Maintaining the Content Server
This chapter includes the following Content Server maintenance procedures:
•Backing Up the Content Server
•Restoring Files
•Upgrading the Content Server
•Shutting Down and Restarting the Content Server
•Restoring the Content Server Defaults
Note These procedures contain steps that you must perform on devices that are external to the Content Server. If you need more information about devices that are not Cisco products, consult the documentation for those devices. If you need information about Windows Servers that is not provided here, consult the Microsoft documentation.
Backing Up the Content Server
To ensure that you do not lose data, you should back up the Content Server regularly. You should also back up the Content Server before you upgrade or install a security update. Follow the procedures as described here to prevent issues with future upgrades:
•Before Backing Up
•Performing a Manual Backup
•Configuring a Scheduled Backup
Note If your media files are located on a Network Attached Storage device (NAS) or on an external media server, this backup procedure does not back up those files. Ensure that you back up the media on external devices at the same time as the Content Server. If you restore from backup, you must restore the media backup taken at the same time as your Content Server backup; otherwise, you might not be able to play some recordings.
Before Backing Up
You can back up Content Server files to a USB drive or to a network drive.
When performing a manual or scheduled backup, if you use a USB hard drive, you must connect the drive to a USB port on the Content Server. Then log into the Content Server using Windows Remote Desktop Connection to make sure that the USB hard drive appears under My Computer.
Also, make sure that you have enough room on the USB hard drive or network drive for all the files that you want to back up. Check the size of the data for backup by logging in to the Content Server using Windows Remote Desktop Connection. Open My Computer to calculate the amount of C: drive and E: drive space is used.
Performing a Manual Backup
To perform a manual, on-demand backup, follow these steps:
Step 1 Open the backup and restore wizard in one of these ways:
•Log in to Content Server web interface in Internet Explorer. From the Management tab, go to Configuration > Windows server. In the dialog box that appears, log in with the local administrator password. Then go to Maintenance > Backup.
Note Internet Explorer security settings might prevent the necessary Active X scripts from running. With certain browser security settings, you will not be able to access the web interface for Windows Server administration or some of its tools. To overcome this issue, add the URL of the Content Server to the trusted sites in your browser. In Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options. Click the Security tab. Click Trusted sites and then Sites. Add the Content Server URL.
•Log in to the Content Server through Windows Remote Desktop. Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup.
Step 2 In the Welcome to the Backup or Restore Wizard dialog box, click Next.
Step 3 Click Back up files and settings. Click Next.
Step 4 In the What to Back Up dialog, click Let me choose what to back up. Click Next.
Step 5 In the Items to Back Up dialog, expand My Computer. Check Local Disk (C:), Local Disk (E:), and System State. Click Next.
Step 6 In the Backup Type, Destination, and Name dialog, browse to the USB drive or network location that you want to back up to (see the "Before Backing Up" section for more information). Type a name for the backup. Click Next.
Step 7 In the Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard dialog, verify the summary of your choices. Click Finish. The backup process takes approximately 10 minutes per 5 GB of data. Progress is displayed, and a detailed report is provided when the backup is complete.
Configuring a Scheduled Backup
To set up a scheduled backup, follow these steps:
Step 1 Open the backup and restore wizard in one of these ways:
•Log in to Content Server web interface in Internet Explorer. From the Management tab, go to Configuration > Windows server. In the dialog box that appears, log in with the local administrator password. Then go to Maintenance > Backup. In the Welcome to the Backup or Restore Wizard dialog box, click Advanced Mode.
Note Internet Explorer security settings might prevent the necessary Active X scripts from running. With certain browser security settings, you will not be able to access the web interface for Windows Server administration or some of its tools. To overcome this issue, add the URL of the Content Server to the trusted sites in your browser. In Internet Explorer, go to Tools > Internet Options. Click the Security tab. Click Trusted sites and then Sites. Add the Content Server URL.
•Log in to the Content Server through Windows Remote Desktop. Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup. In the Welcome dialog box, click Advanced Mode.
Step 2 Click the Schedule Job tab. Then click Add Job. In the next dialog box, click Next.
Step 3 In the What to Back Up dialog, click Let me choose what to back up. Click Next.
Step 4 In the Items to Back Up dialog, expand My Computer. Check Local Disk (C:), Local Disk (E:), and System State. Click Next.
