How to merge signal files after a failover

Scenario

Server 1 records and fails. Server 2 takes the cameras as the redundant server. An hour later Server 1 is fixed and then cameras are moved back to Server 1 manually.

The footage files and signal files must also be moved back to the Server 1 but the name of the signal files are identical. As such, signal files will override parts of the timeline.

Solution

Files in _signals and _signals2 do not have global header information (each frame has a small header, but the file does not). As such, you can append the data from Server 2 onto Server 1, or you can use a NAS.

To append the data from Server 2 onto Server 1:

1. Create a .bat file on Server 1. Insert the following into the file:

   
   cd /d D:\data\_signals
   for %%a in (ai_cam*_%1.dat) do (
    copy /b %%a + \\server2\d$\data\_signals\%%a %%a_new
    del %%a
    move %%a_new %%a
   )
   

2. Run the .bat file with the current date. For example, if you created a .bat file called CopySignals.bat, run it with a date yyyy.mm.dd
   
   CopySignals.bat 2011.08.17

Note: The copy command copy a.txt + b.txt c.txt appends b.txt to a.txt and saves it to c.txt.