Migrating from 2 to 4

[skeating]

Hello

I have started the process of migrating my Ability 2 server to an Ability 4. I have setup Windows 2012 R2, and loaded Ability 4 on it. I'll be getting the license shortly. In order to import the settings from the Ability 2 to the Ability 4, do I do an Export of settings on the Ability 2, then transfer that to the Ability 4?

[Code Crafters]

Easiest way is just to copy your entire Ability Mail Server 2 installation folder to the same place on the new server. Then import. You could have also installed Ability Mail Server 4 on your original server instead too.

[skeating]

Which folder is the 'installation' folder? Will this copy all the email in the accounts as well?

[Code Crafters]

For AMS 2.72, the install folder is "C:\Code-Crafters\Ability Mail Server 2". But you can put it anywhere really and just browse for it with the Version 2 / 3 Import Tool.

Yes, it will import all settings, emails and also convert appropriate settings.

[Ikon]

I, too, am looking at the feasibility of migrating from 2.72 to 4.2.2. To be on the safe side, I was thinking of copying my entire existing 2.72 setup to a spare computer and running a test install of 4.2.2 on top of it. If that works, then I would install 4.2.2 on my production setup.

Does that sound to you like it would work?

BTW, one reason I'm looking at migrating is that the webmail client on my 2.72 setup sometimes won't load JPGs inline: it just displays a small box with a torn page in it. I've tried modifying the images a bunch of different ways but nothing has helped. It's not all images, just some. In any case, I just installed the free version of 4.2.2. to test and the client loaded the current problematic image just fine.

A main reason I love AMS is that it does NOT require a relational database. I much prefer a flat file system because I can relocate it to another computer with an absolute minimum of effort and risk. My email server data is very low, so I don't need the speed of an RDMS.

Finally, one feature I've always wanted in AMS (and the main reason I haven't upgraded yet) is for a single query to be able to search through multiple folders, and subfolders. Does 4.2.2 have this (Ikon crosses his fingers and prays really, really hard )

Sorry to get OT a bit, but I couldn't see much point to creating multiple posts.

[Code Crafters]

The best way is to copy the entire version 2 installation to the same location on the new server, then use the Version 2 / 3 Import Tool. If it doesn't automatically pick up your old installation, browse to it and import.

I'll add your request for a multiple folder search to our feature list. If you really need this feature, we're now offering custom developments at a reasonable cost to expedite implementation. Otherwise, these will be done based on customer demand. We've done 4 of these custom development features in the last month. All custom developments will also go into the next general release to avoid the need for custom builds.

[Ikon]

Thank you for the info. Having never used the Import Tool, it took me a few minutes to locate it. From your description, it sounds as though I don't actually have to do an Export from AMS 2.72. Is that correct? Will AM 4 pick up and Import just from the unexported AMS file structure?


ps. For anyone else who might not know where the Import Tool is located, start up the main Ability Mail 4 interface, click the Settings button, then click the Tools item down the left side (2nd from the bottom). On the right you'll see a number of buttons; one of them is the AMS 2 / 3 Import button.

[Code Crafters]

Yes, the import tool will import from the normal version 2 installation folder structure. The Import / Export tool is for backups and not really for migrating between different versions.

[Ikon]

I have some success to report. I did an install of 4.2.2 on my test rig and it went well. First, I copied my production 2.72 AMS to "C:\Code Crafters\Ability Mail Server 2" (it's simply under "C:\AMS" on my production rig, to simplify batch file operations). Then I installed 4.2.2 using its defaults. It auto-detected my AMS 2.72 installation and did an Import. All I had to do was click Next buttons (and occasionally Skip). The process went quite smoothly. That was yesterday.

Today, I did pretty much the same thing on my production box: I copied everything under "C:\AMS" to "C:\Code Crafters\Ability Mail Server 2" and then ran the 4.2.2 install. Not surprisingly, it proceeded exactly as it had on the test rig.

I did have to adjust the POP3 Retrievals and Outgoing SMTP settings. My ISP blocks outgoing port 25 and uses port 465 (instead of 110) for POP3 retrievals. Most of this did get copied over in the Import, but some of the SSL settings prevented either of them from working. The default setting in 4.2.2 seems to be TLS 1, but my ISP seems to be using SSL 2 / 3, so that's what I had to set both of them to. They're both working fine now. My suspicion is that AMS 2.72 isn't as specific about which SSL/TLS setting it's using, so 4.2.2 couldn't Import an exact setting and had to make an assumption, which in my case didn't work. Not a big deal, but something to bear in mind.

