Topic: Migrate SME 7.5.1 from my old server to a new one with USB Backup

[waldviertler]

Hi

I wanted to migrate SME 7.5.1 from my old brave Pentium III to a new Dell Poweredge Machine with Xeon Proc and Hardware Raid.
I have done a new installation on the new machine and made a USB-Backup from the old machine and installed it to the new one.
But it looks, that the USB Backup routine only back up 3 directories: "etc", "home" and "root" - and does not backup all my old data.
So I have problems with missing files, like faxgetty and all other files for hylafax, and I'm missing users: I can not login to the webinterface with "admin" and password, like on the old server, and mysql is not running properly.
So the question is: how can I backup ALL my data with USB-Backup - or is any other solution out there?
I've tried to backup my old server with Mondorescue, but got a lot of problems because Mindi restores the files to /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2, while SME finds the harddisks as /dev/md0 and /dev/md1.

Thanks for help

Waldviertler

[janet]

waldviertler

Please read the Backup server config Howto (link at top) for details about backup & restore, see http://wiki.contribs.org/Backup_server_config

There is no supported contrib that does "bare metal" backup/restores. The Mondo contrib is no longer maintained.

You will need to reinstall contribs, but all data & users & configuration data should be restored including contrib data & settings.
If you have data in /opt that you wish to be include din backups, then you will need to include /opt in your backups.
Refer wiki Contrib & Howto articles re the procedure to do this, see http://wiki.contribs.org/Backup_with_dar#Adding.2FExcluding_Directories_and_Files_from_the_backup_list

Note that all MYSQL data & users should be restored.

It sounds like something is wrong with your procedure. Please explain fully what steps you followed to perform the backup and the restore.

Alternatively you may want to move the hard disks from the old machine to the new, and then do a CD upgrade. Then upgrade the hard disks, refer to wiki Howto articles that detail this. I would do a test upgrade so you are familiar with the whole process & verify it works for you, before doing this on your "live" disks.
I note you state you want to use hardware RAID, but personally you would be better off using software RAID (in most cases).

[waldviertler]

Dear mary

thank you very much for your help.
What I have done for USB-Backup is:

1. Hit Enter on point 8 at the console - got a file "smeserver.tgz" on the usb harddisk,
2. Installed a fresh version of sme 7.5.1 (smei586) on the new machine - and installed the smeserver.tgz as the installer calls for it.
3. reboot
4. Configure server

I could live with the missing contribs, but mysql does not start up.
I get a timeout error when I try ./mysqld start


Thanks again
Waldviertler

[waldviertler]

I got mysql running!
I have to chmod 777 the mysql folder

But now I have this problem:
Can't reach the server-manager.
Under https://192.168.1.254/server-manager/

I got this error:?

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /server-manager/ on this server.

Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.


I could cry

Waldviertler

[janet]

waldviertler

I got mysql running!
I have to chmod 777 the mysql folder

You should not have had to do that, and you should not do that.

There is a problem, and my guess it is to do with errors in restoring the data including mysql db's.

I suggest you recreate the backup (firstly include /opt as per wiki if you use that location), make sure it finishes properly and re-run the restore on a cleanly installed SME server OS.
Do not do the restore to an already used SME server OS, please do a fresh install of the OS.

Your backup and restore procedure you described sounds correct, just also make sure you allow the restore to finish.

[waldviertler]

Ok, I've tried this procedere 3 times - does not work

Would it be better to do: http://wiki.contribs.org/Moving_SME_to_new_Hardware?

Does this normaly work?

Best regards
Waldviertler

[Stefano]

Does this normaly work?

of course.. I've moved dozens of servers with Affa.. between different hw and different SME's versions (6 -> 7 and 7 ->

[janet]

waldviertler

I have used Affa to move servers, but essentially it is still doing a backup and restore, although somewhat differently. Affa should transfer all MYSQL data, users and config etc, just as a backup and restore SHOULD do. You will still have to reinstall contribs.

If the built in backup and restore is not working for you, then perhaps you have discovered a bug and should report your experience to bugzilla so the underlying issue can be resolved, for the benefit of yourself and other users.

I suspect something is not right with your original system eg file corruption, installed contribs conflicting, administrative configuration errors, changed root and/or MYSQL password ????

On your original system you could try running
signal-event post-upgrade
signal-event reboot
to ensure it is "clean" and then run the backup again.
What is the history of the original server, what contribs installed, what modifications made, is it working correctly etc ???

Ok, I've tried this procedere 3 times - does not work

What does "does not work" mean. Please provide more details of the errors or problem or part of the procedure where you have an issue appear, quoting real error messages etc.
No one here can possibly guess what "does not work" means.

[waldviertler]

Hi

With Affa the migration to the new machine works like a charm!
thanks for your help!

