Upgrading Moodle Servers: Its not a Trivial Pursuit

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Upgrading Moodle ServersIts not a Trivial
Pursuit

• Chris Andree, Greg Bartley,
• Troy Cherry, Jennifer Nelson

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Moodle Overview

• Installations
• What do we install on our server?
• Backing up
• How often and how do we back up?
• Upgrading
• When and how do we upgrade Moodle?
• Hosting locally vs. ASP
• What are the costs?

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Installations
Win
Linux
Mac
OS
Web Server
Apache
IIS
MySQL
Database
Language
PHP
Moodle packages
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Installations
Win
OS
Web Server
IIS
MySQL
Database
Language
PHP
WIMP
Moodle packages
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Installations
Win
OS
Web Server
Apache
MySQL
Database
Language
PHP
WAMP
Moodle packages
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Installations
Linux
OS
Web Server
Apache
MySQL
Database
Language
PHP
LAMP
Moodle packages
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Installations
Mac
OS
Web Server
Apache
MySQL
Database
Language
PHP
MAMP
Moodle packages
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Backing Up

• Set Moodle to back up courses.
• Regular schedule
• Set your server to back up
• Moodle software directory
• Data directory
• MySQL database

Moodle backups
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Upgrading

• When?
• Critical bug fixes
• New features
• Modules
• To core system

• How do I know?
• Start with Moodle.org
• Issue Tracker
• http//tracker.moodle.org/
• Free Support
• http//moodle.org/course/view.php?id5

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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• Test Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

Copy
Accessible and Operational
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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• Test Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

Accessible and Operational
Upgrade Moodle
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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• Test Installation
• Moodle (upgraded)
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• Fix bugs
• MySQL changes
• Document EVERYTHING

Accessible and Operational
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Debugging
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Testing - Options

• With Debugging on
• Go through different courses.
• Click on activities, gradebook, resources
• PHP errors will appear on the page.
• Go to the PHP code or MySQL to repair the problem.

• Turn on PHP Error log on the server
• Let Moodle users work their way through courses.
• Errors display in the PHP error log.
• Make repairs as problems arise.

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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• Test Installation
• Moodle (upgraded)
• MySQL (debugged)
• MoodleData folder

Set to Maintenance Mode (admin access only)
Accessible and Operational
Test Installation no longer needed
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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

Backup
In Maintenance Mode
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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• Backups
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• In Maintenance Mode
• Upgrade Moodle
• Apply changes to MySQL

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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle (upgraded)
• MySQL (updated)
• MoodleData folder

• Backups
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

In Maintenance Mode
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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle (upgraded)
• MySQL (updated)
• MoodleData folder

• Backups
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

• In Maintenance Mode
• Test
• Debug

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Upgrading

• Production Installation
• Moodle (upgraded)
• MySQL (updated)
• MoodleData folder

• Backups
• MySQL
• MoodleData folder

Return to Operational Mode
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Hosting Locally

• Server specs (recommended)
• 250 GB - storage
• 4 GB - RAM
• To support
• 200 concurrent users
• 1000 browsing users
• Formula
• App of concurrent users RAM X 50

• Tech support
• Time needed
• Skills/experience

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Application Service Providers

• TIES
• 600/year
• 10 GB total storage
• No account or course limit

See Greg for details!
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Application Service Providers

• High End Example
• CRTeacher.com
• 3,100.95/year
• 4,000 users
• Unlimited courses
• 25 GB total storage
• 125 GB bandwidth transfer/mo

• Low End Example
• CRTeacher.com
• 799.95/year
• 500 users
• Unlimited courses
• 5 GB total storage
• 25 GB bandwidth transfer/mo

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Questions/Discussion
Happy Moodling! Thanks for your time.