Backing up Migration Manager
Like any business data, Migration Manager should be backed up regularly. This will reduce the risk of loss in the event of hardware failure or malicious software.
There are 2 main components of Migration Manager
- An SQL Database. This holds the CRM side of the product- everything you see when you open a Matter in MM (names, addresses, employment history etc)
- A Migration Manager or LEAPMM folder. This is primarily for holding the document register (PDFs, Word Docs, jpgs etc), but does also hold some other files like Letter Templates, Form Templates etc.
Both of these should be backed up regularly.
Back up methods vary depending on if you are a Cloud install or Local install
It is the client’s responsibility to ensure their data is backed up and stored securely. It is very important that you perform a regular backup of Migration Manager’s database and files. It is also very important that you regularly check that your backups are working and being saved correctly.
Migration Manager is available in 2 platforms:
CLOUD:
- Your SQL Database is hosted on Migration Manager's 'Microsoft Azure SQL Cloud Server'.
- Your Folder and File Storage is hosted on your choice of Cloud File Storage (Dropbox, Google Drive etc).
LOCAL:
- Your SQL Database is stored on your local Server (or primary PC).
- Your Folder and File Storage is located on the same local Server (or primary PC).
The below procedures covers both scenarios and what should be backed up.
1. Backing up the SQL Database
Although your SQL Database is stored securely on a Microsoft Azure Cloud Server which has multiple redundancies in place (and multiple backup methods), you may wish to download a backup of your SQL Database periodically to store locally.
1.1. Log into Migration Manager as user Administrator.
1.2. Click the Backup button on the Main Toolbar.
1.3. Enter a Backup Description (optional), then click Process.
1.4. The Backup will run and download to a subfolder of your Migration Manager (or LEAPMM) folder as specified in the above Admin-set Directory. When complete, a confirmation window will appear.
Now that the SQL Database has been backed up into a Subfolder of your Migration Manager (or LEAPMM) Folder, it will in turn be backed up when you backup your Folder and File storage in the following step.
You can now physically backup this backup file as part of the next step.
2. Backing up your Folder and File Storage.
Even though Cloud Clients have their Folder and File Storage backed up via their Cloud provider (Dropbox, Google Drive etc), we still recommend periodically backing up the Migration Manager folder to a portable drive and storing securely. All good businesses should have multiple backup strategies.
2.1. Open File Explorer.
2.2. Locate your Cloud File Storage folder, then Right Click => Copy on the Migration Manager (or LEAPMM) folder.
2.3. Navigate to your External Drive. Then Right Click => Paste.
Do not leave this drive plugged in after the backup is complete. If a Virus infects your PC, it will infect all files it can reach, including a plugged-in backup drive!
A default Local Migration Manager installation has no form of automatic backup. It is important that you or your IT people implement a backup strategy for your Migration Manager data (as well as all your other business files).
1. Backing up the SQL Database.
Migration Manager will run a backup of the SQL Database before certain functions (mainly: Questionnaire Imports, Deleting Matters, and Updating the Migration Manager Program). However, we do recommend periodically clicking the backup button to backup the contents of your SQL Database.
1.1. Click the Backup button on the Main Toolbar.
1.2. Changing the Backup path.
Changing the backup location should only need to occur on new installs or if the installation has been moved to a new server/primary PC.
To access the “Admin-set Directory” field, you must be logged in as user Administrator.
The path to set is the physical path location on the machine where SQL is installed. This is not the Mapped Drive. Some examples of the path may be:
- E:\Data\LEAPMM\DBBackups
- C:\Migration Manager\DBBackups
- E:\Migration Manager\DBBackups
1.3. Enter a Backup Description (optional), then click Process.
1.4. The Backup will save in the DBBackups subfolder in your Migration Manager (or LEAPMM folder).
Now that the SQL Database has been backed up into a Subfolder of your Migration Manager (or LEAPMM) Folder, it will in turn be backed up when you backup your Folder and File storage in the following step (effectively backing up all of Migration Manager.).
2. Backing up your Folder and File Storage.
There are many software products available which can automate scheduled backups of your Server/PC. The following procedure shows you the manual way to backup your Migration Manager Folders and Files.
2.1. Open File Explorer.
2.2. Navigate to your External Backup Drive, and create a folder to place your backup (example MMBackup).
2.3. Now navigate to your Migration Manager drive. This is often the M:\ Drive.
2.4. Highlight all folders, then Right Click => Copy.
2.5. Return to the folder created in step 2.2. Then Right Click => Paste.
Do not leave this drive plugged in after the backup is complete. If a Virus infects your PC, it will infect all files it can reach, including a plugged-in backup drive!