Migration paths for SolarWinds SQL Sentry

2/4/2026 2:52 PM

8/4/2026 4:05 PM

Preparation

Complete these preparation steps before starting any migration path.

1. Decide on upgrade vs. migration order

   • If you plan to upgrade SQL Sentry, perform the upgrade before migrating.

   • Keeping upgrade and migration separate reduces complexity and makes troubleshooting easier.

2. Obtain the correct installers

   • If you are not upgrading, download and keep the installer that matches your current SQL Sentry version.

   • Use this same installer when installing SQL Sentry components in the new location.

3. Validate system and security requirements in the new environment

   • System requirements for each new server

   • Monitoring Service security requirements are met, so services can connect to all monitored targets.

   • Required ports are open.

   • Follow SQL Sentry installation recommendations for sizing and placement.

4. Capture current Portal configuration

   • Review and document your Portal configuration in the existing environment.

   • You will need this information to reconfigure Portal after it is migrated.

SQL Sentry (SQLS)

 

Migration paths overview

Use the table below to select the path appropriate for your deployment type and what you are moving.

Path	Deployment type	What are you moving	Section
1	Unified	SQL Sentry database only	Path 1
2	Unified	SQL Sentry components (Client/Monitoring/Portal)	Path 2
3	EPI	SQL Sentry database only	Path 3
4	EPI	SQL Sentry components (Controller/Monitoring/Portal/Client)	Path 4

 

Path 1: Unified SQL Sentry database migration

Use this path when you have a Unified SQL Sentry deployment and are moving the SQL Sentry database to a new SQL Server, while keeping services and clients (initially) on their existing servers.

Steps

1. Stop services

   • On all SQL Sentry servers, stop:

     • Monitoring Services

     • Portal Service

2. Deactivate licenses

   1. Open the SQL Sentry Client.

   2. Go to Help > Manage Licenses and deactivate your licenses.

   3. Ensure no services are started after this point until the migration is complete, as doing so can cause targets to be unwatched.

   Close the SQL Sentry Client after deactivating licenses.

3. Back up the SQL Sentry database

   • Perform a full backup of the existing SQL Sentry database on the current SQL Server.

4. Restore the database to the new SQL Server

   • Restore the backup to the new SQL Server that will host the SQL Sentry database.

5. Update client connections

   • On any machine where the Client is not being migrated:

     1. Open the SQL Sentry Client.

     2. If the old database is still accessible, the Client will connect using the existing default connection.

     3. Go to File > Connect to installation and:

        • Edit the existing connection to point to the new SQL Sentry database server, or

        • Add a new connection pointing to the new database location.

     4. Repeat this for all Client machines that are staying in place.

6. Update Monitoring Service connections

   • On any machine where the Monitoring Service is not being migrated:

     1. Run the Service Configuration Utility.

     2. Input the Monitoring Service username and password.

     3. Update the SQL Sentry database connection if needed.

     4. Once completed, press any key to close out of the dialog.

7. Reactivate licenses

   • Using the updated connection that points to the new SQL Sentry database, open the Client and reactivate your licenses.

8. Start services

Path 2: Unified SQL Sentry component migration

Use this path when you have a Unified SQL Sentry deployment and are moving Clients, Monitoring Services, and/or Portal Services to new machines. This is typically done after moving the database (Path 1), but can be used on its own if the database host is not changing.

Steps

1. Uninstall SQL Sentry from old component servers

   • On every machine that currently hosts any of the following:

     • SQL Sentry Client

     • SQL Sentry Monitoring Service

     • SQL Sentry Portal Service

   • Go to Add or Remove Programs (or Apps & Features) and uninstall SQL Sentry.

2. Install components on new servers

   • On each new machine where you are moving a Client, Monitoring Service, and/or Portal Service:

     1. Run the Unified Installer obtained during the preparation stage.

     2. Walk through the installation wizard.

     3. When prompted for what to install, choose the appropriate option:

        • Complete – installs Client, Monitoring Service, and Portal Service.

        • Client Only – installs only the Client.

        • Custom – allows you to select specific components (for example, only Portal).

3. Verify Client connectivity

   • After installation completes, if a Client was installed:

     • Open the Client.

     • Confirm that it connects to the SQL Sentry database specified during installation (typically the migrated database from Path 1).

Path 3: EPI SQL Sentry database migration

Use this path when you have an Enhanced Platform Installer (EPI) deployment and you are moving the SQL Sentry database to a new SQL Server, while initially leaving Controllers, Monitoring Services, Portal, and Clients on their existing servers.

Steps

1. Stop services

   • On all SQL Sentry EPI servers, stop:

     • Controller Services

     • Monitoring Services

     • Portal Service

2. Deactivate licenses

   1. Open the SQL Sentry Client.

   2. Go to Help > Manage Licenses and deactivate your licenses.

   3. Ensure no services are started after this point until the migration is complete, or most monitored targets may be unwatched.

   Close the SQL Sentry Client after deactivating licenses.

