eBecas v7 Maintenance

Index

eBECAS v7 Program and Database Updates

Updates are sent by email

Regularly as a part of the yearly license to run eBECAS, your College will receive an email from Equator IT which will contain links to download files that will enable you to update and upgrade the eBECAS database using eBecasDBConfig.exe version 431.

The update email will typically contain 2 download links as well as information about the update.

1. The first link enables you to download the file that contains the update to apply to the database using eBecasDBConfig.exe. The file will be called Update_v770.zip or similar. After downloading the zip file, extract the Updates.eit file and replace the old file in the \BEC_DATA folder.

2. After the database upgrade process below is complete, the second link enables you to download the file that contains the new eBECAS.exe, fbclient.dll, msvcr71.dll and ebecas.data files, needed to run the new eBECAS version on all workstations. The file downloaded will be called eBecasv7102.zip or similar. After downloading the zip file extract the files and place them in the shared \eBECAS folder (overwrite the existing files)

Update / Upgrade the Database (to the latest version)

To upgrade the database, on the server run the program eBecasDBConfig.exe which is usually located in the \BEC_DATA folder. Go to the Settings page, and locate the database, usually the location of the database is stored and specified, if not use the browse button to locate the database.

eBecasDBConfig.exe

With the database located, press the Test button, to check the database service is running and the connection to the database can be made. Details about the database should be displayed.

Test Connection

Upgrading the database to the latest version

If you can see the connection is ok and no users are active on the database, then select the Upgrade button in the left panel.

Upgrade Database

A new panel is displayed. In this panel, it is best to leave the Auto Backup option enabled. With this option selected if the upgrade process fails for any reason, the database will be restored to the original version, prior to the upgrade taking place. If this happens please contact us on support@ebecas.com where we will assist in diagnosing what the problem is.

The database will be backed up automatically before updating the database to the latest version.

Upgrade Backup

The upgrade instructions will be applied to the database

Upgrade Completed

When completed, go to the Settings page and press the Test Connection button to verify the database is up to date.

Upgrade Verification

Database Backup

To backup the database, use the program eBecasDBConfig.exe

Ideally, use the database server keyboard, mouse and screen. If this is not possible, you can remotely run eBecasDBConfig.exe from a workstation, or remote connection. To use eBecasDBConfig.exe remotely, you will need to select the remote option and specifiy the database server's computer name. Please take note, the location of the database on the server MUST always be specified as local drive directly connected to the server, not a mapped drive on the remote computer.

Backup Database

First Test the connection to the database

Go to the settings page and make sure the database is specified. Press the Test button to check that you have a connection. Backups can be taken live with users connected. Firebird is a transaction based database, which means only complete and written database changes are stored in the backup as of the moment the backup is activated. While users can continue to work, as of the moment the backup was started, no further changes will be included and stored and included in the backup.

Backup Test Connection

Backup Screen

Go to the Backup page of eBecasDBConfig.exe. The name of the backup file created is automatically filled in with the generated from the database name specified on the settings page and the date and time the backup button is pressed, are included in the name. If you have reason to alter the backup file same you can (please do NOT change the extension used which is .FBK). You can choose to automatically zip the backup file created.

Backup Database file name to be created

A window will appear showing you the progress of the database backup

Backup Processing

Upon successful completion of the backup, the following window appears.

Backup Completed

Database Restore

eBECAS database restore is performed by the program eBecasDBConfig.exe

Restoring a database can only be performed while eBECAS users are not connected. The best way to ensure that users are not connected is to create and restore to a database name that is not being used by eBECAS.

The way to ensure this is to restore to a new database name, for example. NEWCOLLEGE.FDB

To specify what new database name to create, go to the eBecasDBConfig.exe Settings page, and specify the new database name and folder. The folder MUST exist on the SERVER computer. The folder and disk drive MUST be a disk drive directly connected to the server, and cannot be specified as a mapped drive.

Specify the new database name to be created, do not leave the name unchanged and over-write the existing database! Specify the new database name and location on the server on the settings page.

Specify Database file name to be created

Now select the option Restore. Specify the backup to be used to restore the database from, use the browse button. Database backup file names end in .fbk

Restore Database

Select the backup database file to create and Restore the database

Restore Database from Backup file

Press the Restore button under the file specified. Press yes to confirm the Restore process. The database is created and data loaded into the database

Restore Database

The database is created and data loaded into the database

Restore Database Confirmation

The database is restored and confirmed as created successfully from the backup.

Database Patch

Occasionally Equator IT sends a College a patch, to make changes to the database specifically for your College. The file may be attached to an email or downloaded. The file will start with the name patch and end with eit. The patch file needs to be extracted from the zip file, and placed in the same folder on the server as the program eBecasDBConfig.exe

First Test the connection to the database

Go to the settings page and make sure the database is specified. Press the Test button to check that you have a connection.

If you can see the connection is ok and no users are active on the database, then go to the Patch page of eBecasDBConfig.exe

Patch Screen

Press the patch button to Locate the patch file (starts with patch and ends in .eit

Patch File

The backup will automatically start, then the patch will be applied to the database

Patch Applied

Database Optimization

One of the many advantages of eBECAS is the simple process involved in installation, maintenance and keeping the database optimized.

