Server Recovery

Ensure that the new BigFix Server computer can be reached on the network using the same URL that is in the masthead file. For example, if you look at the field X-Fixlet-Site-Gather-URL, it contains something like http://192.168.10.32:52311/cgi-bin/bfgather.exe/actionsite or http://bigfixserver.company.com:52311/cgi-bin/bfgather.exe/actionsite.

Note: To avoid issues when the BigFix clients connect to the BigFix Server before it is fully restored, ensure that it is not available on the network until the recovery is complete.

When running the recovery procedure on the same computer that the BigFix Server was installed on, you must first run the BESRemove utility and completely remove all BigFix files and settings from that computer. For a detailed guide about removing the BigFix components on Windows, see Removing the BigFix components from Windows. If you are performing a full restore, remember to remove the BigFix databases too.

If you need to reinstall SQL Server as well, install the same version that you created your database backups with. Remember to enable Mixed Mode Authentication if your previous BigFix Server was using it.

Restore the BFEnterprise and BESReporting databases from your backups.

You can use SQL Server Management Studio to connect to the instance where you want to restore your BigFix databases and run the following commands:

RESTORE DATABASE BFEnterprise
FROM DISK = 'C:\Path\To\BFEnterprise.bak';
GO
RESTORE DATABASE BESReporting
FROM DISK = 'C:\Path\To\BESReporting.bak';
GO

Restore the backed up files and folders, creating the directory structure.

Encrypt they key files you decrypted during the backup procedure.

Use the ServerKeyTool.exe tool and run the steps documented in this page to encrypt the keys. For example:

ServerKeyTool.exe /encrypt
    /dirIn:"C:\Path\To\Backup folder"
    /dirOut:"C:\Path\To\BigFix Server folder"
    /sitePvkLocation:"C:\Path\To\license.pvk"
    /sitePvkPassword:"*****"

All the decrypted keys are encrypted at once, and the files containing the encrypted keys are stored in the specified destination folder with the filename prefix Encrypted*.

Go to the BigFix Download Center Platform Release page, find the same patch level of the original installation and go to the corresponding download page. Then download the "Installer Generator" setup file.

Run the BigFix Installation Generator on the computer where you want to restore the BigFix Server.

When you reach the "Setup Type" dialog, select the option "I want to install with an existing masthead" and choose the Server masthead you previously backed up.

Do not re-use the folders of a previous Installation Generator installation, they likely contain an outdated masthead file.

Run the BigFix Installation Guide and, from there, start the BigFix Server installer.

In the "License credentials" dialog, make sure that the selected "Masthead file" is the one in the Installation Generator folder or select the masthead you backed up.

In the "Select Database Replication" dialog

select the "Single or Master Database" option if you are restoring your only BigFix Server or the Primary/Master server of a DSA environment
select the "Replicated Database" option if you are restoring the Secondary/Replica server of a DSA environment

In the "BigFix Master Operator Credentials" dialog, in the "Username" field, specify the same BigFix master operator that you used for the installation you backed up.

Note: If, later on during the installation, you get a pop-up message saying that "The user name MyUserName already exists in the database", you can ignore it.

In the "Choose Destination Location" dialog, make sure that "Destination Folder" is the same folder where you restored the files you backed up.

In the "Server Properties" dialog, make sure the "WWW Path" leads to the folder where you restored the BigFix Server wwwroot folder. Make sure the "URL" matches the one in your masthead.

In the "Web Reports Properties" dialog, make sure the "WWW Path" leads to the folder where you restored the Web Reports wwwroot folder. Make sure the "Port" is the same as before.

Continue the installation procedure until completion.

If you customized your previous BigFix installation by performing additional configuration procedures, you will have to perform them again for this installation. For example, remember to re-apply your custom HTTPS configuration and to re-configure your Web Reports email server settings, if you had them in your previous installation. Only edit the BigFix registry keys directly if a documented configuration step calls for it. Moreover, direct modifications of those keys are better performed when the BigFix services are stopped. Do not import the BigFix registry settings from your previous installation. You can use the registry keys you backed up for verification purposes.

To avoid the duplication of the server computer entry on the BigFix Console, run the steps described in the Client data backup section in Avoiding duplicates when a Client is restored.

Reinstall the BigFix components and plugins that were installed on the original BigFix Server by re-deploying the appropriate Fixlets. For example, reinstall the BigFix WebUI, the BES Server Plugin Service, and any plugins you had.