My plan now is to run the rig for about a week to ensure everything is working as expected. Assuming it does, I will then purchase the Lite version. Strictly speaking, since the kids are now out on their own, we only need the Free version, since there's only 2 of us and 1 domain. However, I don't fee right just leaching the Free version and giving nothing in return.

BTW, I never answered about custom dev of the "search multiple folders" feature. I'm sure your prices are quite reasonable, but I doubt they could be low enough to justify the expense for only 2 users. Actually, there's really only 1 user (me), since my wife uses the Microsoft Mail client that's included with Windows.

[Code Crafters]

Glad the migration went reasonably well. You're right that the SSL mode per service simply wasn't there in Ability Mail Server 2 so you've got the default of TLSv1.0 in AMS 4. We'll double check the import tool as selecting the SSL 2/3 option in AMS 2 should really select SSLv2/3 in the new SSL mode setting in AMS 4. We'll fix this in the next update if it doesn't currently do that. You will need at least a Professional edition to use SSL though.

If you email us at info@codecrafters.com and let us know what edition you plan on purchasing and we'll send you a quote for the search multiple folders feature you asked for. Then you can decide if this is worth it; if not we'll add it to our feature request list and may implement it in the future anyway. In the current version, we don't do this feature simply because scanning all folders can be very slow if you have lots of archived emails. WebMail works like IMAP4 in that it selects the current folder and loads information on those emails for faster access.

[Ikon]

Thanks for the reply. Re: SSL, this is something I hadn't noticed. So, you're saying that, if I want to use POP3 Retrievals, and the email provider requires SSL for POP3, then I have to have the Professional version of AMS? What about if I just want HTTPS access to my AMS account? Same thing?

BTW, you've added some nice features to the WebMail Client for 4.2.2. I like the 3 icons you have embedded in each message's line: read/unread, delete, move. They're very handy. I also like how I can delete and move without having to click a confirmation dialogue each and every time. The way the folder list pops up when moving messages is also nice: no more interminable scrolling. I do kind of miss having the Logout button available without having to click the login name first; not a lot, but a bit.

ps. I just noticed something: it appears that the 4.2.2 WebMail Client automatically refreshes the Inbox periodically. Is this correct (if so, very nice)?

[Code Crafters]

Yes, you need Professional or Enterprise editions for any use of SSL.

Glad you like the new WebMail interface. And yes, the folder page does auto-refresh every 60 seconds.

As for the log out button, we've just amended the WebMail template to show an inline log out button. Please see image below for how this will look.

navbar.png (2.82 KiB) Viewed 150418 times

We'll include this change in the next update due out hopefully by the end of next week.

[Ikon]

Thank for clarifying about SSL. I would have missed that. I don't really need all the capabilities of the Pro version (except SSL), but I Imagine I'm a very niche case: I doubt very many people run their own email servers at home.

Nice move adding the logout button.

BTW, I have "Notify me when a reply is posted" selected, but I never seem to get any emails telling me that a new reply has been posted.

[Code Crafters]

SSL and the filtering systems are the main features added when you upgrade to Professional edition which has all features enabled but limited users. Enterprise has all features and unlimited users.

We'll have a look into the forum notification issue too.

[Ikon]

thank you for looking into the forum notification 'issue'.

I noticed something yesterday. When using FireFox, if I right-click a message in the Inbox of v.2.72, I get a pop-up menu that let's me do things like: open the message in a new tab, or open it in a new window. This was a convenient feature. However, with v4.2.2, a right-click only selects the message; there is no pop-up menu. This seems a little redundant, since left-clicking has always selected the message (and is in keeping with Microsoft's recommend mouse button actions).

[Code Crafters]

You can right click the folder list to do actions on those. However, we didn't implement any right click actions for emails in the list. We may consider adding a right click menu for emails in the future.

[Ikon]

Thank you. It would be appreciated. It was just a surprise that it disappeared when moving from 2.72 to 4.2.2.


(BTW, just purchased the Pro version)