When the host fails or moves

The host keeps an encrypted backup of the workspace database in the store. If the host fails, another computer can take over from the backup with the recovery key, and the projects, tasks and devices are all still there (Takeover).

What you need

• A workspace whose store is a Shared folder or S3. When the store is This device, the backups are on that host too, so if the host fails, nobody can take over.
• The recovery key you saved when you created the workspace.
• A computer that can open the store and isn't a host itself. A computer that has joined this workspace works too.

Take over

On the new host:

1. Open danio. On a computer that hasn't joined a workspace, click Create or take over a workspace. On one that has, click Create or take over a workspace… in the workspace menu.
2. Switch to Take over from backup.
3. Under Store, enter where the workspace's store is: for a shared folder, the path, such as \\NAS\danio; for S3, the Endpoint, bucket and keys.
4. Enter the Recovery key and click Take over.

What success looks like: a message says Took over SIK Office and shows the time of the backup it restored. After danio restarts (if it doesn't restart by itself, restart it as the message says), this computer is the host, and Devices and Tasks look the same as before.

To take over from the command line on a server without a desktop, see Command line.

Point other devices to the new host

Workspaces that use a domain: point the domain's DNS or reverse proxy at the new host. The devices don't need any change.

Workspaces that use an IP: each device needs one change. When a device can't reach the old host, its window says Can’t connect to SIK Office:

1. Click Change host address.
2. Enter the new host's address, such as http://192.168.1.30:7420, and save. Before saving, it checks that the address really belongs to this workspace.

On devices without a desktop, run danio workspace set-host <new address>.

What success looks like: these devices show as Online on the new host's Devices page.

What you lose

You lose only the changes made after the last backup. Joining a device, changing access, tokens or the store, and submitting a task are backed up within a minute, so usually only the last minute is missing.

• Tasks submitted after that need to be submitted again. The files are already in the store, so resubmitting is quick.
• Devices that joined after that are unknown to the new host and need to join again.
• Chunks that were rendering are handed out again by the new host, based on their state at the time of the backup.

If the old host comes back

Within a minute, the old host notices that it has been taken over. It stops handing out work and writing to the store, and a notice at the top of the page says the workspace has been taken over by the new host. After you restart danio, it connects back to the new host as a device, with Admin access, and keeps its name and render history.

Planned host change

If the old host still works, have it back up its latest state first, then take over. Nothing is lost:

1. On the old host, open Workspace details → Store → Backups and click Back up now.
2. On the new machine, take over following the steps above.

The old host steps down by itself. After you restart danio, it connects back to the new host as a device.