Maintenance and Security Center Overview
The Maintenance and Security Center is a tool utilized for performing routine maintenance on your data file. It is important to keep in mind that certain functions or procedures within the center have the potential to cause irreversible damage to your data file. Therefore, it is crucial to create a backup of your live data file before initiating any of these actions.
When accessing a data file in server mode,it offers two procedures that can be performed by the user. One of these is the Verify function, which only checks the data file and can be executed while users are online.
However, any Compaction process should be preceded by taking a backup of your live data file. It is crucial to perform this step beforehand to avoid any potential loss of data or other complications that could arise during the compaction process.
It is recommended that users only use the other functions or procedures available in the Maintenance and Security Center do so under the direct instruction and guidance of SapphireOne support staff. This is because these functions and procedures may have complex effects on the data file, and incorrect usage could lead to data loss or other issues. Therefore, it is best to seek guidance from the support staff who can provide proper instructions and ensure a safe execution of the required action.
At this point in the article, it’s crucial to note the following. Excluding the verification of the data file, it’s imperative to make a backup of the data file before performing any maintenance or security procedures. After creating the backup, it’s also essential to validate the resulting archive to ensure that it is free of errors.
If anything goes wrong during the procedure, it’s a simple matter to revert to the backup and restore the data file to its previous state. This is why it’s critical to take a backup before executing any potentially risky actions, as it provides a safety net in case anything unexpected happens.
Single user or Server Mode differences
- Single User Mode – Users have direct access to the Maintenance and Security Center (MSC) which is only accessible in SapphireOne’s Single User mode. This mode ensures that there is only one user currently logged into the data file. This feature is designed to prevent potential conflicts or data corruption issues that may arise due to multiple users accessing the data file simultaneously.
- Functions Available – In Single User mode, all functions are available to the user, including Verification and Compaction of the data file, as in Server Mode. This allows users to perform various maintenance and security tasks on their data file, ensuring optimal performance and data integrity. However, as previously mentioned, it is important to take a backup of the live data file before performing any potentially risky actions.
- Server Mode – Users do not have access to the Maintenance and Security Center (MSC) from the server window. However, they are still able to perform the Verify function to check the data file for errors. Additionally, users can Compact the data file during server shutdown, which helps optimize the data file’s performance and reduce its size.
- Warning – It’s important to note that any compaction process should be preceded by taking a backup of the live data file. This will ensure that a copy of the data file is available in case any issues arise during the compaction process.
- Server Shutdown – It is important to also note that before executing the compaction process, the server will begin a polite shutdown. It is essential to keep in mind that for larger data files, this shutdown process may take several hours to complete.
Single User Procedure
In order to access the Maintenance and Security Center in Single User mode, the user must first link the necessary data file to the current build by logging in at least once to the data file. This can be done by logging in as usual and then logging out. It’s crucial to link a valid data file to the center, as failure to do so will result in the system quitting since it won’t have the necessary linking information to access the data file.
Once the data file is linked to the center, the user can access the various functions and procedures available in the Maintenance and Security Center to perform maintenance and security tasks on their data file. However, it’s important to take a backup of the live data file before executing any potentially risky actions, to ensure that a copy of the data file is available in case any issues arise during the process.
- Starting – To access the Maintenance and Security Center, please start the system again by following one of the procedures below:
- Mac OS Users – Double-click on the SapphireOne Icon while holding down the Alt/Option Key. Then wait until the alert message below appears on the screen.
- Windows Users – Double-click on the SapphireOne Icon first, and then hold the Alt/Control key down until the alert message below is displayed on screen.
- Alert – Once the alert message appears, please follow this step:
- Choose the Open the Maintenance and Security Center option, as shown in the screenshot below.
After selecting the Open the Maintenance and Security Center option, the Maintenance and Security Center screen will appear as shown in the screenshot below.
- Verify Button – Select the verify button as seen above.
- Verify Options – Select Verify the records and Indexes or select Verify the records only button as required.
- Other Options – Please note that you should not select any other options in the Maintenance and Security Center unless specifically directed to do so by SapphireOne staff. Choosing the wrong option could result in unintended consequences, including data loss or system instability.
- Verifying – After selecting one of the two options in the Maintenance and Security Center, the verification process will begin, and you will be prompted with a message similar to the screenshot below.
Once the verification process is complete, you will receive a message similar to the screenshot below.
The results of the verification process will be displayed as a series of blue ticks, indicating that everything is in order. If any errors are detected during the process, the blue ticks will be replaced with a red x, indicating that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
It is important to ensure that there are no errors before proceeding with any further system maintenance or security tasks. If you encounter any issues or have questions about the verification process, please contact SapphireOne support for assistance on 02 8362 4500.
If the verification process detects any errors, they will be recorded in a log file that is automatically generated every time the verification procedure is run. To view this log file, select the Open Log File button at the bottom of the verification results screen above, as shown in the screenshot below.
Contact SapphireOne
This log file can provide useful information about the nature of the errors detected and can help in resolving any issues that may be affecting the system. If you encounter any errors during the verification process, it is recommended that you review the log file and contact SapphireOne support for assistance in resolving the issue on 02 8362 4500.
Server Procedure
For running this procedure the user will have to go to the Server window and select the Maintenance tab as seen below.
The Maintenance tab of your server provides information concerning the current operation of the database. It also provides access to basic maintenance functions. To commence the Verification process select the Verify records and Indexes button.
Overview of the procedures available from the maintenance tab
- Last verification data field – This area indicates the date, time and status of the last data verification carried out on the database.
- Verify Records and Indexes button – This button is used to launch the verification operation directly, without interrupting the server. Note that the server may be noticeably slowed down during the operation.
- All the records and all the indexes of the database are verified. If you want to be able to target the verification or have additional options available, you will need to use the Maintenance and Security Center (MSC). (Single User mode)
- After verification, a report file is generated in XML and HTML format on the server in the Logs folder that is placed next to the database structure file.
- View Report button – This button lets you display the report file in your browser.
- Last compacting Data Field – This field indicates the date, time and status of the last compacting operation carried out on the database data.
- Compact Data button – This button can be used to launch a data compacting operation directly.
- Warning – This operation requires stopping the server: when you click on this button, the 4D Server database shutdown dialog box appears so that you can choose how to interrupt the operation:
- After the actual interruption of the database, 4D Server carries out a standard compacting operation on the database data.
- If you want to have additional options available, you will need to use the Maintenance and Security Center (MSC). (Available in Single User mode only)
- Once the compacting is finished, 4D Server automatically restarts the database. The 4D users can then be reconnected.
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