAS] Wizard.
If there are live calls, the wizard prompts you to end all calls. It also puts the Content Server in idle mode so that no new calls or transcoding jobs are accepted while the wizard is running. The wizard must complete (or be cancelled) in order to return the Content Server to normal operation (online mode).
Step 8 Follow the on-screen instructions:
a. Enter the remote server information for the new NAS location in this format: \\server_name\share_name\. The server name must be entered as the DNS name, not as an IP address.
b. At the Content Server Checks step, confirm that the Content Server is backed up and that anti-virus software has been stopped. If you have not backed up or stopped the anti-virus software, cancel the wizard and complete those actions. Then run the wizard again. If you click Cancel, your system will not change.
c. The NAS Test Result step displays information about your intended setup. If all the tests are successful, click Configure to configure the Content Server and move existing media files from the E: drive to the NAS. Moving files might take several minutes depending on how many media files have to be moved.
You can also click Finish to exit the wizard without making any changes. If any tests failed, you cannot continue. Check the external NAS configuration and the information that you entered and try again.
Step 9 When the process is complete, click Finish. No server restart is necessary. TCS Wizard logs are available in E:\logs\SetupUtility. To check your new media location, go to Management Settings > Server Overview.
Reverting the Storage Location to the Default Storage Location
You cannot complete the reversion process if the total size of the media files on the NAS is larger than the space available on the E: drive. Check the data folder size on the NAS. If you want to proceed but find that the files on your NAS exceed the E: drive space, delete some files in the Content Server web interface first.
Follow the steps in the "Changing the Local Storage Location to Network Attached Storage" sectionfrom Step 5 onwards, but select Return media to local storage in the wizard.
Changing the Storage Location from One NAS Location to Another
You cannot complete this process if the total size of the media files on the original NAS location is larger than the space available on the destination drive. Check the data folder size on the NAS. If you find that the files on your NAS exceed the destination drive space, delete some files first.
Follow the steps in the "Changing the Local Storage Location to Network Attached Storage" sectionfrom Step 5 onwards, but select Move media to a different network location in the wizard. Enter the new location in which to store media.
Managing the Domain Account Used to Access the NAS
If you want to use another domain account, do the following:
Step 1 Add the new domain account to the Administrators group first. Go to Start > Administrative Tools > Computer Management.
Step 2 Go to System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Groups.
Step 3 Double-click Administrators. Add the new domain account to the administrators group (see Step 3 in the "Changing the Local Storage Location to Network Attached Storage" section).
Step 4 In the TCS wizard, select the NAS wizard. Then use the Update user account option to update the Content Server. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Note If the password for the domain account that the Content Server uses to access the NAS share changes, complete only Step 4).