I think:
/home/e-smith/
so you include /home/e-smith/db
There are files that make problems.
/home/e-smith/db/mysql
/home/e-smith/db/ldap
/home/e-smith/db/yum_repositories
those files are your db settings and the core of SME, they are of course backuped and restored.
There are process of migration for all of them when needed and tests about that.
if you have a specific problem related with one of those files then you need to document it with expected behaviour, result observed, installed packages and logs and fill a bug.
also need to be more specific than « problems »
it is like saying my car does not work.