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What steps to take when changing the PI Server Host name
Applies to: Data Archive- 3.1.287, 3.1.288, 3.1.290, 3.2.0.0, 3.2.332, 3.2.357.11, 3.2.357.17,
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SOLUTION VERIFIED - Updated on   May 06, 2019 - English

Issue
Content originally from KB00181

What changes do you need to make on your interface and client nodes when the host name of the PI Data Archive node changes?

How do I con gure my interface to send data to a migrated Data Archive with a new host name?

Environment
Product: PI Interfaces / PI Buffer Subsystem / PI SDK / PI Data Archive
Versions: Data Archive 3.x

Solution
Interface Nodes

The steps for interface nodes depends on whether the interfaces are connecting using hostname, FQDN, or IP address. 
Scenario 1: Interfaces connect using hostname or FQDN

1. On the interface node, map both the old and add the new server names to the same IP Address in either the DNS or the %WINDIR%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts le
(on the node itself). 
2. On the PI Data Archive node, change the name of the PI Data Archive node. Stop and re-start the PI Data Archive node.
3. On a Windows* interface, run the ICU and add the new PI Data Archive node name to the list of SDK Connections. Choose the Interface> SDK Connections menu
which opens the connections dialog. Next, choose Server> Add Server to add the new name. Here you will enter the fully-quali ed host name, the default user, password
and connection type. Choose OK and Save.
4. Next, edit the interface settings to point to the new PI Data Archive node name in the "Server/Collective" name, and Apply your changes. 
5. If using PI Buffer Subsystem 4.3 and above, skip the following step and proceed to step 7.
6. Choose Tools> Buffering and select the Buffered Servers option and add the new server to which you want to buffer. Make sure buffering is set to "yes." Then click OK
and save your changes.
7. Stop the interface. (Note: Data will not be collected or buffered once step 6 is complete, until the end of step 9.)
8. Stop and the PI Buffer Service (bufserv or pibufss) running on the node. 
9. On nodes with PI API versions 1.6.x and greater, rename the APIBUF_<oldservername>.dat le to re ect the new server name (i.e to APIBUF_<newservername>.dat).
10. Restart the PI Buffer Service (bufserv or pibufss)
11. Restart the interface.
12. If you modi ed your DNS, verify that the change has percolated to all of the secondary/backup DNS nodes. Test this by using “nslookup” or “ping” commands for Host
name to IP resolution.
13. Verify that the Buffer Service and Interface are now connected to the new hostname/FQDN by reviewing the PI Message Log and/or the pinetmgr connection statistics
on the PI Data Archive.
14. Verify that the buffered data is now streaming to the PI Data Archive (see How to monitor PI Buffer Subsystem Health using pibufss utility
(https://customers.osisoft.com/s/knowledgearticle?knowledgeArticleUrl=KB00363))

*UNIX users should manually edit the PICLIENT.INI le and change the PIHOMENODE= setting to point to the new PI Data Archive node name. In the
BUFFEREDSERVERLIST section, be sure to add the new PI Data Archive node name to the entry BUFSERVn =<PI Name Server>.
Scenario 2: Interfaces connect using IP Address
As stated above, OSI recommends using FQDN of the PI Data Archive node.  This might be a good time to recon gure the interfaces to connect using FQDN.  Proceed to the
above scenario and follow the steps to recon gure your interfaces.

If using IP Address is the only option, and:

