Refresh pre-production environment with production data

Question

What's the best way to refresh a pre-production environment with production data? This would involve all datasources (SQL databases) and KDBs (in-flight processes, process models, applications, etc.), but we would also want to make sure that the configurations specific to that lower environment (URL, logo, mail server settings, etc.) remained the same. Otherwise we would have a complete duplicate of production and multiple emails would get sent out, and so on. What's the best way to do this?... 
 OriginalPostID-134376 
 OriginalPostID-134376

andrewk370 · Accepted Answer

No real "easy" way. I would suggest the following:

1. Create a copy of your production database or copy that to your pre-prod database
2. Shutdown Prod
3. Migrate all files from Appian like you would with migrating to a new install (kdbs, custom.properties, etc)
4. Re-configure your custom.properties to change the hostname and probably mail server

Aleksi White · Answer

Agreed with the above steps, but I would swap steps 1 and 2. It will be safer to do a full shutdown, and then start copying over any files, databases, etc