Step 5 In the Backup Type, Destination, and Name dialog, browse to the USB drive or network location that you want to back up to (see the "Before Backing Up" section for more information). Type a name for the backup. Click Next.
Step 6 In the Type of Backup dialog, choose the type of backup from the drop-down list. Then click Next.
Step 7 In the How to Back Up dialog, check Verify data after backup. Click Next.
Step 8 In the Backup Options dialog, click Append this backup to the existing backups. Click Next.
Step 9 In the When to Backup dialog, click Later. Enter a name for the backup. Then click Set Schedule. Enter your desired schedule. Click OK.
Step 10 Enter an account that has administrative privileges on the Content Server (this could be the local administrator account, or if the Content Server is on a domain, a domain administrator account). Enter the administrator account password and confirm. Click OK.
Step 11 In the Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard dialog, verify the summary of your choices. Click Finish. The backup process is now scheduled to run according to the schedule you set.
Restoring Files
•Before Restoring
•Restoring from a Backup
Note If your media files are located on a Network Attached Storage device (NAS) or on an external media server, this procedure does not restore those files. You must have a media backup that was taken at the same time as the Content Server backup, and you must also restore this media backup; otherwise, you might not be able to play some recordings.
Before Restoring
Make sure that you are using a backup that was taken from the same Content Server that you are restoring. If you want to restore to a different Content Server, contact your Cisco reseller.
Restoring from a Backup
To restore the Content Server from a backup, follow these steps:
Step 1 End any recording calls that are in progress.
Step 2 Log in to the Content Server using Windows Remote Desktop Connection.
Step 3 Uninstall the Content Server software:
a. Go to Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
b. Click Cisco TelePresence Content Server. Click Change.
c. Select the Remove option. Click Next.
d. Click Microsoft SQL Server 2005. Click Remove.
e. In Component selection, select TCS database engine. Click Next.
f. Select Microsoft SQL Server VSSWriter. Click Remove.
g. Select Microsoft SQL Server Setup Support Files. Click Remove.
Step 4 Browse to C:\Windows\Security and look for files called edb*.log. (There is edb.log and at least one more file often called edbtmp.log or edb0000*.log.) Do not delete edb.log, but delete the other files. Not removing these files could result in issues with future upgrades after a restore.
Step 5 Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup to start the Backup and Restore Wizard.
Step 6 Click Restore files and settings. Click Next.
Step 7 In the What to Restore dialog, check Local Disk (C:), Local Disk (E:) and System State. Click Next.
Step 8 In the Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard dialog, click Advanced.
Step 9 From Where to Restore, leave Original location (the default setting). Click Next and OK to acknowledge the warning.
Step 10 In the How to Restore, select Replace existing files. Click Next.
Step 11 Leave the default options in Advanced Restore Options. Click Next.
Step 12 Verify your choices. Click Finish. The restoring process starts, and progress is displayed. When the process is complete, you can display a detailed report by clicking Report.
Step 13 Restart the Content Server after the restoring process is successfully completed.
Upgrading the Content Server
We strongly recommend that you check regularly for upgrades to the Content Server software on Cisco.com. To upgrade the Content Server, read the release notes for the software that you are upgrading to. Then follow the upgrade procedure as described here:
•Downloading Content Server Software Releases
•Upgrading the Content Server Software
Note You need a release key to upgrade to another major release train (for example, from release 4.x to 5.x). However, if you upgrade to another release in the same release train, you do not need a release key (for example, from release 5.0 to 5.1). Release keys are available from Cisco.com, and you need your Content Server serial number to get the correct key.
Downloading Content Server Software Releases
Step 1 Log in to the Content Server web interface in the site manager role. From the Management tab, go to Diagnostics > Server overview.
Step 2 Note the software version that is currently installed.
Step 3 Go to the software download page for the Content Server on Cisco.com. Check for the more recent releases of software.
Step 4 Download the desired installer to a directory on your computer.
Upgrading the Content Server Software
Step 1 Verify that there are no active recording calls or active transcoding sessions.
Step 2 Log in to the Content Server using Windows Remote Desktop Connection.
Step 3 Back up your Content Server (see the Backing Up the Content Server for more information). Turn off any anti-virus programs.
Step 4 Transfer the installer that you downloaded in Step 4 above to the Content Server. Do not run the installer from a mapped or network drive.
