Topic: upgrade 5.6 to 6.0 questions?

[fubduck]

   If it is alright I have a few questions regarding upgrading from 5.6 to version 6. I apologize that I am not a techie. (I pastor a church and do prison ministry however I am still the only guy with the time to do the server stuff.) Please bear with me for a few questions.
   I did my best to read the docs but some things are as clear as mud.

     First off I did the ftp and burned the 6.0 cd so it's bootable. Do I just stcik the thing in and reboot, then choose upgrade (and hopefully and additional modules I want)?

    Is there a way to have a desktop with point and click so I can do the admin stuff here through the desktop or do I have to install the full Redhat 7 or 8 to get that? Can I install the desktop with the redhat kernel and have it come up as I boot the machine?

     The documentation for 6.0 says several things about local connections and routers for an inside network. The way we are set up right now. The internet comes in through a cable modem into one network card on the server. The other network card goes out to a router. We have 4 machines hooked into it for office stuff. As it is each of these gets a local ip and can go out onto the net at their own leisure.
     The docs for version 6 say that to enable local network access I have to;

=============================
  If you wish to enable local network access, you can do so via:

  /sbin/e-smith/config setprop mysqld LocalNetworkingOnly no
  /sbin/e-smith/expand-template /etc/my.cnf
  /etc/rc.d/init.d/mysqld restart

- A "router" setting must now be defined for any local network. This
  implies that all "local networks" must truly be local, i.e. not
  Internet addresses. This change is introduced to strongly discourage
  insecure configurations.

- A transparent SMTP proxy has been added, to force all outgoing SMTP
  connections to go through the SME server. This feature enhances security
  with respect to viruses and worms that use SMTP to propagate themselves.

  If you wish to disable this proxy, you can do so via:

  /sbin/e-smith/config setprop smtpfront-qmail Proxy disabled
  /sbin/e-smith/signal-event remoteaccess-update
=============================

     How's all that for a mouthful? As the server is set up right now each local computer has an ip for the local net yet each can go out to the internet. If I am reading this right if I upgrade we loose that access and no one from inside the local network can get out or am I reading this wrong?
    How can I set that up or am I stuck at 5.6? I would like to upgrade yet for us to loose internet access if we upgrade is a major bug! Please help.

     As well the docs for the mySQL say that the database will only accept local connections. If part of our website is a database that people need to use a name and password to update their information through, can they still do this or have we lost that capability as well? The docs say,

=============================
- The mysql database daemon is configured by default to accept only
  local connections (i.e. it is not accessible via the network).
  This is a security precaution. We only use mysql for webmail preferences, and only require access from localhost.
=============================

     Any and all help you givce will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time and patience. Take care and God bless.

fubduck@rogers.com

[Boris]

Do I just stcik the thing in and reboot, then choose upgrade...?

I a nutshell Yes, but few things needs to be considered first. And that include full backup.

Is there a way to have a desktop with point and click so I can do the admin stuff here through the desktop or do I have to install the full Redhat 7 or 8 to get that? Can I install the desktop with the redhat kernel and have it come up as I boot the machine?

No need for any of that. All administration is done through the web browser from the any workstation by http://servername_or_IP/server-manager. Initial install/upgrade is done via local console.

If you wish to enable local network access, you can do so via:
  /sbin/e-smith/config setprop mysqld LocalNetworkingOnly no
  /sbin/e-smith/expand-template /etc/my.cnf
  /etc/rc.d/init.d/mysqld restart

This is only needed if you have local workstations that update your MySQL database via MyODBC or MySQLfront or similar. If you only update information in the database via web based application, that is already local and no additional steps needed.

- A "router" setting must now be defined for any local network.

This only applied if somebody connects to windows shares, or MySQL directly from outside of your network. Also if you have multiple offices/locations connected via VPN. Most likely its not used or applied to your configuration.

- A transparent SMTP proxy has been added, to force all outgoing SMTP connections to go through the SME server. This feature enhances security
 with respect to viruses and worms that use SMTP to propagate themselves.

