On Thu, Nov 09, 2006 at 02:34:46PM -0500, Lee Whalen wrote: > Greetings all, long-time Debian user, first-time poster here. Welcome to the last OS you'll ever need X-) > So, I've got a predicament. I need to get Debian Etch on a box that is > already an in-production HeadRat Enterprise server (RHEL 3.0 Typhoon 6), > running a few production apps (Apache with a handful of VHosts, postfix, a > ticketing system we use called GForge and it's attendant Postgres database, > and a few NFS mounts). While not a expert in these apps, I do know some general things. Debian has its own way of configuring some apps and in installing apps. For one, apparently, not all programmers follow the FHS for the apps. Debian does to a great extent, so programs may be installed in FSH-compliant places in Debian while they may not be in RHEL (as I dont use it, this info maybe wildly inaccurate). Secondly, Debian has specific ways to configure application that may make 'just copying /etc' work temporatily or not at all until you upgrade, at least I think so. So what I would propose is this: -- Install the basic Debian (net install or cd #1/#2) on any system (not the production one) -- Install apache and find help here or other places on 'the Debian way' to set it up to your required specs. -- Add the Vhosts -- Debian defaults to install exim, so replace it with postfix. set it up 'the Debian way' as mentioned above. -- install nfs client and/or server -- Install gforge and set it up kevin@sarge:~/Desktop/development/mailheaders$ aptitude search gforge and any of these: --------------------------------------- p gforge - collaborative development tool - meta-package p gforge-common - collaborative development tool - shared files v gforge-db - p gforge-db-postgresql - collaborative development tool - database (using PostgreSQL) v gforge-dns - p gforge-dns-bind9 - collaborative development tool - DNS management (using Bind9) v gforge-ftp - p gforge-ftp-proftpd - collaborative development tool - FTP management (using ProFTPd) v gforge-ldap - p gforge-ldap-openldap - collaborative development tool - LDAP directory (using OpenLDAP) v gforge-lists - p gforge-lists-mailman - collaborative development tool - mailing-lists (using Mailman) v gforge-mta - p gforge-mta-courier - collaborative development tool - mail tools (using Courier) p gforge-mta-exim - collaborative development tool - mail tools (using Exim) p gforge-mta-exim4 - collaborative development tool - mail tools (using Exim 4) p gforge-mta-postfix - collaborative development tool - mail tools (using Postfix) p gforge-plugin-scmcvs - cvs plugin for GForge p gforge-plugin-scmsvn - subversion plugin for GForge v gforge-shell - p gforge-shell-ldap - collaborative development tool - shell accounts (using LDAP) p gforge-shell-postgresql - collaborative development tool - shell accounts (using PostgreSQL) p gforge-theme-starterpack - Collaborative development tool - theme package v gforge-web - p gforge-web-apache - collaborative development tool - web part (using Apache) ----------------------------------- The important info for Debian apps is found in: /usr/share/doc/APPNAME. Pay attention to the files that have 'DEBIAN' in their name and any README. You can also get more aquainted by reading the 'Debian reference'. Either go to the web site and grab a pdf or use apt-get to download in on your system as its an excellant way to learn more about the debian way! And above all take copious notes so that you can duplicate it on the production system. So in conclusion: try debian on a non-production system, get familar with it, thus saving downtime on your production system. Once you have a better idea of what to do, install it for real. > The company I work for no longer wants > to pay the HeadRat extortion fee just to be able to download package > updates and whatnot, so I am tasked with migrating all of our HeadRat > servers over to Debian. In truth, Redhat is a business that needs to pay folks to make those timely updates, so paying is ok, but I'm not sure as to what price to pay?! Debian has folks who are working in paying companies like Redhat. Some of them even allow them to work on Debian-related work on business time. > > My big question is, does Debian work with the Adaptec SATA HostRAID > controller that this IBM eServer x206 box has on it? I can't seem to > find an Etch hardware compatability list Something that everyone wants! But no one has done for various reasons. I think I have heard of folks running on IBM eservers on this list. search google with 'site:lists.debian.org ibm eserver' > , and all the docs I've seen on > Google say that "the controller isn't supported. In kernel > 2.4.ancient." I'd really hate to get to work on Saturday, get the RAID > all reformatted and whatnot, only to find "Hey, Debian can't see my > array. W00t!" You may want to seek more expert opinion on other debian mailing lists (check lists.debian.org): debian-isp comes to mind or ask the maintainers of the kernel or kernel-modules? BTW, what kernel modules does RH use or is it in the kernel? > > For the curious, my "grand scheme" and "backout plan" is to initially > get the entire filesystem off the box via > "tar cvf - -C / . | ssh user@othermachine gzip -c \> backupfile.tar.gz" Backup is the best option no matter what. > > (obviously with the flags to preserve permissions, stay on the local > filesystem, etc). Once I have my 9 gig tarball located somewhere safe, > format the drives, set up the array, and install a base Debian system. > Once I'm safely booted into the new Debian kernel, I'd create > /mnt/oldsystem or whatever and untar the old system back to that > directory. I'd then apt-get install an app (say, Apache), then copy > it's configuration files and volatile data back from /mnt/oldsystem. > Rinse and repeat for the users, NFS mounts, fstab, ticket application, > etc. and after a few hours I'll have my shiny new Debian system with all > the old applications, data, and settings back on it. If for some reason > that doesn't work and I need to revert back to the old system, I'd > repartition the drives as they were before, boot a LiveCD, mount the > partitions correctly under /target of the boot CD, then untar the whole > thing back across the network. chroot to /target, run grub, reboot, and > (ideally) I'd have the "old" system back in a pinch. > Best of luck! Kev -- | .''`. == Debian GNU/Linux == | my web site: | | : :' : The Universal | debian.home.pipeline.com | | `. `' Operating System | go to counter.li.org and | | `- http://www.debian.org/ | be counted! #238656 | | my keysever: pgp.mit.edu | my NPO: cfsg.org |
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