This page is about merging the data from an existing root server into the WSZF BMLT root server.

To migrate data from a regional to the zonal server, we get a snapshot of the data in the regional server as a MySQL export, another snapshot of the current zonal server data, merge the data using a special-purpose program called lettuce, and then restore the zonal server’s database from the merged data. This needs to be done with some care since we don’t want to trash the zonal database (and of course we will keep a backup).

If the updated zonal data looks good, at that point you can redirect your BMLT satellites from your former regional server to the zone’s. Usually the IDs for the service bodies will have changed, so pick your service body from the updated list in the settings for your satellite.

A couple more details: first, after we get the export of your database, don’t make any changes to your data unless it can’t wait; better to make them after you start using the zonal root server. (However, if need be, we can query the old server for all the changes after the date the export was made, and re-enter these on the zonal server.) Second, the zonal server will have just one set of formats, so if you have edited or augmented your formats, we will need to reconcile the two sets. (Lettuce provides some automation for this.) Also see the formats code page for more on this issue.