Step 5 If you want, verify the MD5 hash (checksum) of the file.
The unique MD5 file that is provided with the installer can be used to verify that a file has not become corrupted as a result of a faulty file transfer, a disk error, or tampering. With the provided MD5, any MD5 program can be used for verifying the installer.
Step 6 Double-click the executable to run it. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Step 7 If prompted, restart the Content Server. Otherwise, terminate your Windows Remote Desktop Connection session by logging off. Do not choose Shutdown because doing so shuts down the Content Server.
Shutting Down and Restarting the Content Server
On Content Servers equipped with an LCD panel, you can use the LCD panel to shut down or restart. On Content Servers that do not have a LCD panel, you can use a serial cable to connect a PC to the Content Server serial port. Cisco recommends that you end all calls on the Content Server before you shut down.
Note If calls are in progress when the shutdown occurs, the recorded calls appear in the recordings list but might be unusable. They can be deleted in the normal way.
LCD Panel Operations
To restart the Content Server using the LCD panel, do the following:
Step 1 Ensure that the Content Server is not recording or transcoding. The LCD should display "online."
Step 2 Press the check mark in the circle to display the main menu.
Step 3 Go to Commands > Restart.
Step 4 Select Yes to confirm. You will see the message "Restarting" on the LCD panel.
To shut down the Content Server using the LCD panel, do the following:
Step 1 Ensure that the Content Server is not recording or transcoding. The LCD should display "online."
Step 2 Press the check mark in the circle to display the main menu.
Step 3 Go to Commands > Shutdown.
Step 4 Select Yes to confirm. The Content Server shuts down. When you see the message "Power off" on the LCD or when the LAN1 and HDD LEDs stop blinking, you can turn off the power using the switch at the back of the unit.
Table 7-1 LCD Status Display and Button Functions
|
|
Recording information |
online |
The Content Server is ready to accept calls and transcode outputs, but none are currently in progress. |
1-5 calls |
Calls are in progress on the Content Server. |
transcoding |
The Content Server is transcoding. |
Server modes |
config reload |
The Content Server is in Reloading Configurations mode. In Reloading Configurations mode, the Content Server does not accept new calls. |
1-5 calls (cnfg) |
Calls are in progress and the Content Server is in Reloading Configurations mode. |
trans (cnfg) |
The Content Server is transcoding and is in Reloading Configurations mode. |
idle |
The TCS Wizard is running. In Idle mode, the Content Server does not accept new calls or process new transcoding jobs. |
1-5 calls (idle) |
The TCS Wizard has started while there is a call in progress. |
trans (idle) |
The TCS Wizard has started while there is a transcoding process in progress. |
maintenance |
The Content Server is in a cluster and has been set to Maintenance mode. The Content Server will not accept new calls or process new transcoding jobs. |
1-5 calls (maint) |
Calls are in progress and the Content Server is in Maintenance mode. |
trans (maint) |
The Content Server is transcoding and is in Maintenance mode. |
upgrading |
This Content Server, or a Content Server in the cluster, is being upgraded. |
Error states |
Error |
The Content Server is out of disk space or has lost connection to the NAS. |
No network |
The Content Server has no connection to the network. |
Buttons |
<Check mark in a circle> |
Enters Edit mode, confirms an entry. |
<X in a circle> |
Returns to the previous menu, exits Edit mode without saving. |
<Up or down arrows> |
Moves between menu items, moves between values in a numerical address and modifies numerical values. |
Terminal Emulator Program Operations
To restart the Content Server using a PC connected to the serial port, do the following:
Step 1 Connect the supplied serial cable from the serial port on the back of the Content Server to the serial port on a PC.
Step 2 Start a terminal emulator program on the PC by going to All Programs > Accessories >Communications > HyperTerminal. (If HyperTerminal is not installed, download a terminal emulator program from the internet—for example, puTTY.)
Step 3 Open a new connection. Enter a name for the connection.
Step 4 4. Configure the connection to use the PC serial port as follows:
a. a. Set Baud rate to 115200 bps.
b. b. Set Data bits to 8.
c. c. Set Parity to None.
d. d. Set Stop bits to 1.
e. e. Set Flow control (hardware and software) to None.
Step 5 Click OK.
Step 6 Press Enter to display the main menu.
