I would like to create a backup / development server, I have two RaQ3 with the 550 OS installed. What I would like to be able to do be able to make the 2nd server a copy of the first. Would this be as simple as copying the web sites across and doing a MySql Backup from the live and restore on the backup server.

I had thought about imaging the drive, but I do not see this as an ongoing practical solution.

Alternatively is there a script or pkg out there that will do this for me. I had originally thought about using the Sun Migration Utility but this does not seem to cover the 550 OS (unless anyone can advise me differently).

Regards

Gnome

The big gotcha with making a "mirror" of an entire server across a network is the unique hostname/IP addresses that each will require to remain on the network at the same time.

Also the RaQs are not standard "vanilla" Linux servers; there is configuration info in the normal files for each daemon, but there is also a lot of info related to the web UI stored in the CCE database. Replication that shouldn't be too difficult via a tool like rsync, but you have to be very careful what you do copy and what you leave intact. Then you would need a final "cleanup" script to finish the cloning process once the original server is no longer on the network.

To my knowledge, such a thing does not exist for the Cobalts. Again, it's mainly due to the differences from a plain Linux install that is required for the appliance functionality.

CMU is an excellent tool to make copies of each virtual site's data, users, etc. You can then import the site to another server fairly easily. You would need a separate tool/script to back up and restore any MySQL databases. Those aren't tied into the Cobalt UI at all, so it's entirely a "third party" thing to do that, and any script/etc you find online should work just fine.

Thanks for the advice, for somthing that must be a common requirement I had expected a straight forward solution. I shall have to do some experimenting.

Regards

Gnome

There is a backup shell script called raqbackup.sh (google it) that will backup all data including site data (usernames passwords etc) and ftp it onto a raq of your choice, to restore it you will need the CMU (cobalt migration utility) and do an import of that data. It's quite effective, I do some systems admin on the side for a UK Plc, they use the raq as their mail server so it's important they have a backup.