Global Data Server Test Server Setup

To create a test server for GDS, use the following steps. You must install GDS on a new machine as these steps are not showing how to setup a co-shared environment. This machine can be a laptop or other smaller machines, it does not need to be a high powered system for test purposes.

If you already have a production system to copy

1. On the production server, copy the entire "Global Data" directory to a directory structure on the new machine.
2. Create a new database(s):
   • Using SQL/Server
     1. If production server was using SQL/Server databases, use SQL/Server tools to create a one-time copy of the database.
     2. Create a ODBC DSN on the new machine pointing to the newly created database
     3. Edit the file multidb.ini and change the line containing the database "attach" statement to use the new DSN
   • Using Microsoft Access

     TBS

   • Using Global Data DATI format

     TBS

3. In the global data base folder, rename any .IPO files to be called .HIPO This stops all background processing jobs from operating. You may not wish to stop them all but you can review these after the server is operating. Background jobs perform periodic actions, such as importing or exporting data, scanning inbound emails and sending to external eCommerce sites.
4. Edit the file multidb.ini and verify that hardcoded paths are valid on the new machine.
5. Edit the file globaldata.ctl and verify that hardcoded paths are valid on the new machine, but also see below about disabling distributed databases.
6. Edit the file globaldata.ctl and remove any lines defining email accounts (they will start with messaging:email= as shown). If you do not remove these then this test server may have access to send and receive emails.

   messaging:email=....

7. Edit the file globaldata.ctl. It contains a number of "host" and "hostpath" settings to control the virtual hosting web server. (Refer to Wikipedia for details). Your new server requires a DNS name, or IP address to operate as a web server, and this must be defined for GDS to understand which web pages and resources are to be supplied to web browsers. Change/add/remove host and hostpath settings to reflect the new server name.
8. Open a administrator DOS command window and navigate (with "cd" command") to the new GDS folder. Register the globaldata service using the command "globaldata -regserver", or if this does not work use "globaldata -service"
9. If you wish the new test GDS to use a different port (to reduce risk of accidental use), edit the file globaldata.ctl and change the port parameters.
10. Start the service and verify operation. We especially recommend testing changing something small and verifynig that this does not flow to production systems.

Disabling Distributed/Mesh Database network

Global Data systems can be configured to operate in a distributed fashion and this relies on encryption keys and other techniques. It may be important that you correctly disconnect this system from the distributed environment, otherwise changes made in the test system may flow to production systems.

In the file globaldata.ctl, there may be a setting 'sys:posdir=\the-pos-directory', which is used to point to the folder containing a Fieldpine POS system. Either remove this setting on the new machine, or edit the file in this target folder on the test machine and remove the settings "RmSystem" and "RmHexKey.1"

Verify that the new database does not have the following values in the database:
select * from settings where keyname='RmSystem' or keyname='RmHexKey.1'