NetSUS Settings Appliance Migration

[dilan]

Hi All,

Can anyone tell me which files need to be moved over if we are upgrading our NetSUS appliance? We mainly use the SUS portion of the appliance and I would like to not have to re-select all the updates we require as well as not have to re-create new branches. Since the appliance is a VM, none of these settings will "transfer" over.

Thanks in advance!

-Dilan

[Snickasaurus]

When you say "upgrading our NetSUS...", what are you actually upgrading or is upgrading here meant as "changing the NetSUS OS to something other than Ubuntu"? If you download and execute NetSUSLP_4.0.0.run to update the actual SUS'ness of the OS (reposado) it should leave the update packages in their current mode of selection.

Notes
(1) I hope everyone would agree that SUS'ness should be a word.
(2) Personally I would shut down the NetSUS VM and export a ova or ovf before making any changes.

[calumhunter]

If you're only using the SUS component. I would suggest you just use Reposado and margarita. Much better IMO.

[dilan]

Snickasaurus, I was under the assumption that an appliance's upgrade path is to simply replace the OVA and to not actually run an installer or an update within the appliance build. Replacing the ova will essentially wipe away any changes that we made. So, are there specific files I can export and import into the new ova vm to preserve the SUS changes we made once it's been installed and spun up?

Hopefully I'm getting my question across.

[Snickasaurus]

@dilan You surely can download the new OVA (along with backing up any files/directories) but simply executing the ".run" file mentioned in my first post will upgrade everything you need to essentially have the NetSUSLP_4.0.0.ova VM in it's place. As long as you're running updates and upgrades on the current VM appliance it ends up the same. I hope that makes a bit more sense and apologies for the late reply. Was putting kids to bed and tucking in a sick fiance.

@calumhunter I wish I could agree with you as I have both running in VM's but it was only recently I got Margarita installed and working. Shortly after the last button press I nodded my head in satisfaction then low and behold life handed me a few puzzls to figure out so I haven't yet played around with the two side by side to compare CPU/RAM usage, GUI speed or any of the like. Would you mind sharing your experience here or/and in another thread? dilan, calumhunter is correct in saying* that if you only use the JAMF Netboot/NetSUS you might enjoy having a smaller footprint on that VM to free up resources for it to do something else or another VM server on that same hardware. Just my thoughts.

**if in fact Margarita is just as fast to serve updates

[dilan]

@Snickasaurus Understood. We're in an environment where we have a server team that manages our linux systems for us. My team is trying to get out of the business of doing server management (updates, etc...). We chose to go the appliance route as an easy and cheaper way for us to update the NetSUS. An appliance has always meant to me that the OVA would have all the latest patches and whatnot of the OS as well as any updates to the software it is hosting (in this case the NetSUS). If it's only a few files that I would have to back up and import over to the new OVA, no sweat. If it's going to take a bit of digging, I may just opt to have our support group host a Linux server for us and just run the install .run file going forward.

Thanks for the tips and information. Would be helpful if someone knew what file/directories hold the settings for the SUS portion of the tool off the top of their head. In the mean time I'll dig around a bit to see if I can find them.

[Snickasaurus]

@dilan There are a few directories, files and permission sets that make up the task you have at hand but unfortunately for me I'm in the process of moving all of my IT stuff at home from one room to another and I'm too tired to VPN to work and dig around tonight. I'm a happy passenger of the NetSUS train so it bothers me that I can't help you more on this tonight. What I can do is leave you with this link to give you an idea as to what is being done behind the scenes when the NetSUS portion of an OS is being laid down. Have a look and best of luck to you. I will check this thread in the AM at work in hopes you found your way.

Edit:
I would imagine there is some database work being done so that's yet another file to copy/backup. I hope someone else chimes in with better knowledge of the goings on.

[dilan]

@Snickasaurus Well past my bed time too, my man. Thanks for the help and I'll take a look at the link tomorrow at the office.

[Snickasaurus]

Good luck!

[Snickasaurus]

@dilan Have you had a chance to mess with the SUS at all today?

[dilan]

@Snickasaurus Just did and I think I found the two directories I need to back up. Looks like I need everything inside the /srv/SUS/ directory which includes the html and metadata directories as mentioned in your linked post. Does this sound right to you? Seems it has everything I would need in those two directories to preserve branches and catalogs.

[Snickasaurus]

@dilan that looks correct but I would also make a backup of

/var/lib/reposado

[Snickasaurus]

@dilan Bump for update

[dilan]

@Snickasaurus Hey man. Sorry, haven't updated yet. Probably won't perform the update for a couple weeks. When I do, I'll definitely post an update. Thanks for all the help!

[Snickasaurus]

No worries man! Good luck to you.

[dilan]

@Snickasaurus

Hey man! Finally got around having a new brought up and migrating the data. Moved /var/lib/reposado and /srv/SUS and all was gravy! Thanks for the help.