@mary: I have not reported about errors, because there were no errors.
The evolution of the machine is from early e-smith since now 7.5.1.
The only thing I had, was when yum update this:

Resolving Dependencies
--> Populating transaction set with selected packages. Please wait.
---> Package tcl.i386 0:8.4.7-4.el4 set to be updated
--> Running transaction check
--> Processing Dependency: libtcl.so.0 for package: db3x
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Error: Missing Dependency: libtcl.so.0 is needed by package db3x


Again, thanks that you helped me out.

Waldviertler

[waldviertler]

Hello

Maybe you can help one more time:

On the new server the file and folder are not copied with the right permissions.
I have now - special in the ibays - files and folders with admin/502 (user/group) or with 100/shared.
Another example /home/e-smith/files/samba/netlogon has 100/102 as user/group.

I think, that there may not be users and groups with a starting number.
On the old machine the permissions are ok: admin/www and admin/shared.

In the /server-manager the group 502 and user 100 are not shown.

How can I delete this wrong user and group?

best regards and thanks
Waldviertler

[waldviertler]

I have done some more investigations:
the wrong user/group permissions affects only the files in /home/e-smith

the group file in /etc looks like this:
users:x:100:
admin:x:101:intranet

maybe the numbers are from there.

Waldviertler
 

[k_graham]

Hi

I wanted to migrate SME 7.5.1 from my old brave Pentium III to a new Dell Poweredge Machine with Xeon Proc and Hardware Raid.
I have done a new installation on the new machine and made a USB-Backup from the old machine and installed it to the new one.
But it looks, that the USB Backup routine only back up 3 directories: "etc", "home" and "root" - and does not backup all my old data.
So I have problems with missing files, like faxgetty and all other files for hylafax, and I'm missing users: I can not login to the webinterface with "admin" and password, like on the old server, and mysql is not running properly.
So the question is: how can I backup ALL my data with USB-Backup - or is any other solution out there?
I've tried to backup my old server with Mondorescue, but got a lot of problems because Mindi restores the files to /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2, while SME finds the harddisks as /dev/md0 and /dev/md1.

Thanks for help

Waldviertler

Have you tried DAR2 seeing as you are having issues with the the included DAR backup? I've just gone through a restore with DAR2 and think my biggest issue was with the Reconfigure after the Restore. Dar2 adds a extra backup panel at the very top of your server manager control panel.
 
The confusion is that after telling the restore to take place I did a reconfigure but as it seemed to take forever I did a reboot and thus ended up with a incomplete reconfiguration as I should have waited longer.

Immediately after you start the DAR2 restore, you receive a "Success" though the restore has just begun, switch to the "Shutdown-Reboot" panel and change to "Reconfigure" then click to reconfigure - the reconfigure will then automatically take place after the restore has finished.  As there is no progress bar you will have to watch the activity on your USB drive light to know the restore is taking place - or if the restore is from a workstation you may watch tetwork activity in the Windows Task Manager.

DAR2 may also have the /opt not restored issue.

Ken

[waldviertler]

Hi Ken

I have done the first backups with the included USB-Backup.
And the last with Affa (great!).

Although it still leaves a bitter taste, because I had done backups since many years, with mondorescue, and with e-smith backup - fortunately I never had a disaster- because all restore options are not working properly for me.
It is also a miracle to me, why the USB-backup still has not the possibility to backup the whole machine.

Best regards
Waldviertler

[Stefano]

did you migrate to a CLEAN server (i.e. no users, no groups, no ibays)?

[k_graham]

Congratulations Waldviertler;

It looks like Stephano had the best solution in Affa

I was distrustful of the regular DAR backup as I could not restore a individual file - my server would time out trying to find it, which is why I was using Winrar for backing up my Data directories and was using DAR2 for everything but the Ibays as it would correctly restore not only the files individually or as a  complete directory  and file permissions.

There is some good sense in not restoring the contribs as they are tied in to the operating system and this allows us to upgrade. I know Darrel specifies for DAR2 that one must do a Reconfigure and Reboot after a Restore.  I did mention to do that immediately after starting the restore but I will add to do it again a 2nd time when you are present to be sure it happened. Did you run the Reconfigure and Reboot after restore? The same with Affa,  - I assume  a Reconfigure and reboot would be a good idea as well.

One other issue I ran into on my restore is one program we use had not been shut down before our backup was started and so I had to go back to the previous nights backup and we manually entered 1 days data - I don't think any backup method would have had issues with that one with the open files.

I do suggest going through your Cpanel and printing each page of settings - so if disaster strikes and there are issues like Ibay permissions one can confirm settings are correct. I couldn't get a good page print with FireFox - had to use Internet Explorer.