If the IP address has not changed:
Stop all interfaces
Stop the buffering service (bufserv or pibufss)
Start the buffering service
Start your interfaces
If the IP address has changed:
On the interface node, add the new host name and IP Address and edit the old entry to the new IP Address on either your DNS or in the hosts le on the interface
node itself (%WINDIR%\System32\drivers\etc\hosts). 
O th PI D t A hi d h th d IP Add f th PI D t A hi d St d t t th PI D t A hi d
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On the PI Data Archive node, change the name and IP Address of the PI Data Archive node.  Stop and re-start the PI Data Archive node.
On a Windows* interface, run the ICU and add the new PI Data Archive node name to the list of SDK Connections. Choose the Interface> SDK Connections menu
which opens the connections dialog. Next, choose Server> Add Server to add a PI Data Archive node with the new IP address.  Choose OK and Save.
Next, edit the interface settings to point to the new PI Data Archive node in the "Server/Collective" name, and Apply your changes.
If using PI Buffer Subsystem 4.3 and above, skip the following step and proceed to step 7.
Choose Tools> Buffering and select the Buffered Servers option and add the new server to which you want to buffer. Make sure buffering is set to "yes." Then click
OK and save your changes.
Stop the interface. (Note: Data will not be collected or buffered once step 6 is complete, until the end of step 9.)
Stop and the PI Buffer Service (bufserv or pibufss) running on the node. 
On nodes with PI API versions 1.6.x and greater, rename the APIBUF_<oldservername>.dat le to re ect the new server name (i.e to
APIBUF_<newservername>.dat).
Restart the PI Buffer Service (bufserv or pibufss)
Restart the interface.
If you modi ed your DNS, verify that the change has percolated to all of the secondary/backup DNS nodes. Test this by using “nslookup” or “ping” commands for
Host name to IP resolution.
Verify that the Buffer Service and Interface are now connected to the new hostname/FQDN by reviewing the PI Message Log and/or the pinetmgr connection
statistics on the PI Data Archive. 
Verify that the buffered data is now streaming to the PI Data Archive (see How to monitor PI Buffer Subsystem Health using pibufss utility
(https://customers.osisoft.com/s/knowledgearticle?knowledgeArticleUrl=KB00363))

*UNIX users should manually edit the PICLIENT.INI le and change the PIHOMENODE= setting to point to the new PI Data Archive node. In the BUFFEREDSERVERLIST
section, be sure to add the new PI Data Archive node name to the entry BUFSERVn =<PI Name Server>.
Client nodes running PI-SDK and/or AFSDK applications
1. Stop client applications
2. If using buffering, stop PI Buffer Subsystem
3. Update the KST using PISDKUtility or PI System Explorer:
If using PISDKUtility, from the Connection dialog, right mouse click on the PI Data Archive entry with the old name and choose "Remove Selected Server".  Then
select "Add Server..." under the Connections menu.  Enter the Network Path/FQDN of the new server.  This can be FQDN (preferred), hostname, or IP address.
 Choose OK to save the change.
If using PI System Explorer, go to File|Connections dialog, right mouse click on the PI Data Archive entry with the old name and choose "Remove...".  Then select "Add
Data Server" and enter the new FQDN/host/IP address of the PI Data Archive.  Test the connection by pressing the "Connect" button.  Choose OK to save the
change.
4. Start PI Buffer Subsystem if stopped in step 2.
5. Start client applications

Cause
Background
The preferred con guration for interface connections to the PI Data Archive is to use the fully-quali ed domain name (FQDN) of the PI Data Archive node. By fully-
quali ed domain name, we mean a name that includes the machine name, domain name and top level-domain name such as "apollo.osisoft.com (http://apollo.osisoft.com)"
(as opposed to just a simple host name "apollo").
Where is the PI Data Archive node name is stored on the interface / API node:
The PI Data Archive node name is stored in two places on an interface node: 
The interface startup script (*.bat)
The buffering con guration le, PICLIENT.INI.
The Known Server table (KST) in the registry
The PI Buffer Subsystem con guration le, pibufcfg.xml (if using PI Buffering Subsystem 4.3 and above)

Note that on Windows, the PIHOME\dat\PICLIENT.INI le is maintained by the PI ICU utility and Buffering Manager (if using PI Buffer Subsystem). On UNIX, the
PICLIENT.INI le must be edited directly.
KST is maintained by PISDKUtility and PI System Explorer. pibufcfg.xml is maintained by Buffering Manager and pibufss.
Where is the PI Data Archive node name stored on client nodes running PI-SDK and AFSDK applications:
The Known Server table (KST) in the registry. The KST is maintained by PISDKUtility and PI System Explorer. 
The PI Buffer Subsystem con guration le, pibufcfg.xml (if using PI Buffering Subsystem 4.3 and above), which is maintained by Buffering Manager and pibufss.

Notes
If changing only the IP Address on the PI Data Archive node, see 3282OSI8 (https://customers.osisoft.com/s/knowledgearticle?knowledgeArticleUrl=3282OSI8) for steps
on how to change the con guration on the interface node.

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