Setup a Staging Environment using the Production Environment Resources

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

1. To create a staging environment using the production server resources, you need to backup and restore the application data and databases used on the production server.

   • App_Data: Contains the application resource files (reports, data sources, and datasets).
   • Database: Contains the metadata information of sites.

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

   Database type	Help Link
   PostgresSQL	Backup and Restore
   MSSQL	Backup and Restore
   MySQL	Backup and Restore

3. Follow the provided 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, 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.

   The product.json and config.xml files are located at /app_data/configuration/

   
   
   
   

5. Now deploy Bold Reports^® in the staging environment without performing any startup configuration. For Docker and Kubernetes installations, 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. Next, update the database connection string in the config.xml file. Follow the provided guidance document to reset the database connection for different environments.

   Note: You should provide the startup DB (restored DB) information here, which was used during the initial Bold Reports^® deployment.
   Reset Application Database

8. Now, you need to update the new URL in the restored databases. Replace the new staging URL in the following tables for each restored database.

   Postgres	MSSQL	MySQL
   boldrs_systemsettings	dbo.BOLDRS_SystemSettings	boldrs_systemsettings
   boldtc_systemsettings	dbo.BOLDTC_ SystemSettings	boldtc_systemsettings
   boldtc_tenant	dbo.BOLDTC_ Tenant	boldtc_tenant

   1. Replace the new URL in the BOLDRS_Systemsettings table.
      

      

   2. Replace the new URL in the BoldTC_SystemSettings table.
      

      

   3. Replace the new URL in the BOLDTC_Tenant table.
      

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

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

10. Next, check if the new URL is updated on the UMS administration page. Navigate to URL/ums/administration in your browser and verify the new URL. If it has not been updated, you will need to modify the new URL on the administration page and save the changes.
    

    

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

12. You also need to reset each site’s 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. Your site will now be running with the updated site URL and is ready to use.