Topic: Question on upgrade

[PeteAUK]

Hi,

I've just inherited an e-mail server running SME 7.6 which has been dutifully running for some time now.  I've just gone to enable the X-Spam header and realised that I can no longer do this as the yum repositories for version 7 doesn't exist (fair enough).

I see that version 9 seems like it's getting very close to a final release.  Does version 9 allow upgrade from version 7.6 or do I have to upgrade to version 8 first?  I'm trying to work out the optimum upgrade route and we must have 40 gig of mail files plus I can really only justify the time for one upgrade.

thanks

[TerryF]

I see that version 9 seems like it's getting very close to a final release.  Does version 9 allow upgrade from version 7.6 or do I have to upgrade to version 8 first?  I'm trying to work out the optimum upgrade route and we must have 40 gig of mail files plus I can really only justify the time for one upgrade.

As it stands SME9 does not support an upgrade path via yum, CD etc from SME7/8 as such..

It will accept the restore of an SME8 backup to a clean SME9 install. Beware there are next to nil contribs currently avail for SME9

You may be better off just upgrading to SME8.1

[PeteAUK]

As it stands SME9 does not support an upgrade path via yum, CD etc from SME7/8 as such..

It will accept the restore of an SME8 backup to a clean SME9 install. Beware there are next to nil contribs currently avail for SME9

You may be better off just upgrading to SME8.1

I did wonder if this might be the case in fairness.  An upgrade to SME8.1 does sound like it's the best course of action and leave SME9 until next year or somewhen else

thanks,

Pete

[TerryF]

I did wonder if this might be the case in fairness.  An upgrade to SME8.1 does sound like it's the best course of action and leave SME9 until next year or somewhen else

thanks,

Pete

If you use a lot of contribs I would suggest doing a bit of testing first..

May solve a lot of pain by setting up a clean SME8.1 box restore your 7.6 data and then install the contribs rather then a insitu upgrade etc.

Added: Chance to upgrade/renew hardware at same time.

[PeteAUK]

That makes a lot of sense actually.  The server is currently configured as a VM machine so that would actually make life a lot easier too.

[janet]

PeteAUK

I've just inherited an e-mail server running SME 7.6 which has been dutifully running for some time now.  I've just gone to enable the X-Spam header and realised that I can no longer do this as the yum repositories for version 7 doesn't exist (fair enough).

Most of them do exist but have been moved
http://distro.ibiblio.org/smeserver/releases/obsolete/7.6/
Also Centos moved theirs to the vault location.
So you really need to disable or delete some no longer existing repos & set the correct paths etc for other obsoleted or vaulted repos.

There have been long posts on this, sometime last year IIRC, by myslf & others, search the Forums if you want the answer.

Far better (security wise) to update to sme 8.1 though.
If you remove all your custom templates first, then upgrade to sme8.1 should be relatively quick & smooth.
You may need to (ie should) upgrade contribs to el5 versions which is relatively easy, it just depends how much customisation you have done to your server.
All/most contribs are available for sme8 that were on sme7.

[wellsi]

It is possible to backup a SME Server 7.x to USB disk with a console backup and then restore that during the SME Server 9RC1 install. Or use workstation backup/restore.
As others have mentioned if there are a lot of contribs in use then SME 8.1 is a better route.


SME Server 9.0 may be out later this month - just need help on the release notes now...

[PeteAUK]

Most of them do exist but have been moved
http://distro.ibiblio.org/smeserver/releases/obsolete/7.6/
Also Centos moved theirs to the vault location.
So you really need to disable or delete some no longer existing repos & set the correct paths etc for other obsoleted or vaulted repos.

There have been long posts on this, sometime last year IIRC, by myslf & others, search the Forums if you want the answer.

OK, thanks.  I thought I'd done a good search, but clearly need to have another look

Far better (security wise) to update to sme 8.1 though.
If you remove all your custom templates first, then upgrade to sme8.1 should be relatively quick & smooth.
You may need to (ie should) upgrade contribs to el5 versions which is relatively easy, it just depends how much customisation you have done to your server.
All/most contribs are available for sme8 that were on sme7.

I have no idea how much behind the scene customisation has been done as I've just been passed this as a task and it was set up by somebody no longer in the company.  I do know that it has a dungog.net plugin/addin/whatever added, but beyond that I've not got a clue.

[PeteAUK]

It is possible to backup a SME Server 7.x to USB disk with a console backup and then restore that during the SME Server 9RC1 install. Or use workstation backup/restore.
As others have mentioned if there are a lot of contribs in use then SME 8.1 is a better route.


SME Server 9.0 may be out later this month - just need help on the release notes now...

Hmm, thanks for that.  I may decide to wait for version 9 before upgrading if it's fairly imminent.  Although we are getting an increasing amount of spam, 7.6 is fundamentally working.

[wellsi]

There are no bug fixes in 9.0 Final, so RC1 could be used already.

[janet]

PeteAUK

.... I may decide to wait for version 9 before upgrading if it's fairly imminent.  Although we are getting an increasing amount of spam, 7.6 is fundamentally working.

I am not sure how you or your bosses can sleep soundly at night.
Your sme7.6 may be fundamentally working, but it is also fundamentally insecure.

No one should be using a sme7.6 server anymore if they believe in security & value their data.

I would make upgrading to sme8.1 an URGENT priority, like asap this coming weekend !
Refer to
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,50827.msg256645.html#msg256645
and
http://forums.contribs.org/index.php/topic,50827.msg256657.html#msg256657

Most el4 contribs will still work on sme8 (el5), so updating contribs can be done on an as needed basis until you review that server more.

Upgrading can be a as simple as removing (moving for safe keeping) all custom templates, then inserting the sme8.1 CD & running an upgrade install, all done in 30 minutes or so.

Later in a month or two or six, when all the contribs are available & you are familair with sme9 etc, you can then address updating to sme9.
It will require using the backup & restore procedure & a reinstall of all contribs (& possibly customised tweaks ie custom templates), as direct OS upgrades from earlier OS's to sme 9 are not supported by the underlying CentOS operating system.