I don't know how your e-mail set up, but in either case using your own e-mail server (somethat complicated on cable network with  likely dynamic IP) or using ISP's e-mail server, if should be ..well.. transparent

There are couple of bugs (intermitent) that you may encount after upgrade (like webmail/mysql password problem or samba domain information reset), but they are documented, duscussed on this phorum and easily resolved, so their are not a showstopers.
Good luck.

[fubduck]

I a nutshell Yes, but few things needs to be considered first. And that include full backup.

now fubduck wrote:
Call me thick but what other things? At present we have the website (3 acutally) seet up here. we can use the domainname.ca/webmail/ if people want to use that. I want to set up an SQL database with links to a set of webpages. Most of it accessable ot Joe Public. some so that people need a login/pw to get access to change some of the data. Can I do this through SME 6 or do I need to change something? The database I want ot use was made up in Mickeysoft Access and I use Dreamweaver to design the website.

now fubduck wrote:
I want to be able to access a customer database, etc. right off the desktop of the server (hopefully from a GUI interface using the mouse) so that I can keep track of expenses and all from the same machine that is used as the server. Maybe I'm dreaming but I've seen it done with Redhat. Does SME do the same thign somehow?

fubduck wrote:
If you wish to enable local network access, you can do so via: ...

now fubduck wrote:
I was under the impression from what I read of the docs for 6 that for anyone inside the office to access the net once I upgrade to 6 I'd have to switch a bunch of stuff for that to work or the local office machines wouldn;t be able ot get out to the net. Did I read the docs wrong or am I just thick?
 
This is only needed if you have local workstations that update your MySQL database via MyODBC or MySQLfront or similar. If you only update information in the database via web based application, that is already local and no additional steps needed.

now fubduck wrote:
So once the webpage is up with the database in the directory for that website I'm cool and it'll run or do I need to do a call to some directory where ever the SQL is installed?

now fubduck wrote:
All the machines here connect to the outside world through a router that's setup off the server. All those machines want to access is the internet. My personal machine here will have to access the server to do stuff. I'm hoping that I can do that all with Dreamweaver and jusrt forget it once the site is uploaded.


I don't know how your e-mail set up, but in either case using your own e-mail server (somethat complicated on cable network with likely dynamic IP) or using ISP's e-mail server, if should be ..well.. transparent  

now fubduck wrote:
At present I'm using the email server that's built into SME and each user does the pop3 email through their own client (outlook or netscape) to grab and reply to their emails. Is that still going to work?


There are couple of bugs (intermitent) that you may encount after upgrade (like webmail/mysql password problem or samba domain information reset), but they are documented, duscussed on this phorum and easily resolved, so their are not a showstopers.
Good luck.

now fubduck wrote:
So does each user have to reset a new login and password for their accounts or can I just set the new passwords and email each user?

[MSmith]

Forget the GUI interface for SME.  It's NOT DESIGNED to run one and you will break important features of the distribution if you force one on it.  Most people run SME "headless", i.e. without monitor, mouse or keyboard, and control it via web browser and SSH client.

Web pages w/SQL backends are mighty ambitious for someone who's "not a techie"!  (Speaking as someone who IS a "techie".)  But it certainly can be done and SME's ibays provide a flexible and powerful way to do this.  Your Microsoft Access database can certainly be served up from an ibay also; you might look around for the "Advanced Workstation" contrib and fiddle around with oplocks if you have problems with the DB.

Most workstation access to the Internet will "just work" even after an upgrade, as will the POP3 access to the server.  The additional features of 6.0 are designed to make your life easier, not harder!

[fubduck]

You said;
Forget the GUI interface for SME. It's NOT DESIGNED to run one and you will break important features of the distribution if you force one on it. Most people run SME "headless", i.e. without monitor, mouse or keyboard, and control it via web browser and SSH client.

