Actually, we are working with SuiteCRM v.7.7.6 with some errors. Nothing serious. But I prefer to create a new paralel server with SuiteCRM v7.8.2 without errors.
The first steps was import to new server the custom modules importing the packages and import the customizations modules too. Well done.
Now, I have some questions about wich will be the recommended next steps. I don’t want dump the db and import to new server. I think that export all records (accounts, leads, calls, meetings, notes, etc.) to csv and import to the news server from wizard will be better. I don’t have problem with the time. But, is it possible or it’s a bad idea? How can I import the users preferences, the dashboard customization or the security groups and roles configurations, for example?
I think you would save yourself a lot of complexity by importing the full DB.
But I would recommend that you avoid mixing a migration and an upgrade together, that’s asking for trouble.
You should migrate data and customizations between same versions of the SuiteCRM software, and only then upgrade.
So you could start by installing v.7.7.6 on the new server, then migrate database and customizations, then upgrade to latest 7.8.3.
Or alternatively first upgrade current server to 7.8.3, install the new server also with 7.8.3 and then migrate.
Your final option will depend on whether you can safely play with your current system or not (for example, if it is in a VM that you can snapshot, if you can try things on a clone, instead of production, etc.).
In no case had I thought of migrating the full DB.
I wanted to export in CSV from the old server and import from CSV into new server upgraded, using the same IDs. Doing this process in all modules, are just a few.
I think that if I import the DB through Mysql I can also import bugs. Records that point to ID that do not exist, for example.
Is it a bad idea my first option? Or it’s only a slow process? Can I import users configurations and security groups as CSV to new server?
I understand your line of thought, you want to make sure your problems don’t migrate to the new server along with your data.
But I don’t think it’s likely you have data problems, it’s more normal to have code problems (customizations, faulty past upgrades).
And since (I assume) you don’t fully understand the structure of the data (neither do I), trying to migrate it by bits might prove overwhelming. You can just as easily introduce bugs because you neglected to migrate some necessary relationship in the database.
If I was in your place, I’d start by fixing, or least thoroughly diagnosing, what exactly is wrong with your current system. If necessary, debug the code (that’s the beauty of open-source) until you know exactly your problems, so you can assess the best strategy going forward. But the feasibility of this depends on your degree of technical and development expertise.
And you can always experiment. Try installing a fresh 7.7.6, migrate the entire database in one move, and see how that system behaves. Does it exhibit the same problems you have now? If so, does upgrading to 7.8.3 solve them?
I don’t have enough knowledge about php and his debug process. I could learn it, so i have basics knowledges. This it’s not a problem, the problem is that I don’t have time to learn, because my job in this company is other, hehehe.
We hired a cloud server with bitnami structure. So, we have preinstalled apps. When I created a new server, the version of SuiteCRM was newest. I thought “Oh! Good idea! I will work with an updated server and then I will migrate all data”. But I was wrong.
I will try hiring a new server without preinstalled suitecrm app. I will do a suitecrm v7.7.6 installation from begin, importing the customizations and finally migrate the full db. Then only I will need to upgrade de Suitecrm version to the last.
I understand why you can’t go into debugging, it’s a considerable investment of time and it’s not for everyone.
Your initial solution might be appropriate. I think the one I proposed is better, but it depends on many factors and I can’t be sure. Only you can tell by investigating further.
If you start looking carefully at how much data you have, and all the ramifications it has (things like security groups, document versions, marketing records, PDF templates, …), you’ll probably find that only half of these even have import/export options via CSV.
I think that the suggestions given by @pgr are probably your best options.
What kind of customisations have you done? Just custom fields? New modules? Custom Relationships? Custom code? Custom Templates?
When you say that you may end up with “Records that point to ID that do not exist” what do you mean? How could this occur? (If you know the anser you may also know how to revert the problem).
In any case, before you do anything make sure that you have a full backup of your files and folders as well as of your database and do any test on copies of your backup.
I have a lot of custom fields, only two custom modules, a few custom relationships and a bit of custom code, but I do not have trouble rewrite the code and create the custom relationships again. It does not worry me create all customizations again … not are too many. It worries me to have a future Suitecrm without any error
In the past I did a bad use of sql with prospects table and now, sometimes shows undefined errors and related to field errors when I make changes in prospects module.
I agree wit you and pgr. I will study the perfect way to migrate all data following always your instructions, will be a little hard for me, but I will get it!
