Restarting Your Server

This guide covers how to safely restart your Caret Legal server and troubleshoot common issues that may arise during the restart process.

When to Restart Your Server

You may need to restart your server in the following situations:

• After applying configuration changes
• When experiencing performance degradation
• After installing updates or patches
• When troubleshooting connectivity issues
• As part of routine maintenance

Safe Restart Procedure

Follow these steps to safely restart your server:

Step 1: Notify Users

Before restarting, notify all active users that the system will be temporarily unavailable. You can do this through:

• The admin dashboard announcement feature
• Email notification to active users
• Setting a maintenance window in advance

Step 2: Check Active Sessions

Navigate to Admin > Active Sessions to review any ongoing processes:

1. Look for any long-running reports or exports
2. Check for active user sessions
3. Verify no critical batch jobs are in progress

Step 3: Initiate the Restart

To restart your server:

1. Go to Admin > System Settings > Server Management
2. Click the Restart Server button
3. Confirm the restart when prompted
4. Wait for the system to come back online (typically 2-5 minutes)

Step 4: Verify the Restart

After the server restarts:

1. Check the system health dashboard
2. Verify all services are running
3. Test basic functionality (login, navigation)
4. Review the system logs for any errors

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Server Won't Start

If your server fails to start after a restart:

1. Check the error logs at Admin > Logs > System Errors
2. Verify database connectivity
3. Ensure all required services are running
4. Contact support if the issue persists

Slow Performance After Restart

If you experience slow performance:

1. Allow 5-10 minutes for caches to warm up
2. Check memory usage in the system dashboard
3. Review recent configuration changes
4. Consider clearing temporary files

Users Can't Connect After Restart

If users report connection issues:

1. Verify the server is fully online
2. Check firewall settings
3. Clear browser caches on client machines
4. Verify DNS settings haven't changed

Emergency Restart

In case of an emergency where the normal restart procedure isn't working:

1. Contact Caret Legal support immediately
2. Do not attempt to force restart without guidance
3. Document any error messages you see
4. Keep users informed of the situation

Best Practices

• Schedule restarts during low-usage periods
• Always back up configuration before major changes
• Keep a log of restart events and their reasons
• Test the restart procedure in a staging environment first

Need Help?

If you're experiencing issues with server restarts or have questions about the process, please contact our support team or submit a support ticket through the help widget.