How Do I Migrate My ESC Database to a New Server Computer?

STEP 1: Backup Your Database

Before beginning the migration process, get all users out of ESC and make a backup of your ESC database on your old server computer.

1. Log into ESC using the ADMIN account.
2. Go to File → Backup Your Data.
3. Place the resulting backup file on a removable drive or in a folder that the new server can access across the network.

STEP 2: Check System Requirements

Before installing ESC on the new computer, please make sure the computer you will be installing it on meets the minimum system requirements.

STEP 3: Install SQL Server

This procedure will install Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express on your new server.

1. Click the button below to download the installation package that corresponds with your System Type. 
   
   

   SQL 32-Bit	SQL 64-Bit

2. When the download is complete, start the installation by double-clicking the downloaded file.
3. Accept all the defaults as you go through the upgrade wizard. You do not need to do anything during the course of the wizard other than click the Next button until the end of the wizard.

STEP 4: Install ESC

You will now need to install ESC Version 15 on your new server. 

1. Exit all programs on the computer.
2. Click the button below to download the installation package - ESC Client Only Setup 15.exe. 
   
   
   
   
3. When the download is complete, start the installation by double-clicking the downloaded file.
4. Accept all the defaults as you go through the wizard. You do not need to do anything during the course of the wizard other than click the Next button and accept the license agreement.
5. Click the Finish button at the end of the wizard to launch ESC.

STEP 5: Create an Empty Database

1. With ESC open on the new server, go to File | New Company.
2. Leave the Server Name as (Local)\ESC.
3. Leave the Network Library as Winsock TCP/IP.
4. Uncheck the Login using Windows authentication box.
5. Leave the User Name as ADMIN.
6. Enter the ADMIN Password from your original database.
7. Now enter the Database Name – this must be the same exact name as the database you wish to restore. (The database name should be the same as the first part of the backup file. For example: If your backup file is Service.dat_bak, the database name was Service.)
8. Click Next when done to start the New Company wizard.
9. Click Next through the entire database installation wizard. Don't worry about the settings as you will be overwriting these settings with your old backup momentarily. Click Finish at the end and a blank new evaluation database will be accessible.

STEP 6: Restore the Backup

You now need to transfer or load your database backup onto the new server computer, so that you may restore the backup file into the new database you have just created.

1. Create a new folder in the root of your C:\ drive called ESC.
2. Copy your original backup file to this directory.
3. Switch back over to ESC and click on File → Restore Your Data.
4. Change the path to C:\ESC and click Next.
5. Choose the most recent backup date set and then click on Restore. This may take a few minutes, but you will receive a message when the restore is complete.

STEP 7: Install the Connections Server

The next step is to install the ESC Connections Server on your new server. 

1. Close any open programs.
2. Click the button below to download the installation package - ESC Connections Server Setup 15.exe. 
   
   
   
   
3. When the download is complete, start the installation by double-clicking the downloaded file.
4. Accept all the defaults as you go through the wizard. You do not need to do anything during the course of the wizard other than click the Next button.
5. Once the installer completes, click the Windows Start button and search for "ESC Connections Server Administrator". Click the icon that appears. This will cause a little blue ESC icon to appear in your System Tray (next to your Windows clock).
6. Right-click the ESC icon in the System Tray and select Setup.
7. Expand the Settings section and use the Database Name field drop-down list to select the database you just created. Leave the other fields on this screen alone and click Apply. It will take it just a minute or two to update.
8. After the settings have been applied, click Close.

STEP 8: Install the Accounting Server (Optional)

If you are integrating with QuickBooks or Sage 50, you will probably want to move the ESC Accounting Server to the new computer as well. Before you do this, be sure that you can launch the accounting software on this computer and open your company file.

1. Close any open programs, including ESC.
2. Click the button below to download the installation package - ESC Accounting Server Install.exe. 
   
   
   
   
3. When the download is complete, start the installation by double-clicking the downloaded file.
4. Accept all the defaults as you go through the wizard. You do not need to do anything during the course of the wizard other than click the Next button.
5. Run the ESC Accounting Server by going to the Windows Start screen and searching for ESC Accounting Server.
6. Open QuickBooks or Sage 50 and login to the company you have been integrating with using an account with administrative permissions.
7. Switch back to the ESC Accounting Server and set the Accounting Package to the accounting program you are using, then click Retrieve.
8. Click the round button to connect the Accounting Server to your accounting software.

STEP 9: Disable Old Services

If you want to keep the old server on the network, it is important that you disable SQL Server and the ESC Connections Server on it. This will prevent conflicts and people from logging into the wrong database.

1. On the old server, click the Windows Start button, type in services.msc, then press Enter.
2. You will now be presented with a list of Windows services. Scroll down until you see ESC Connections Server, right-click on this service and select Properties.
3. Change the Startup Type to Disabled, then click Stop.
4. Click OK.
5. Repeat steps 3 - 5 with the SQL Server (ESC) service.

STEP 10:  Connect the Workstations

The final step in the server migration process is to connect all of the workstations in your office to the new server computer. You will need to repeat this process on each individual workstation.

1. Go to one of your workstations and open ESC.
2. When it prompts you to log in, hit Cancel.
3. Click on File → Open Company.
4. Use the drop-down in the Server Name field to see all instances of SQL Server on your workgroup or domain. You should see the new server listed here followed by \ESC, such as ESCServer\ESC. Select that.
5. Leave the Network Library as Winsock TCP/IP.
6. Uncheck the Login using Windows authentication box.
7. Enter a User Name and Password for this workstation’s user.
8. Click the drop-down box next to Database Name and select the name of your database.
9. Click OK.

If you moved the ESC Accounting Server you will also have to point each workstation to it by performing the following steps:

QuickBooks Instructions

• After logging into ESC, go to File → QuickBooks Connection Wizard.
• Select the version of QuickBooks that you are using and click Next.
• Select Connect through the Accounting Server and click Next.
• Enter the name of your server on the network and click Next.
• At this point you should receive a message that the connection was successful. Click Exit and you're done with the workstation.

Sage 50 Instructions

• After logging into ESC, go to File → Peachtree Connection Wizard.
• Enter the name of your server on the network and click Next.
• At this point you should receive a message that the connection was successful. Click Exit and you're done with the workstation.

Congratulations

You have successfully migrated your server. Please take an extra moment and complete the following tasks to make sure you are protected and are getting good backups nightly.

• Make exceptions in your firewall and enable it.
• Setup an automated backup with Windows Task Scheduler
• Setup an automated backup with SQL Backup Master