To keep the database working at peak performance it is suggested that at least once per month the database should be backed up and restored - this process automatically re-indexes and re-sorts the database optimally - isn't that simple!

Before Backing up using eBecasDBConfig.exe, make sure there are no users connected to the database by pressing the Test button on the settings page.

After you have backed up the database, rename the original database so it will notbe overwritten for example oldjan2007.fdb. Create the new database from the restore using the original database name (the database name created from a restore is specified in eBecasDBConfig.exe on the settings page. This means when the new database is created from the restore the database is written with the original database name, so the ebecas.dat will not need to be updated, and the eBECAS.exe users will simply connect to the new database created from the restore with the original name. Press the test button to check the connection and restore has worked fine.

Scheduling Backup

The eBECAS database needs to have BACKUPS scheduled daily.

Before scheduling the backup task make sure you manually run the backup from the eBecasDBConfig tool, so that the database and back file location is stored for use in subsequent scheduled tasks.

Scheduling Automatic Backup

A backup can be scheduled on the server using the standard Microsoft Windows scheduler using the eBecasDBConfig utility. You must NOT copy the database, the database is NOT a flat file system. Many transactions are in memory and not neccessarily written to disk. You MUST only use the supplied utility BecasDBConfig program to create a restorable backup file.

Because of the multi-versioning design of Firebird database service. The backup generated using eBecasDBConfig can be run with users connected and using eBECAS. A complete backup with referencial integrity is produced even with users logged on.

On the server Go to Start – All Programs - Accessories – System Tools – Schedule Tasks

Add Schedule Task

Select the Add Schedule Task option

Press Next

Browse to locate BecasDBConfig

You now select the [Browse] button to find and select the BecasDBConfig program executable.

Locate the BecasDBConfig exe

The BecasDBConfig.exe is located in the \BEC_DATA folder.

Schedule Backup Daily

The backup should be run at least every day.

Backup time

Select the time.

Use the administrator account and password

Use the Administrator account and enter the password

Advanced Properties

Now select the option to open Advanced Properties after you press Finish

Modify advanced properties

The advanced properties are displayed which we have to modify

Update with now switch

Update the line to read c:\BEC_DATA\eBecasDBConfig.exe /NOW

Patch File

The new schedule task is listed.

Please clearly understand to ONLY copy or move the database BACKUP file. If you are using a tape or using ftp to send a backup offsite, make sure you zip the Firebird database backup file. The backup file created with eBecasDBConfig will end in .fbk and will have a date and time stamp in the backup file name

If you want to place the database backup in a different folder on the server:

C:\BEC_DATA\eBecasDBConfig .exe /NOW BACKUP_DIR=C:\BEC_ BACKUP

If you are using eBecasDBConfig on the same machine as the Firebird database service (local), then you can also zip the database backup using the /ZIP command line

C:\BEC_DATA\eBecasDBConfig .exe /NOW BACKUP_DIR=C:\BEC_ BACKUP /ZIP

Scheduling Weekly Task

The WEEKLY TASK needs to be scheduled once per week.

We provide the manual option to calculate the current week and current attendance percentages in eBECAS. (Main - Utilities - Tasks - for all Students - Week and Attendance)

Instead of remembering to run the Weekly task each week, eBECAS can also be scheduled to run the weekly task.

Please make sure you Schedule the weekly task on the server where the database service is running.

Similar to the backup scheduled task, go to System Tools - Schedule Tasks

Schedule the task to be run once a week on a Sunday morning. The program to schedule is from the C:\BECAS folder and needs the options: C:\BECAS\eBECAS.EXE /WEEKLYCALC -ALL

Scheduling Agent Publish / Web Portal Synchronization

To update the agent publish details and the student and teacher webportal, we provide an application that synchronizes the data in the LAN based database and our web based database. The application we supply is called the SyncServer.

The SynchServer application must be run from the server where the eBECAS database is stored. Initially please run the application manually. The application may automatically update. If this is the first time the SyncServer is run, then make sure you select the Configuration button, specify the server name, and path and location of the eBECAS database, and Test the connection.

Next enter the connection information we have supplied to you for the Internet based database. Please enter the Code, User name and password, and Test the connection. If both connections are made, please press ok, and go back to the main SyncServer menu.

The first time the SyncServer is run, select the option Sync All. This will delete all data hosted by the Internet based database for your College, and will re-send all data from your eBECAS database to the internet based database. Do NOT use this option everytime you run SynchServer.

Subsequent to the first time the SyncServer is run manually, please use the Sync Log option.

Instead of remembering to run the SyncServer application manually the application can be run using the Schedule task on the server automatically. As you do not want an dialog displayed when the application runs automatically, please make sure the option SILENT is specified below.

Please make sure you Schedule the SyncServer application on the server where the eBECAS database is running.

Similar to the backup scheduled task, go to System Tools - Schedule Tasks

Schedule the task to be run at least once a week or optimally daily. EquatorIT.eBecas.SyncServer.exe /SYNCLOG /SILENT