How to Stage Business Data

This topic describes how to stage business data by using the Commerce Server Staging (CSS) Microsoft Management Console (MMC). The process for staging business data is slightly different from staging Web content. This is because Web content consists of files that are stored on a Web server, whereas business data consists of tables that are stored in an SQL database server.

You can use this procedure to stage business data from a developer environment to a test environment or from a test environment to a staging environment. Business data projects are used to export data from the source SQL Server databases that are associated with the source site. Data is then imported into one or more destination SQL Server databases that are associated with the endpoints.

Business data can be staged from a source staging server to the following:

• The same server but to a different site. This is referred to as same box replication.

• An endpoint or single destination server or route.

• An endpoint through one or more waypoints or routes.

• Multiple endpoints through one or more waypoints or routes.

This topic provides instructions for defining the business data project(s) that are based on the server role they have as defined by the staging topology. The same project must be defined for each server in the staging topology. However, the configuration of each project will differ based on the role it plays in the staging topology.

For information about business data staging options, see Business Data Staging Options.

Note

You use staging business data to update Commerce Server site data. Before staging a business data project, the Commerce Server site for which you are staging data must have been unpacked on the source staging server and any endpoints defined for the project.

Follow these steps to stage business data.

To prepare to stage business data

1. Determine the staging credentials that you will use when you stage the business data. For information about staging credentials, see How Are CSS Authentication Accounts Defined and Managed?

2. For each server in the staging topology, log into the server and create the staging credentials that are required to create and stage the project.

   Important Note:
   To create staging projects, you must log into the staging server where you access the CSS MMC with an account that is a member of the CSS Administrators group. Also, to create the projects on the remote servers, the accounts you use to connect to the remote host servers must also be members of the CSS Administrators group on the host server.

3. Configure the required database permissions on the source SQL server for the following accounts or groups:

   • CSS service account that runs on the source staging server.

   • CSS service that runs on the endpoint(s).

   • CSS Administrators and CSS Operators groups that will create or administer the project.

   • Any user account that will be granted project-level Administrator or Operator access to the project.

   For information about how to grant database access permissions, see How to Grant Staging Accounts Access to the Databases.

4. (Optional) If you will stage virtual catalog(s), the base catalog(s) must exist on the destination server.

5. (Optional) If you will use routes in your business data project, create and configure the routes on each server in the staging topology through which the route passes. For information about how to create a route, see How to Create a Route for Staging.

To stage business data

1. For each CSS server in the staging topology, add the server to the CSS MMC and configure its properties. For information about how to add and configure a CSS server, see How to Add and Configure a CSS Server.

   Note

   In the CSS MMC, you can define projects and routes that reference CSS servers which have not been added to MMC. However, for verification and remote management purposes, we recommend that you add the CSS servers to MMC.

2. For the source staging server, create a business data project by using the New Project Wizard.

   Note

   When possible, always create your business data projects by using the New Project Wizard. When you use the wizard, you create the project on each server in the staging topology.

   When you create this project, define the destinations for the project according to the information in the following table depending on your staging topology:

   Staging topology	Task
   Same box replication	Add one destination of type Local Server and specify a site name that differs from the Source Site.
   Point to point	Add one destination that specifies the endpoint.
   Point to point through a waypoint	Add a route. The route should be defined on the source staging server and the waypoint. The route defined for the source staging server specifies the waypoint as its destination. The route defined for the waypoint specifies the endpoint as its destination.
   Point to multiple points through multiple waypoints	Add as many routes as you must to trace the route paths from the source staging server to the endpoint servers. The routes should be defined on the source staging server and each waypoint. The route that is defined for the source staging server specifies the waypoints as its destinations. The route that is defined for the waypoints specifies the endpoints as its destinations.

   CSS automatically defines a project for each server in the staging topology when you create the project by using the New Project Wizard. The properties for each project will differ depending on the server role that is assigned to it. For information about how to create business data projects, see How to Create a Project for Staging Business Data.

3. Check that the project you created in step 2 has been created under each server in the staging topology. In the tree directory of the Commerce Server Staging console, expand each server and then click Projects. The same project that was created in step 2 should be listed in the right pane.

   Note

   Business data projects generate project XML files. These files are located in %COMMERCE_SERVER_ROOT%/Staging/Projects.

4. For each waypoint, open the Properties dialog box for the project that is defined for a waypoint. On the Project tab, verify that the Role property settings match the following:

   Property	Way point configuration
   Roles: Source	Unchecked.
   Roles: Destination	Unchecked.
   Source Site	Ignored.
   Project Local Directory	Specifies the directory where the data that is staged from the source staging server will be temporarily stored and then later will forward to the specified destinations.
   Destination	Specifies the waypoints, endpoints, or routes to which the business data should be forwarded.

   For more information about how to create a project on a waypoint, see How to Specify Project Properties for a Waypoint.

5. For each endpoint, open the Properties dialog box for the project that is defined for the endpoint. On the Project tab, verify that the property settings match the following:

   Property	End point configuration
   Roles: Source	Unchecked.
   Roles: Destination	Checked.
   Source Site	Ignored.
   Project Local Directory	Specifies the directory where the data that is received from the source staging server or way point will be stored.
   Destination	Specifies the endpoint as the destination with a designation of Local Server type and the site name to which the business data is imported.

   For information about how to modify business data project properties, see the following topics:

   • Changing the Project Properties of a Business Data Project

   • Changing the Properties Common to All Staging Projects

6. (Optional) Make any changes that you want to the project properties for the source staging server. Verify that the Project tab property settings match the following:

   Property	Source staging server configuration
   Roles: Source	Checked.
   Roles: Destination	Checked only when you perform a same box replication.
   Source Site	Specifies the name of the site whose associated database(s) contain the data to be exported for staging.
   Project Local Directory	Specifies the directory where the exported data is stored.
   Destination	Specifies the waypoints, endpoints, or routes to which the business data should be forwarded. For same box replication, a destination is added of type Local Server. This specifies the name of the directory to which the business data is stored. The name that is specified must be different from the name that is defined for the Source Site.

   Note

   If you change the properties that define the business data to be staged, that is, properties that are defined under the Catalog, Marketing, Orders, or Site Terms tabs, only edit these properties for the project that is defined for the source staging server.

7. To stage the business data, start project replication manually. For information about how to start replication, see How to Start Project Replication.

   Otherwise, the business data will be staged according to the schedule you set on the source staging server. For information about how to set the schedule, see How to Add a Schedule to a Business Data Project.

8. (Optional) To view the progress of a staging project, you can check the status of the project on each server in the staging topology. The status is indicated in the Project view for each server. Or, you can view the Replication report on the source staging server. For more information about CSS reports, see How to View Local Staging Events.

See Also

Other Resources

How to Create a Project for Staging Business Data

How to Create a Route for Staging

How to Start Project Replication

How to View Local Staging Events

Business Data Staging Options

How Are CSS Authentication Accounts Defined and Managed?

Staging Web Sites and Commerce Server Data