Tech Support’s Perseverance Powers the Customer Solution

The customer called into Tech Support to find out how to migrate their DNA Server to Windows 10. It was a seemingly easy request with standard steps to follow. However, it was soon discovered the customer was using an older, unsupported operating system, Windows XP, and did not have a backup of their database. To make matters worse, they also only had corrupted data files. This was time for Open Options to get creative, pool all their knowledge and use what many deem as Tech Support’s “superpowers” to solve this complex customer issue.

“Without a backup of the database, the customer would have had to rebuild the entire system all over,” said Nic Robran, Technical Support Manager, at Open Options, which, like always, became determined to save the customer the hassle.

The first step was for Open Options to truly understand what was happening.  While a tech from Open Options was accessing the customer’s network remotely to get the new DNA Server installed and set up, a critical discovery was made: the files were corrupted. 

“In order to assist, our Tech Support professional recommended that they get with their IT department to get us remoted into the Windows XP machine, so we could attempt to retrieve the files without corrupting them,” explained Nic.  “When our team was able to remote into the XP machine, we discovered they’re running SQL Server 2000, which was beyond end of life.”

This big challenge would intimidate most other access control solution providers, but not Open Options.  The expertise of the senior technicians Lane and Ted was needed to assist in getting the customer’s data restored, making this another example of Lane and Ted’s excellent adventure to solve a complex problem. 

First, the team had to find an older version of SQL Server Management Studio, so they could get in and fix the data files. Lane and Ted both assisted with creating and running scripts to fix their database and allow us to extract the data and get it restored on their new server.

“Our brilliant senior techs were able to parse through multiple errors and edit multiple SQL scripts to finally get a usable backup to restore on their new Windows 10 DNA Server,” said Nic. 

“Without Lane and Ted, we would not have been able to assist the customer with getting their system online.  Considering the customer was using two Microsoft products that were no longer supported, Open Options was the only avenue for them to get their data restored.”

In the end, the customer did not have to go through the lengthy process of rebuilding the entire database to get DNA Fusion fully operational and their building secure. They were back online.