Ready to upgrade from Scalix 10 to 11 -- pointers needed

[rgmhtt]

Hello,

I have been running Sclaix 10 on Centos 4 for over a year. I am now in a position to move to Scalix 11 and it will be on Centos 5.

I decided NOT to do an upgrade, but to get a new box, install fresh, and migrate. I have a test network with the same IP addresses and DNS setup as the production one, so in part this COULD be a slam-dunk conversion.

I only have 20 or so users across a helf-a-dozen domains. Very little real traffic (well I am on a LOT of IETF and IEEE mailing lists and those can really produce a lot of real mail), and thousands of spams a day (or is that an hour?).

I have a number of concerns with this move. The biggest is to get spam protection working rignt and well. I never got that done in the current setup. So I want it done right this time.

OK. Here we go. The new platform is a Compaq SFF with 512Mb memory and a 20Gb drive. I have done the Centos 5 isntall and set up the /var/opt/scalix partition with 8gb (I have never seen more than 1Gb used in the current system). I will soon have Webmin, Usermin, and chrooted NAMED going, then on to the Scalix install. So here are my first set of questions:

Any thing to watch for on the Scalix install on Centos 5 other than changing the release file content? Any particular component to have preinstalled (or where to find the lsit of such).

Is there a straight-forward way to grab all the domain and user info of the production system and load it on the new system. What should I do directly (liek setting up all the nodes and domains so that spam will work right?) and what can I automate? (and where do I find guidance on this).

Spam setup. Help here. I need to get this right. Currently my users have problems sending to AOL and Yahoo users, and I cannot figure out what they do not like about my setup. What is "amavisd" and should I use it? So far I have not found an rpm for it for Centos 5 (but have not looked beyond the standard Centos 5 repos).

Anto-virus. Not so important. Plus I know this could murder my server. Leave it for the clients.

Fax to printer. I have a couple of efax services. I would like to directly print the attached pdfs to a CUPS defined printer. Any howtos out there? It would be nice if I could couple this with procmail to perhaps limit the amount of spam faxes printed....

Finally how to do the actual mail store migration when the time comes. I would first shut down the net connection, let mail gather on my ISP's relays, switch over and go live. Oh the two boxes are on different VLANs, so a could of commands on the switch, and PRESTO.

Any pointers are greatly desired and appreciated.

[Shredder]

First off congrats on deciding to make the leap to 11. It does run much better and has more features than 10.

To do an upgrade like you want is pretty easy. There should be lots of documentation on the forums about moving to a new server. Basically you will copy over the /var/opt/scalix directory from your old machine to the new one and then install Scalix 11 on the new server. There are some users that have to be created on the new box, but that will be discussed in the forum posts.

I don't understand why you want to install webmin and usermin on the Scalix box. I don't see a need for it as the Scalix SAC gives you all the control you need over the Scalix box. Also, I wouldn't install NAMED on the scalix box. Makes more sense to have it on something else.

For Spam, you can do it with amavisd or something like mailwasher. Both have been documented here on the forums or on the wiki. They will work and are free, but are not the greatest. The best thing I have found so far is a Barracuda device. That might be overkill for a system your size, but might be something to look into.

As for the rest of the migration, I would set up a rsync job to copy the /var/opt/scalix directory to the new server every night. Then you can test the new server to make sure accounts work, etc. When you are ready for the actual cut over, shutdown the Scalix services on the old one (omshut), rsync the data over again, then bring up the scalix services on the new one. Point the internet to the new server and away you go.

Hope that makes sense to you,
Shredder

[rgmhtt]

First off congrats on deciding to make the leap to 11. It does run much better and has more features than 10.

I finally decided I cannot do the update 'in place' and picked up the Compaq on ebay for $68. And Centos 5 released, and it is nice...

To do an upgrade like you want is pretty easy. There should be lots of documentation on the forums about moving to a new server. Basically you will copy over the /var/opt/scalix directory from your old machine to the new one and then install Scalix 11 on the new server. There are some users that have to be created on the new box, but that will be discussed in the forum posts.

It seems to me you are telling me to copy all of Scalix 10 onto the new system and then install 11 over it. That seems a bit of overkill, and I would have the scalix 10 stuff to clean up and perhaps all of my errors on spam control propagated. ?

I don't understand why you want to install webmin and usermin on the Scalix box. I don't see a need for it as the Scalix SAC gives you all the control you need over the Scalix box.

Even though I can do lots of unixy things, I still find webmin a great tool and I have not seen SAC giving me controls outside of Scalix. In fact with 10, I have needed to use the CLI a lot.

Also, I wouldn't install NAMED on the scalix box. Makes more sense to have it on something else.

The box is my primary name server. The traffic does not seem to be too heavy. Plus i AM hardware and space poor.

For Spam, you can do it with amavisd or something like mailwasher. Both have been documented here on the forums or on the wiki. They will work and are free, but are not the greatest.

Free is the watchword here.

The best thing I have found so far is a Barracuda device. That might be overkill for a system your size, but might be something to look into.

Not going to afford a Barracuda device. My firewall is Astaro, and I do not load it down with spam checking. It has enough to do to fend off attacks.

As for the rest of the migration, I would set up a rsync job to copy the /var/opt/scalix directory to the new server every night. Then you can test the new server to make sure accounts work, etc. When you are ready for the actual cut over, shutdown the Scalix services on the old one (omshut), rsync the data over again, then bring up the scalix services on the new one. Point the internet to the new server and away you go.

? If i am moving /var/opt/scalix over nightly, I am overwriting whatever the Scalix 11 install did? I would think I would just need to move over the mail store and noitify my few users about possible password 'regressing'.

[Shredder]

/var/opt/scalix contains the data for the server. When you do the install of 11, it will see the data from 10 and convert it to the 11 data.

When you do the rsyncs nightly, it is moving over the data. That is the big benefit with a system like Scalix, you can just move your data as they are flat files, not a database like Exchange has.

If you don't have a lot of extra money you might want to look into something like VMWare (ESX or the free server version). That way you can spend a bit on a decent server and then run multiple machines on it.

Does that help?

Shredder