Demote Networker Server to Storage Node

Hi All,
I have Networker 8.2.4 on Windows 2012 R2. It's a physical server with fibre attached devices.

We want to create a new Networker server (a VM) with 18.2 installed and demote the current physical Networker server to a Storage node, keeping its host name and IP (assuming we can do that). I guess my first task will be to upgrade the existing Networker server to 18.2, but what would be the process thereafter to achieve it?

Thanks in advance for any help.

To use a NW/windows server as storage node, simply
- disable the NW server service (and NMC service, if installed)
- verify that the right NW server is listed in the servers file ..\nsr\res\servers
- restart the NW client service
- configure the remote devices.

Hi Bingo,

Thanks for the reply. Forgive me if I'm asking naive questions, but once our Networker server has been demoted and a new Networker server created, obviously all the indexes, media DB etc is still on the now demoted server, I can still recover and do all the necessary as it's still part of the Data Zone?

If you want to recover, NW server must be running on the old machine. But the the replacement must have a new name and ip.

I guess you more prefer to migrate your existing server. This is a much more difficult task.
In this case may I suggest that you use the following - pretty coarse - procedure:

1. On the old server
- make sure that you have a valid bootstrap backup (just in case), prefered to a local attached disk device
- run "nsrls" and "mminfo -aX" to verify these values
- stop the old NW server/services
- copy the \nsr install path to an external disk
depending on the size you may want to skip the ..\nsr\index directory
- shutdown the machine

2. On the new server
- Configure it using the same name and IP
- Install NW (same! version) into the exact same directories
- shutdown NW and copy the \nsr directories you copied earlier
- start the NW services

your old configuration should work now. So you can already run new backups.
verify the media index by running "mminfo -aX" again and compare the output.
If you have not copied your CFIs, you can do this now by using "nsrck".
But they are only relevant for recoveries of your existing backups.

you can also run a bootstrap restore, of course.

- Verify that everything is running fine.
- Upgrade NW - if you want/have to
- Apply for your new licenses (necessary because the host id changed) and do not forget to install them

3. On the old server
- disconnect him from the network
- de-install NW (and delete the ..\nsr path)
- assign a new hostname and ip and restart the host
- re-install NW to now become a storage node
- you may now attach him to the network

4. On the new server
- define the remote devices on the old server appropriately

Depending on your scenario, there are more (tiny) details to consider.
So you better train the procedure on a standlone system before you run the hot migration.

Hi Bingo,
What I didn't mention in the original post is we have a tape silo attached to the physical which is FC connected.

We have had a change of thought. We now want to P2V the existing physical NW server, which will simplify things. We have bought a new physical server that will become a Storage Node and attach the tape silo to that. I think I am relatively comfortable about the process, but just one question. Before we P2V, would it be OK to disable the Jukebox, and configure it to the new physical Storage Node, and if there are any issues, remove the new configuation on the Storage Node and enable on the original?

Honestly, I do not know.
The problem I see is especially due to the fact that there would be 2 definitions for the jukebox and the devices.

I personally would make an export/copy of the appropriate resources so that one can reactivate them, if necessary.