3. Back up the SQL Sentry database

   • Perform a full backup of the existing SQL Sentry database.

4. Restore the database to the new SQL Server

   • Restore the backup to the new SQL Server designated to host the SQL Sentry database.

5. Update registrations for Clients not being migrated

   • For any machine where the Client is not being migrated, use the EPI command-line tools to point that Client to the new SQL Sentry database:

   1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

   2. Run so addreg to create a new registration that points to the new database:

      so addreg -n <connectionName> --connectionServer <serverName> --connectionDatabase <databaseName>
      

      • <connectionName> – A friendly name for this registration (you will reuse this -n value in other commands).

      • <serverName> – New SQL Server name.

      • <databaseName> – SQL Sentry database name.

   3. Repeat this process on any Client machines that are staying in place.

6. Update registrations for Monitoring Services not being migrated

   1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

   2. Run so updatereg to edit the registration the Monitoring Service uses to connect to the database:

      so updatereg -n <connectionName> --connectionServer <newConnectionServerName> --connectionDatabase <databaseName>

      
      

      • <connectionName> – The name of your existing connection you will be using (you will reuse this -n value in other commands).

         

      • <newConnectionServerName> – New SQL Server name.

         

      • <databaseName> – SQL Sentry database name.

   3. Repeat this process on any Client machines that are staying in place.

7. Reactivate licenses

   • With the new registration in place:

     • Start the Client, select the new connection, and reactivate your licenses.

8. Start services

Path 4: EPI SQL Sentry component migration

Use this path when you have an EPI deployment and are moving Controllers, Monitoring Services, Portal, and/or Clients to new machines. This is typically done after moving the database (Path 3), but can also be used independently if only application components are moving.

Steps

4.1 Uninstall services and application components from old servers

1. Uninstall EPI services (Controller/Monitoring/Portal)

   • On every machine that currently hosts a Controller, Monitoring Service, and/or Portal Service:

     1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

     2. Run the so uninstall command to remove all EPI services associated with the registration:

        so uninstall -n <connectionName>
        

2. Uninstall the SQL Sentry/SentryOne application

   • On the same machines:

     • Go to Add or Remove Programs (or Apps & Features).

     • Uninstall SolarWinds SQL Sentry/SentryOne.

3. Uninstall Clients that will move to new machines

   • On any machine that currently has a Client that will be relocated:

     • Go to Add or Remove Programs.

     • Uninstall SolarWinds SQL Sentry/SentryOne.

4.2 Install EPI framework and register against the new database

1. Install EPI framework on new service servers

   • On every new machine where you are moving a Controller, Monitoring Service, and/or Portal Service:

     1. Run the Enhanced Platform Installer (EPI) file obtained during preparation.

     2. Walk through the installation wizard to install the EPI Framework.

2. Add a new registration to the new SQL Sentry database

   • After the EPI framework is installed, on each new service server:

     1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator.

     2. Run so addreg to register the framework to the new SQL Sentry database:

        so addreg -n <connectionName> --connectionServer <serverName> --connectionDatabase <databaseName>
        

        • Use the same <connectionName> value consistently; it will be referenced in other commands.

4.3 Reinstall services

1. Install Controller and Monitoring Services

   • With the registration in place, reinstall EPI services using so install:

     so install --IAcceptLicenseTerms -n <connectionName> -u <serviceAccount>
     

     • <serviceAccount> – The service account that will run the SQL Sentry services.

2. Install Portal Service (if applicable)

   • If the Portal will also run on this server, install the Portal service using so installmp:

     so installmp --IAcceptLicenseTerms -n <connectionName> -s <PortalServiceServerFQDN> -u <serviceAccount>
     

     • <PortalServiceServerFQDN> – Fully qualified domain name of the Portal server.

     • <serviceAccount> – Service account for the Portal service.

3. Reconfigure Portal

   • After Portal is installed:

     so configmp
     

   • Use the configuration UI to:

     • Confirm connection details.

     • Reapply any Portal configuration captured during the Preparation phase.

4.4 Finalize and validate

1. Start a Client and verify connectivity

   • Each EPI framework installation also adds a Client shortcut, so you can open a Client from any service machine.

   • Connect to the new SQL Sentry database and confirm:

     • Controllers and Monitoring Services are visible.

     • Portal status is healthy.

2. Organize Monitoring Services into Sites

   • In the Client:

     1. Navigate to Monitoring Services.

     2. Move each Monitoring Service into the appropriate Site (drag-and-drop).

     3. Remove any old Monitoring Services that refer to servers that are no longer in use (they will still appear in the Monitoring Services folder until removed).

3. Reactivate licenses (if not already completed)

   • Ensure licenses are active for the installation connected to the new database.

Post-migration checks

After completing the appropriate path:

• Confirm all monitored targets are still watched and collecting data.

• Review alerts and actions to ensure they are firing as expected.

• Verify Portal access:

  • Users can log in.

  • Dashboards, performance data, and event views load correctly.

• Validate maintenance tasks (such as grooming/cleanup) are running against the new database.