Setup a Staging Environment using the Production Environment Resources

The following steps explain how to set up a staging environment for the Bold BI application, using the resources of the production environment.

1. For creating a staging environment using the production server resources, you need to backup and restore the application data and databases which are used in the production server.

   • App_Data – Contains the application resource files(dashboards and data sources)
   • Database – Contains the metadata information of sites.

2. Follow the given guidelines to backup and restore the databases:

   Database type	Help Link
   PostgresSQL	https://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.1/backup.html
   MS SQL	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/relational-databases/backup-restore/back-up-and-restore-of-sql-server-databases?view=sql-server-ver16
   My SQL	https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/backup-and-recovery.html

3. Follow the given guidance to backup the app data.

   Environment	App_Data Location
   Linux	/var/www/bold-services/application/
   Windows	{Deployed Location}/BoldServices/App_Data/
   Docker	Need to backup the persistent volume used for app_data
   Kubernetes	For Kubernetes need to backup the Fileshare for different cloud providers.
   	EKS File storage	https://docs.aws.amazon.com/efs/latest/ug/awsbackup.html
   	AKS File storage	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/backup/backup-afs
   	GKE File storage	https://cloud.google.com/filestore/docs/backups

4. Before restoring the app data, you need to edit product.json and config.xml in the backup file and replace the staging DNS URL instead of the production DNS.

   product.json and config.xml path : /app_data/configuration/

   
   

5. Now, deploy Bold BI in the staging environment and do not do any startup configuration. For Docker and Kubernetes, you need to specify the restored App_Data(persistent volume file path or file share) during installation.

6. Then, restore the App_Data files in the staging environment.

   Environment	Restore Location
   Windows	{Deployed Location}/BoldServices/App_Data/
   Linux	/var/www/bold-services/application/

7. Then, you need to update the database connection string in the config.xml file. Follow the given guidance document to reset the database connection for different environment.

   Note: You need to give the startup DB(restored DB) information here. The one you used during the initial Bold BI deployment.

   Reset Bold BI application database for different environment

8. Now, you need to change the new URL in the restored databases. Then replace the new staging URL for the following tables on each restored database.

   Postgres	MS SQL	MySQL
   boldbi_systemsettings	dbo.BOLDBI_SystemSettings	boldbi_systemsettings
   boldtc_systemsettings	dbo.BOLDTC_ SystemSettings	boldtc_systemsettings
   boldtc_tenant	dbo.BOLDTC_ Tenant	boldtc_tenant

   1. Replace the new URL in the boldbi_systemsettings table.

      

   2. Replace the new URL in the boldtc_systemsettings table.

      

   3. Replace the new URL in bold_tenants table.

      

   Note: Repeat the same process for all the restored databases.

9. Now, load the site using the staging environment’s new URL.

10. Then, check whether the new URL is updated on UMS administration page. Navigate to URL/ums/administration in the browser and ensure that the new URL is updated. If not, you need to update the new URL on the administration page and save the changes.

    

11. You also need to check whether the new URL is updated on UMS sites page. To verify, open the Bold BI ums site listing page and check if it is updated properly.

12. You also need to reset each site database manually. To do this, select the site and pick the edit option.
    

    
    
    
    

13. Click Next and provide the restored database details which are configured for the respective site.

    

14. Click Update to save the changes. Repeat the same process for all the sites.

15. Then, navigate the page to the Settings Icon and click on it. Under the Settings option select the Data process or Data store.
    

    

16. Update the restored database details and save the changes.

    Note: You also need to manually update the new restored database details for each site IMDB.

17. Now, your site will be running with the updated site URL and ready to use.