  Fubduck said;
then why does the upgrade.cfg (for 6.5) say to not do the x win cofig as part of the upgrade unless (I'm dreaming?) it can be done as part of the initial install somehow? Or can I add it somehow to run once the initial install or upgrade has been done (hopefully without breaking things)?

[Boris]

Your current SME 5.6 doesn't have X-Windows and "desktop environment" and neither will SME 6.x.
Upgrade to newer version will update underlying code, fix some bugs (and add new ones), change a bit appearance of the web based server-manager, but will not convert it from dedicated “server only” to “server-desktop”.

Desktop with server features are certainly possible with most of general-purpose distribution, but its not a trivial task for a non technical person and not offered by this distro.

As for other things to consider, since you gave more information on how this server is used, here they are:
1) check for an addons that installed on top of the basic SME server and find their corresponding addons for version 6.x
2) backup up everything (do not skip this step)
2a) double check that you didn't forget the step 2
3) uninstall extra addons (if any)
4) boot from SME 6.x CDROM and upgrade

If you hit webmail/mySQL password bug, the fis is simple and only affects root mysql password syncronization. All user accounts and data preserved and will not need to be reset.

5) reinstall newwer versions of addons as needed.

6) report back to this phorum your suscess story.

Note: at all the time during upgrade count on the supreme being of you faith, but more then that on people in this community. They may be more helpful with technical issues (no offense intended)

[fubduck]

Hello. I got the upgrade installed and everything seems to be working okay. Both the admin and root passwords still work for me. (Not that I know what the heck to do as root. <grin>)

I looked all around the site here for docs, etc. I noticed some panels that were to see what was installed, what version, etc. How do I install those here? I did a copy and past eso I have them all saved to my hard drive but I don;t know how to add them in. Can you help me with that?

Also the thing that scans the email for viruses never did work. How can I find where it is on the server and check the paths, etc. to see if I can get it to work? Or would it just be easier to uninstall what's there and reinstall it from scratch? If so how?

I know I don;t know spit about Linux (It ought to be obvious by now.) but I am trying to learn. Please help. Thanks.

[steffenfog]

Hi guys...

Is it as painless to make an upgrade from 5.6 to 6.5?

I'm conserned about my users IMAP accounts?
Coudt they be reached after the upgrade?

I think there's a differens from 5.6 to 6.5, is that correct?

   thanks...

 / Steffen

[fubduck]

Hello, I don;t know spit about Linux (literally yet all I did after burning the cd for 6.0 was to reboot and it did the rest.

I've checked everything I cna find from the maintenance page /localhost/server-manager/ I've tried all the names and passwords. (yup every darn one of them) and they all work. The pass for root and admin all work fine.

Now if I just knew what to do after I log in as root. <grin>. I'm still trying to figure out how ot update the packages that weren't upgraded for some reason, like the mail virus scanner, but I'm stubborn I'll figure that out sooner or later.

[MSmith]

Steffenfog, DO NOT repeat DO NOT upgrade a production server to 6.5RC(X).  WAIT for the final release or you are asking for trouble.  By all means, take an image of your 5.6 hard drive and try out the upgrade on the image -- then report any problems, because that'll help the dev team -- but I wouldn't put it into production!

[fubduck]

When I installed 6.0 there were things it decided not to install or upgrade. I have no idea why. How do I copy the install.log to a floppy so I can send it to whoever and maybe they can tell me why those things weren't done and if necessay how to install them?

Like the virus scanner. It wasn't upgraded yet I know the old version wasn't running right. I'm new to Linux. How do I uninstall the version that wasn;t working then install the newer one and configure it?

I have the server sitting here and set up email accounts, etc. but when it comes to comand line I don't know spit. All help is GREATLY apreciated.
Thanks fubduck

[Boris]

Would you consider giving me (in the private e-mail) root access to your server? I will help you to identify addons installed and try to help to update/install them?

[fubduck]

email me so we4 can figure out how to do that. fubduck@rogers.com