Primafact Server Migration Checklist

Why Primafact migrations need more care than a standard server swap

Primafact case files are not simple documents that can be copied and reopened without concern. The database needs to be captured and restored in a consistent state, and every workstation's connection to the case file share needs to be repointed correctly. A migration that goes wrong mid-week can stall an entire litigation team during a busy discovery period.

This matters more for firms that have already outgrown their current hardware, which is often flagged during a review of Primafact server and workstation requirements or while troubleshooting why the system runs slow.

Pre-migration planning

• Confirm the current Primafact version and check compatibility with the new server operating system
• Document current storage usage and growth trend to size the new server with headroom
• Identify every workstation, printer mapping, and integration that touches the current server
• Confirm licensing status with Primafact and plan for any reactivation the vendor requires
• Schedule the migration window during the firm's lowest-activity period, typically evenings or a weekend

Preparing the new server

• Provision the new server with solid-state storage sized for at least three to five years of growth
• Apply current operating system updates and security baseline before installing Primafact
• Configure network shares to mirror the existing folder structure so workstation mappings need minimal change
• Install and configure endpoint protection and backup agents before go-live, not after

Rehearsing the data transfer

A rehearsal run, copying the database and document store to the new server ahead of the actual cutover, catches problems while there is still time to fix them without pressure. This step is the one most often skipped under time pressure, and it is the one that prevents a migration weekend from turning into a migration week.

1. Run a full test transfer of the database and document store to the new server.
2. Open a sample of real case files on the new server to confirm document integrity.
3. Time the transfer to estimate how long the real cutover will take.
4. Note and resolve any errors, permission issues, or missing files before the live migration.

Cutover weekend checklist

1. Notify staff of the migration window and expected downtime in advance.
2. Take a final backup of the old server immediately before starting the live transfer.
3. Transfer the database and document store to the new server.
4. Repoint workstation network mappings and Primafact configuration to the new server.
5. Confirm Primafact licensing is active and recognized on the new server.
6. Open and verify a sample of real matters from at least three different workstations.
7. Leave the old server powered off but intact until the firm confirms everything is working.

Verification and firm sign-off

Verification should go beyond confirming Primafact opens. Staff should log in from their normal workstations, open real case files they worked with recently, run a search, and confirm printing and scanning still work as expected. Only after this verification, and firm sign-off, should the old server be decommissioned.

Firms running PC Law on the same server should verify that application as well during the same window, since coordinating both migrations together, as described in our guide to running Primafact and PC Law together, avoids a second disruptive weekend.

Backup and disaster recovery on the new server

The migration is also the right time to confirm backup jobs are correctly configured on the new server before it takes over production traffic. See our dedicated guide on Primafact backup and disaster recovery for what a proper backup routine looks like, and make sure the new server's backups have completed a successful restore test before the old server is retired.

Frequently asked questions