Re: [webmin-l] Backups for Transferring

[John H. <web...@ew...>]

Jamie Cameron wrote:
> On 7/Dec/2006 14:26 John Hinton wrote ..
>   
>> Jamie Cameron wrote:
>>     
>>> On 7/Dec/2006 13:01 John Hinton wrote ..
>>>   
>>>       
>>>> Jamie,
>>>>
>>>> So far I've been really successful with doing backups using the backup
>>>> function built into Virtualmin. I use this for moving accounts from
>>>>         
>> one
>>     
>>>> server to another, for instance at the point where an old box is being
>>>> retired or whatever.
>>>>
>>>> For me, on CentOS, this leaves a couple of items which need to be done
>>>> by hand... outside of Virtualmin control. One, is our default 
>>>> installation of SquirrelMail. Address books and other user customized
>>>> functions get left behind. Also, the same for Usermin. Some things like
>>>> for instance scheduled emails are left on the old server.
>>>>
>>>> It would be nice to be able to catch these couple of items in the backup
>>>> and perhaps something else depending on what other folks might be using.
>>>>
>>>> Do you have any ideas about how these types of things might be included
>>>> into that backup system? What you have already created is SO wonderful
>>>> for this type of maintenance... getting the offbeat items like mysql
>>>>         
>> DBs
>>     
>>>> as well as the all the email settings... it really is sweet and such
>>>>         
>> a
>>     
>>>> huge timesaver.
>>>>     
>>>>         
>>> I think the proper solution would be to update Virtualmin to include
>>> all that missing data. For scheduled emails, I need to include mailbox
>>>       
>> users'
>>     
>>> cron jobs, which isn't too hard. For squirrelmail I'm not sure ... do
>>>       
>> you
>>     
>>> know where on the filesystem they get saved?
>>>
>>>  - Jamie
>>>   
>>>       
>> /var/lib/squirrelmail/prefs
>>
>> For any particular user, in that directory there are:
>>
>> <username>.pref
>> <username>.abook
>> <username>.sig (if a signature file has been created)
>>
>> files. That's all I see on my system, but there might be more depending
>> on other modules. <username>.* should get all files for any particular
>> user.
>>
>> is the default path on RHEL systems.
>>     
>
> Yeah, that isn't going to be included in the Virtualmin backup
> any time soon. If you were running Squirrelmail installed into
> a virtual server's directory then it would be backed up, but
> programs that store their data elsewhere are tough to handle..
>  
>   
>> As for the scheduled emails...
>>
>> I don't allow my users access to most of Usermin, only a few minor 
>> functions.. most of mail, mysql, disk quotas and Sys Docs. I must admit
>> that I haven't used very much within Usermin and don't know offhand if
>> more 'customization' is available in other modules within that interface
>> but I suspect there are. I wonder if perhaps even the Usermin data in 
>> the Usermin directory should be considered if you are thinking of adding
>> this type of function?
>>     
>
> Usermin generally stores everything in users' ~/.usermin directories,
> which will get included in Virtualmin backups. These cron jobs for
> scheduled emails were an exception, but that is the only one I
> can think of..
>
>   
>> Some global thinking might be in order here, at least for sure with 
>> regards to Usermin. As for Squirrelmail.. well, I would frankly 
>> understand if you just turned your nose up at that request as it is so
>> far removed from Virtualmin and what you do. Also, due the the number of
>> other Webmail interfaces available on the varying OSs. But it sure would
>> be nice.
>>     
>
> For arbitrary files like this, I would recommend just using the Filesystem
> Backup module. Virtualmin backups are generally on a per-domain basis, and
> a global Squirrelmail config doesn't fit into any domain.
>
>  - Jamie
>
>   
Excellent! I didn't realize the rest of Usermin was included in the 
backup already and didn't realize I had hit upon the only item that 
wasn't. Funny!

Thanks for clearing this up for me. I'll have to look at perhaps doing 
Squirrelmail through the interface.. or just continue to do a second 
little rsync on those few config files. It really no big deal there. I'm 
trying to not have crap strewn all over the place and highly 
'specialized', where I'll forget it in three or four years when the next 
time to move a particular hosting account comes along.

And again, thanks for making my life much easier with the Webmin/Usermin 
interfaces.

Best,
John Hinton