Informant Sync Scheduled Maintenance:
Starting August 21, 2020 at 8pm MST (UTC-6), Informant Sync was in system maintenance. The Informant Sync services were unavailable for approximately 12 hours.
[Status Update: This maintenance window is completed]
We are anticipating another Maintenance Window on Aug 29-30th for 12-24 hours.
During this time:
- You CAN use your Informant apps on your devices (iOS, macOS, Android).
- You will receive sync errors during this time. You can change your AutoSync Settings in Settings>>Accounts>>AutoSync.
- You CAN create a backup before, during, or after the update.
- Please avoid running manual sync attempts during this time.
- Please DO NOT delete or reinstall the app.
- Please DO NOT log out or delete your Informant Sync account.
We are making some changes to Informant Sync: Expect Minor Service Interruptions
We have been working behind the scenes on a major overhaul of the Informant Sync backend and there will be a data migration involved. This will make things better, faster, and enable new features such as a web interface for Informant (more information to come)!
Things you can do to prepare:
We are designing this migration to be seamless for most customers of Informant Sync with no special effort. If you have a complex use case involving many devices running Informant apps, a lot of data, or critical data, there are a few things you can do to make sure the experience is seamless.
- Make a backup of your data a few days before. https://webis.helpshift.com/a/pocket-informant/?s=informant-for-ios&f=backup-settings-on-ios&p=all
- Sync all of your devices within a few days of the migration event. This will reduce the chances of differences between your devices when the migration starts. https://webis.helpshift.com/a/pocket-informant/?s=informant-for-ios&f=how-to-sync&p=all
- Update all Informant apps to the latest version. If you are using Informant on multiple devices (iPhone, Mac, iPad, Android), then make sure all of them are up to date with the latest version. If you are using older versions of Informant than the most recent version there are some additional risks. Newest versions of the apps have updated URLs for interacting with Informant Sync, that old versions do not have. Go to the App/Google Play store to update to the latest version.
- If you have an expired Informant Sync account, and you want to keep access to the data in it, you should renew it before August 20. If you don’t get this done by August 20, we still have options to migrate your data but you may need to contact support. We will be retaining all data on the old servers for at least 6 months. You can see your current expiration date at Informant settings > Accounts > Informant Sync. If you have met the expiration date, renew by attempting to login and sync with that account.
- During the migration event, and while the Informant Sync server is offline, it would be best to do your data additions on only ONE of your devices. This is not critical, as all devices should start syncing once the server is back online, but it can reduce some headaches of checking your data.
After the Migration has completed:
- Perform a sync, just like you always have. Confirm everything is ok. You can force a sync by going to Informant Settings > Accounts > Informant Sync and tap the Sync option at the bottom of that page. Do NOT choose Reset sync.
- If you use the email to task feature, you will need to setup a new email address after the migration. To do so, go to Informant Settings > Accounts > Informant sync > Sync options > Scroll down to the email to task address. If you don’t, you will get an error using the old email address.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How will I be impacted?
The actual migration process may take 12-48 hours. Informant Sync service will be offline for some or all of this maintenance window. You can still use your Informant Apps during this time, but they may not be able to sync with other Informant apps/devices during this time.
Any “Non-Informant Sync” service will not be affected by this Maintenance Event. Sync to Google, Apple, 365, Toodledo, Evernote, will continue to function. (Assuming Google OAuth Issues are resolved)
Why are we doing it?
Data Security: This application was originally built many years ago & now it’s time to update & upgrade some of the technology stack.
New Opportunities: We are also building a web interface for Pocket Informant, which is dependent on this backend update. Once we’ve finished, we can move forward with the front-end interface of the web version.
Will ALL Data be migrated?
We are NOT migrating all old customer data. There will be 2 batches:
- 1st: Active accounts with a future expiration.
- 2nd: Recently Inactive Accounts, with an expiration date within the last 6 months from January 18, 2020.
Note: if we DO migrate your account, we WILL migrate ALL of your data.
What are we doing to handle exceptions?
We have prepared a plan to handle any customers that have issues with this migration. Please contact support or refer back to this blog for more Frequently Asked Questions.
Additional Risks for Older Informant App Versions:
Older versions of the Informant app use hardcoded URLS that point to domains that will not be used going forward. We are creating proxy/redirects for these api calls, but there is some chance there can be an issue. Because we do not own these Google domains, we do not have 100% control. The new versions of our apps and new versions of Informant Sync all use these new URL endpoints. We strongly recommend updating to newest version where possible for best performance.
Which apps are affected?
Any app that connects to Informant Sync will be affected.
- All Pocket Informant, or Informant for iOS, iPad, Mac, or Android.
- Informant Sync for Outlook
- G-SyncIT