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zmiles777's avatar
zmiles777
Copper Contributor
Jun 26, 2023

Copy Config Db for Azure DevOps to new server?

I currently am migrating our DevOps server to a new location and I have decided to split the projects into different collections due to size and other reasons.

My question is can I copy the configuration DB, change the URL and more to make this instance unique and have this running while the old DB is running? I primarily don't want to redo our entire server setup while making this as seemless as I can for our users.

Thanks!

azure devops

1 Reply

  • Kidd_Ip's avatar
    Kidd_Ip
    MVP
    Sep 21, 2025

    Take this:

     

    1. Backup All Databases

    Use the Azure DevOps Administration Console to perform a full backup:

    • Configuration DB (Tfs_Configuration)
    • Collection DBs (Tfs_CollectionName)
    • Reporting DBs (if used)

    2. Install Azure DevOps Server on New Hardware

    • Install the same version of Azure DevOps Server on the new server
    • Do not configure it yet

    3. Restore Databases

    Use the Restore Wizard in the Admin Console or SQL Server tools to restore the databases to the new SQL instance

    4. Run the Configuration Wizard

    Choose “Restore Existing Deployment” and point to the restored databases

    5. Change the Base URL

    Update the application-tier URL to make the new instance unique:

    • Use TfsConfig tool:
    • TfsConfig ChangeServerId

    This ensures the new instance has a unique identity and avoids conflicts with the original server

    6. Split Projects into New Collections

    Once the clone is up, you can use tools like Azure DevOps Migration Tools to move projects into separate collections

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