Migrating SystemLink Clients to a New Server

By creating backup data for the computer running SystemLink server, you can deal with potential damage and migrate SystemLink to a new computer. For the procedure on how to create backup file and how to migrate SystemLink server data to another compute, refer to this document. After migrating SystemLink Server to a new computer, it is possible that all clients previously connected on the old server do not automatically re-connect to the new server. Here we will see how to also migrate and re-connect all clients to the new server.

1. Reconnect clients one by one manually

Follow the steps in Setting Up a SystemLink Client for Windows Targets or Setting Up a SystemLink Client for NI Linux Real-Time Target to establish connection between your SystemLink server and all clients.

2. Reconnect all clients using System State.

If you upgraded and migrated SystemLink Server data to another computer, you can use this system state to change the master of all clients, to the new master (the new SystemLink server).

A state file can be imported in the SystemLink Web application and then remotely deployed to all of the clients using the old SystemLink server(assuming it is still up) . You can deploy a state to 1 or more systems at the same time, but it is recommended to start with one to make sure your state works before deploying it to remaining clients.

1. Download the Change master state

2. On the old SystemLink Web Application go to Systems Management>>State and import the ChangeMaster.sls file.
3. Click on the ⚙ icon next to the imported state, edit the file by changing the master argument (change test.systemlink.io to the IP address or Hostname of the new server) and click the Save  button to save the edit.

4. Go to Systems Management>> Systems and select the client you want to deploy the ChangeMaster.sls state to.
5. Select Software and click INSTALL to deploy the state on the client. The States tab appears only if the feeds and packages in the state are compatible with the systems you select.
6. Click Next and review the packages and feeds the state contains.
7. Click Apply.

The states added in Systems Management>> States should display under all connected clients like in the above picture. Proceed to other clients and INSTALL desired state
All Clients in which ChangeMaster.sls was installed should now display as connected in the new SystemLink server (specified in the master argument of the state file).
 

3. In Addition to deploying the state from the old server, you can copy all of the OLD server's C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\salt\conf\pki\master contents to the NEW server(same path). That may allow the clients to automatically reconnect without any issues.

※Note:

• It is recommended to move the clients after the data has been migrated to limit downtime.
• NI always recommends migrating SystemLink server on a different computer.  But, if the migration was done on the same computer, the old server is probably no more online to install ChangeMaster.sls state. In this case, make sure to copy and save all content from C:\ProgramData\National Instruments\salt\conf\pki\master on the OLD server prior to migration. Then copy this content to the same path on the NEW server computer, after migration. This should automatically migrate and reconnect all clients to the new server.