Topic: Should I upgrade from V8?

[mercyh]

I keep my AFFA box and my PRODUCTION server at the same level of updates and Contribs. (I actually use the backup box to install new updates or contribs first so I can see what kind of downtime I can expect on the production server when I install them there.) This means the rise is all that needs to happen to create the clone.

BE AWARE THAT IF YOU HAVE DATA IN NON STANDARD PLACES LIKE /OPT, YOU WILL NEED TO MANUALLY ADD THEM TO THE AFFA BACKUP.

I am running my main box as the DC. (these are both on Version 8.1 at this time but I am getting ready to start testing with 64bit version 9).

I am running AFFA on a much slower box so using it as the main server would be only temporary while I rebuild the main box. I have never done a production rise on the backup server, only tests. I have done production restore of individual files or directories from the AFFA backup to the main server multiple times when data has been corrupted or users have deleted files they needed later.

[mercyh]

I probably would not use AFFA but I am at a hospital. We run 24hrs a day, never have downtime to work on equipment and seem to always have an URGENT need to be on the server RIGHT THIS MINUTE. In a normal 8-10hr day environment, it might be overkill.

Installing and restoring a backup on SME server is much different than do the same on a Microsoft server. With SME the install takes around 10 minutes, add 30 minutes to install contribs and run updates. Give yourself 30 minutes for the restore from backup (if you truly have a small dataset) and you are 1hr and 10 minutes from a full reinstalled production box.


Now we both know that it would never actually be that fast as you would have to decide the old box was so messed up that you needed to install on something else, round up a spare box, maybe download the current version of SME and burn it to disk, etc.

However, I would want a good solid 8hrs minimum to do the same thing with a windows server......

[david000]

Janet that's good to know.

mercyh, thanks for the info.   Based on what we have it's not the end of the world to restore form 'cold' and the experience at the weekend confirmed that it would be possible to get it done in a couple of hours assuming I keep some notes !

The idea of Affa is cool for a couple of reasons. It seems I can keep the back up at the same update\contribs level and so be back up and running pretty quick. If I'm travelling or away from the main office it seems I should be able to do this remotely.  After the 'Raise' the backed up domain controller should kick in with the correct user accounts ?

One more question.

On the initial set up I set the Hostname to sme-server.mycomany.local    as per the on screen note.

It seems that it should really match my website domain - so rather than mycomany.local it should be mywebsite.co.uk

Are there any issues in changing that in the config screen ?   

[mercyh]

The idea of Affa is cool for a couple of reasons. It seems I can keep the back up at the same update\contribs level and so be back up and running pretty quick. If I'm travelling or away from the main office it seems I should be able to do this remotely.  After the 'Raise' the backed up domain controller should kick in with the correct user accounts ?

That is correct. The backup includes the user accounts. You do have to get the old machine offline before you bring the new one up as you will have duplicate IP address and host name if you do not.....

[david000]

I've just tried to do a final upgrade from 8 to 9 following all the advice above.  It seemed to go OK, but when started the server I'm getting a cron alert email and mail does not seem to be collected. I've killed the fetchmail, rebooted, reconfigured, deleted likely mail in the server but to no avail.

email content below:
Subject    Cron <root@sme-server> /etc/startmail

fetchmail: another foreground fetchmail is running at 22757.
fetchmail: another foreground fetchmail is running at 22757.
fetchmail: another foreground fetchmail is running at 22757.
fetchmail: another foreground fetchmail is running at 22757.


I've switched off the 'new v9' server and reverted to the 'old' the the cron issue doesn't reappear.  However in fairness we have seen it from time to time over the last few weeks and to finally resolve it I had to delete out the existing mail in our pop boxes, which I'm reluctant to repeat until I can confirm all is ok with the upgrade.

Looking at the pop mail boxes there is very little new mail and nothing huge.

Can anyone help on how to ID the issue ?   

Cheers

David.

EDIT:  I'd forgotten about a legacy pop a/c that was set up to be serviced by fetch mail - I deleted all the spam via web mail and all is well.  The v9 server is up and running and I'll leave it up and see how we go.

[janet]

David

EDIT:  I'd forgotten about a legacy pop a/c that was set up to be serviced by fetch mail - I deleted all the spam via web mail and all is well.  The v9 server is up and running and I'll leave it up and see how we go.

Yes errors like those with fetchmail are usually always related to big or stuck or corrupted messages in the external mail account.

Better if you can to stop using fetchmail, most/many POP accounts let you forward mail to say an address on your server.
.

[guest22]

I fully agree with Janet. Try switching to plain IMAP mechanisms.

[david000]

To stop using fetchmail but still be able to retrieve mail from an assortment of email accounts, how best to do this ?

Fetchmail does seem to the weak link so far, but it seemed the solution at the time....

[janet]

david000

Setup domain based email on your sme server. User accounts on the sme server are email addresses also.

Forward mail from your external accounts to an email address on your sme server, &/or tell people to use your newly setup sme server email addresses.

sme server has a full mail server built in to it which is functional but you do need to enable access as required in server manager email panel.

[david000]

Cheers Janet, I'll ponder that. At the moment we are on a dynamic ip which I imagine would make that harder but I think we can fix that with the ISP. 

I need to understand better the email configuration options (and meanings!) so more reading beckons

[janet]

david000

sme server has provision for a dynamic IP (in the admin console setup screens), so having a dynamic IP connection to your ISP does not really impact upon your ability to run a mail server.
If your ISP can give you a static IP then that's better.

The main thing you need to do is configure external DNS records for your chosen domain name. The mail server is already functional by default so there is not really much to do to get it working.

[david000]

Thanks Janet.

At the moment 'most' mail is forward to common mail box on one of our web servers and collected from there. Thinking about it we should be able to do the same with the other mail boxes too.

I do like the idea of having the mail on a different box for occasions when things go pear shaped, but then I guess the more steps in the chain, the greater the risk.   

[janet]

david000

If an external mail server cannot deliver mail to your sme servers mail server (eg because your sme is temporarily offline or gone pear shaped), then most conforming mail servers will retry delivery for between 2 to 7 days, so your sme server would have to have a pretty long outage in order to loose mail. Linux is a robust server solution.