What is Build-Info?
Build-info is all the information collected by the build agent, which includes details about the build. The build-info includes a list of project modules, artifacts, dependencies, environment variables, and more. When using one of the JFrog clients to build the code, the client can collect the build-info and publish it to Artifactory. When the build-info is published to Artifactory, all the published details become visible in the Artifactory UI.
Migrating Artifactory Build-Info
The build-info is stored separately from normal artifacts in the build-info repository and there are several approaches for migrating the build-info. We will present two approaches to achieve this:
Method #1 – Replication
Artifactory supports replication of repositories between two Artifactory instances to support development by different teams distributed over distant geographical sites, consequently, you may configure replication on the build-info repository between the old and the new Artifactory instance.
Earlier versions of Artifactory couldn't replicate build-info natively and required user plugins. Since version 6.6, build replication is built-in via the artifactory-build-info repository and can be configured using the REST API, for example
curl -uadmin:password -v -XPUT -H"Content-type: application/json" -T replicate-builds.json http://localhost:8081/artifactory/api/replications/artifactory-build-info
You should also consider setting up a bi-directional Federated Build Info Repository.
Method #2 - Federated repositories
A Federated repository works like a local repository on its JPD but is linked with repositories on remote JPDs to form a Federation. Artifacts, metadata, and repository configurations are mirrored across all Federation members. Any changes to artifacts in one member are asynchronously replicated to the others, ensuring consistency across the Federation.
To convert the “artifactory-build-info” repository to a Federated repository, navigate to the Administration module → Repositories → Federated and click on the “Convert Build info” button and follow the instructions.
Method #3 - Import/Export
Artifactory can export and import data and metadata stored in a repository. Hence, you may use the Import and Export functionality to achieve the same by exporting the “artifactory-build-info” repository from the source instance and then importing it into the new “artifactory-build-info” repository on the target instance. See Repositories Import and Export for more information