Step 7 Make sure that the Content Server is not recording or transcoding. Then press Esc to display Content Server version, IP address, and recording/transcoding status.
Step 8 Use the up or down arrows to navigate to Commands and press Enter to select.
Step 9 Use the up or down arrows to navigate to Restart and press Enter to select.
Step 10 Close the terminal emulator session and disconnect the serial cable.
Caution
Do not leave a terminal emulator session open after it is no longer in use. An open session may cause issues for system operation and restart.
To shut down the Content Server using a PC connected to the serial port, do the following:
Step 1 1. Follow steps 1-8 in the previous section.
Step 2 2. Use the up or down arrows to navigate to Shutdown and press Enter.
Step 3 3. Close the terminal emulator session and disconnect the serial cable.
Caution
Do not leave a terminal emulator session open after it is no longer in use. An open session may cause issues for system operation and restart.
Table 7-2 Terminal Emulator Session Keys
|
|
Enter key |
Enters Edit mode, confirms an entry. |
Esc key |
Returns to the previous menu, exits Edit mode without saving. |
Up and down arrow keys |
Moves between menu items, moves between values in a numerical address and modifies numerical values. |
Restoring the Content Server Defaults
LCD Panel Operations
You can restore the Content Server to its default settings, partially or fully, using the LCD and the buttons on the front panel:
•A partial restore (using ConfigRestore) deletes all user-created recording aliases, media server configurations, call configurations, and templates. ConfigRestore restores the default configuration for the current software release, but does not affect the recordings stored on the server.
•A full restore (using FullRestore) deletes all recordings, media files and logs, in addition to deleting all user-created recording aliases, media server configurations, call configurations and templates. FullRestore restores the default configuration for the current release. If the data location has been changed to an external storage location (NAS), it also changes the default storage location back to the Content Server. Media files on the NAS are not deleted.
Caution
Restoring to defaults (either a partial or full restore) must not be interrupted. Logs of the restore are available in E:\logs\SetupUtility directory.
Important notes:
•Restoring to defaults cleans up the Content Server's database and/or media. It does not revert the Content Server back to the state it was in when delivered (that is, the restore does not affect the operating system in any way).
•A partial restore (ConfigRestore) is not available for Content Servers in a cluster.
•A full restore (using FullRestore) run on a Content Server which has been clustered will revert that Content Server to a standalone Content Server with the default configuration files for the current software release, and no media. However, the cluster database will still report that this Content Server is part of a cluster: Cisco recommends removing a clustered Content Server from the cluster by running the TCS Wizard before restoring it to its default settings.
To restoring the default settings using an LCD, do the following:
Step 1 Ensure that the Content Server is not recording or transcoding. The LCD should display "online."
Step 2 Press the check mark in the circle to display the LCD main menu.
Step 3 Go to Commands > RestoreDefaults and then select either FullRestore or ConfigRestore.
Step 4 4. Select Yes to confirm.
For LCD status display and button functions, see Table 7-1.
Terminal Emulator Program Operations
To restore default settings using a PC connected to the Content Server serial port, do the following:
Step 1 Connect the supplied serial cable from the serial port on the back of the Content Server to the serial port on a PC.
Step 2 Start a terminal emulator program on the PC by going to All Programs > Accessories > Communications > HyperTerminal. (If HyperTerminal is not installed, download a terminal emulator program from the internet—for example, puTTY.)
Step 3 Open a new connection. Enter a name for the connection.
Step 4 Configure the connection to use the PC serial port as follows:
a. Set Baud rate to 115200 bps.
b. Set Data bits to 8.
c. Set Parity to None.
d. Set Stop bits to 1.
e. Set Flow control (hardware and software) to None.
Step 5 Click OK.
Step 6 Press Enter to display the main menu.
Step 7 Ensure that the Content Server is not recording or transcoding. Then press Esc to display Content Server version, IP address, and recording/transcoding status.
Step 8 Use the up or down arrows to navigate to Commands and press Enter to select.
Step 9 Use the up or down arrows to navigate to either FullRestore or ConfigRestore (see "Important Notes" above for more information). Press Enter.
Step 10 Close the terminal emulator session and disconnect the serial cable.
Caution
Do not leave a terminal emulator session open after it is no longer in use. An open session may cause issues for system operation and restart.
For terminal emulator session keys, see Table 7-2.