Export replication data

This topic describes how to export data for applications and how the replication export is processed for different types of objects.

Export replication data

Typically, you export data from a source server. You can also use replication data to share processes across testing and demonstration servers.

To export replication data:

  1. Navigate to Management > Applications.

  2. From the Replication menu, select Export.

  3. In the Export Replication dialog box, select the applications to export and click Next.

  4. Select the environments to export and click Next.

  5. Specify the following export options:

    Option Description

    Component versions

    Select which component versions to export:

    • Deployed. Include all deployed versions from the current inventory status of the environments (default).
    • All. Include all component versions.
    • Latest. Include only the latest versions of the components.
    • None. Do not include component versions.

    Note: Inactive component versions are not exported even if you select to include all component versions.
    Versions objects

    Select the process or property sheet versions to export:

    • Latest. Include only the latest versions (default).
    • All. Include all versions.
    Include snapshots Leave this option selected to include snapshot information in the export.

    If a snapshot is exported, all related component, process, and property sheet versions are exported with it regardless of the selections for Component versions and Versioned objects.
    Include plugins Leave this option selected to export plugins.
    Include source config types

    Select this option to include custom source configuration types used in exported components and component templates.

    If these custom source configuration types are missing from the target server, they are replaced with the default setting (None) in all relevant components and component templates.
    Use legacy encryption

    Select this option to encrypt secure properties and passwords with legacy encryption, which enables using them on any target server.

    If you leave the option cleared, the system uses enhanced encryption (default) introduced in Deployment Automation 6.3.1. Legacy encryption is weaker but works with Deployment Automation 6.3.0 and earlier.

    Note: Enhanced encryption requires a corresponding encryption key. You need to create the key before you export replication data. For details, see Create encryption key.
    Export format Select the metadata export format, JSON (default) or XML.

  6. Click Export.

The system saves the exported replication data in a zip file that contains the file type selected in the Export format option. Component version files are saved in directories named by component IDs and version IDs. You can find the zip file in the downloads location defined in your web browser.

Back to top

Create encryption key

By default, Deployment Automation uses enhanced encryption that requires a security key.

To encrypt secure properties and passwords with enhanced encryption during export, add a new encryption key before you generate a replication export file.

For details about supported encryption types, see Encryption types.

To add an encryption key for replication export:

  1. On your source server, navigate to the enc-keys directory in the DA profile directory:

    <da_profile_directory>\conf\server\enc-keys

  2. Make a copy of any encryption file. Encryption files are named according to this pattern:

    <encryption type>-<key index>-E.key

    For example, AES256-0-E.key.

  3. Rename the copied file so that it has the highest key index among encryption files on both the source and target servers.

    Example: Suppose the enc-keys directory contains the following encryption files:

    • On the source server, AES256-0-E.key and AES256-1-E.key.

    • On the target server, AES256-0-E.key, AES256-1-E.key, AES256-2-E.key, and AES256-3-E.key.

    To create a new encryption key, make a copy of any encryption file on the source server and rename the copy to AES256-4-E.key.

  4. Restart Common Tomcat on the source server.

  5. Copy the new encryption file to the enc-keys directory on your target server.

    You now have two identical copies of the new encryption key, one on the source server and another on the target server.

    Caution: Make sure that you don't overwrite any encryption files in the target enc-keys directory. If a file with the same name already exists, go back to the source server and rename the new file by changing its key index.

  6. Restart Common Tomcat on the target server.

After creating an encryption key, you can use enhanced encryption when exporting secure properties and passwords. For details, see Export replication data.

Back to top

Export behavior

The following table explains how the replication export is processed for different objects:

Object Description
Dependency analysis The system automatically exports all dependencies associated with the selected applications set, such as components, component templates, global processes, environments, resources, resource groups, agent pools, plugins, statuses, notification schemes, resource roles, and security roles.

Inactive component versions, snapshots, and environments are not exported. The rest of the objects are exported regardless of their status.

Selecting the Include Snapshots option automatically identifies all the versions used in snapshots and adds those versions to the exported file. If earlier versions are used in snapshots, they are included in the exported file even if you select to export only the latest versions.
Environments

Environments selected in the export wizard are exported together with the following:

  • Resources associated with selected environments.
  • Associated pipeline (only if you selected all environments in the pipeline for export).
Applications

Applications selected in the export wizard are exported together with the following:

  • Environments (only those selected for export)
  • Components
  • Component mapping
  • Application processes
  • Application snapshots
  • Tasks definition
  • PropSheet
  • Associated pipeline

Inactive applications and environments within the application are not included.
Components

Components are exported with the following:

  • Component versions (both full and incremental versions)
  • Component processes
  • Post-processing scripts
  • Tasks definition
  • Templates
  • PropSheet
Global processes

Global processes are exported with the following:

  • PropSheet
  • Post-processing scripts

Though a global process is versioned, only its latest version is exported from the source environment. This happens because you can use only the latest global process version on the source server.
Component templates

Component templates are exported with the following:

  • Processes
  • PropSheet
Pipelines Only the pipelines associated with applications are exported.
Resources Only the objects used in environment resource sets are exported.
Resource groups Only the objects used in environment resource sets are exported.
Agent pools Only the agent pools used in exported resource sets are exported. Linked agents are not included.
Plugins Selecting the Include plugins option automatically determines which plugins are used in the exported processes and includes them in the export file. Only used plugins are included.
Statuses Only statuses used in exported component versions and snapshots are included.
Notification schemes Only notification schemes used in exported applications are included.
Resource roles Only resource roles used in exported resources are included.
Security roles Only security roles used in exported processes, notification schemes, and version statuses are included.

Back to top

Export errors

You cannot export a process version in the following instances:

  • If the version invokes another process that has already been deleted.
  • If the version uses a plugin that has been removed from the system.
  • If the version references a security role that has been removed.

In these cases, the system tries to remove the process version from export. But if, after the process version is removed, there are no process versions that can be exported, the system displays an error and cancels the export.

You cannot export component and global processes that invoke each other, for example, when process A invokes process B, and process B, in turn, invokes process A. If you attempt this, the export procedure immediately fails. Make sure to exclude any such processes from the export parameters.

Back to top

See also: