NethServer rsync-based procedures

[davidep (Davide Principi)]

@giacomo

[Hardware migration] is a [Hotsync] non-supported and bad usage scenario, we shouldn’t push it further

I think we are in a situation similar to this picture

We shall improve it!

@giacomo

I agree that manual steps should be removed in favor of a wizard inside the UI which examine the machines and takes preliminary steps. Something like: what do you want as IP of the target? Do you want to install AD on the target

This is the core of the problem, and it’s outside of rsync-based procedures. It affects the core of them: backup/restore, which implements also restore from ns6 (upgrade).

The ns6upgrade from backup was discussed here: Upgrade paths to ns7

If we implement a live-upgrade path, we’ll rely on that anyway.

In other words, a development effort is required on backup/restore to simplify both ns7-ns7 and ns6-ns7 procedures.

@giacomo

The hotsync is designed for NS 7 to NS 7 and not, in a restricted scenario. For example, green + red configuration are not really supported inside the hotsync

We recently tried to improve the gateway case:

• Hotsync restore fails with no internet connection · Issue #5430 · NethServer/dev · GitHub
• Dashboard hangs after hotsync-restore and restore-config · Issue #5434 · NethServer/dev · GitHub

It’s surely more critical than a standalone server but I expect it’s widely spread because NS is “all-in-one”.

@danb35

How is it a bad scenario? It’s literally what hotsync is designed to do–move the running Neth instance (in as close to real time as possible) onto a different machine.

Anything that is different from cloning by backup/restore becomes making an “instance of” a template, obtaining a new system with slightly different settings (IP? hostname?).

I don’t see the need of supporting this kind of transformations, if we have a procedure that correctly clones a system. It can be tweaked at a later step manually. In other words, if backup/restore (also by rsync) gives back a running system, its “details” can be adjusted manually.

Do I miss something?