Restoring QLIK Sense from backup of different QLIK server

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

Thank in advance for any help with this.  I am trying to confirm and document for our organization how to restore QLIK from a backup created by the Repository Snapshot Manager.  I can create backups fine, but when I try to restore our Test instance from a back up made by our Production instance the resulting QLIK sense instance is a blank instance.  What I mean to say, after it apparently successfully restores, all I have is a working QLIK instance without any of the work (i.e. Apps, streams, rules, etc..) that we have finished.

I use Powershell to call the RSM and create the backup

Start-Process -filePath "E:\QLIK\RepositorySnapShotManager.exe" -ArgumentList  "-backup -path=E:\QLIK\Backups -SupportingContentLocation=E:\QLIK\Additional\QVDFiles -databasePassword=<pwd>"

( the equates to the CMD line command: RepositorySnapShotManager.exe  -backup -path=E:\QLIK\Backups -SupportingContentLocation=E:\QLIK\Additional\QVDFiles -databasePassword=<pwd> )

And then after copying the backup to the test server I ran the CMD command

RepositorySnapShotManager.exe  -restore -path=E:\QLIK\Backups -installer=F:\QLIK -SupportingContentLocation=E:\QLIK\Additional\QVDFiles -databasePassword=<pwd> -u=<username> -p=<userpwd>

The result was that I was asked if the Qlik_Sense_setup.exe was the installer (answer=y) and then it be the restore ran, everything seemed to be in order as the feedback in the CMD window seem to indicate it was restoring all the objects. But in the end, all I got was a fresh install. I even had to re-type in the license information when I opened the QMC. 

Is there a way to restore one instance from a different instance

[Anonymous]

So I was able to figure this out, the password I supplied to the RSM was incorrect. You need to supply the superuser password when backing up the QLIK installation and then use that same password when restoring from that installation. (do not provide the superuser password for the destination QLIK instance).

[db_qliksense]

Hi Chris,

I tried the same - taking backup from one instance and restore on other. On restore, the whole qlik installation was undone. I was left with nothing.

Thank God, I have the backup from same instance. This, I was able to restore effortlessly. In the logs, all I could see is logs for uninstallation.

[Anonymous]

Hi Manoj,   I discovered why this happened.  TWO things, 1) Make sure that the backup you are creating is actually creating a backup of the database. If you have the wrong password for the repository the snap shot manager will just skip over the back up of the database and move on to other things. There is no error message or warning that it does actually back up the repository.  2) when restoring the instance to the new environment, you again need to use the correct password, but what you need this time is the correct password for the SOURCE instance. 

For example, let us assume that we have two instances, Test and Prod. 

The Superuser Password for the repository on Prod is: ProductionPWD

The Superuser Password for the repository on Test is: TestPWD

For example this code for copying Production instance to test instance

RepositorySnapShotManager,exe -backup -path=\\ProductionDrive\QLIKBackups -databasePassword=ProductionPWD

The above creates a backup on the network forlder at \\ProductonDrive\QLik, obvioulsy you can use C:\QLIK or whatever local drive you want on the production server. After it creates a backup, copy it to the test environement. this can be on a local drive on the test server or it can be a network drive (even the original network drive "productionDrive" ) 

This code will restore it test

RepositorySnapShotManager.exe -restore -path=\\TestDrive\QLIKBackups\.3.14.2017-5.32.10-PM-Z.backup -installer=E:\QLIK\Qlik_Sense_setup.exe -databasePassword=ProductionPWD

Notice the databasePassword...that is not a typo, you need to use the password of the source instance to successfully restore. If you don't it will just skip over that part and give you a blank installation.

Note: there are other optional arguments for snap shot manager that you can/may need to use to successfully complete the restore, most notably -u (for user) and -p (for user password) and -supportingContentLocation

P.S. I have not gotten around to determining if I now need to use the production password when I now back up test

P.P.S You will also need to re-enter your license information in the test instance's QMC back to the test license.

[db_qliksense]

Yes, the password has to be same as used when taking backup. Target password is of no use in case of restoring database.

[m_perreault]

Hi Chris,

Thank you for this information it is very useful.  Did your Test instance have a different Host Name than your Production Instance and did you have to do anything to account for this?

Thanks,
Mark