Migrating from OSE 6.0.7 to NE on Debian Vserver

[przyswa]

Hi,

We would migrate from OSE 6.0.7 on Debian 5.0 Vserver (virtualization) and LVM to NE is it possible ?

The actual Zimbra run on virtual machine (Vserver) with a Postfix machine (vserver) as mail relay. Each virtual server filesystem are LVM partitions to snapshoot and backup.

Last question what is the last NE version ?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sam.

[phoenix]

We would migrate from OSE 6.0.7 on Debian 5.0 Vserver (virtualization) and LVM to NE is it possible ?

No, it's not possible - Zimbra NE is not supported on Debian and if you look at the next version you'll see that Debian is deprecated for the OSS version as well.

Last question what is the last NE version ?

If you mean the most recent version then, as always, it's on the Downloads page.

[przyswa]

No, it's not possible - Zimbra NE is not supported on Debian and if you look at the next version you'll see that Debian is deprecated for the OSS version as well.

Argh !? - Does the NE vsersion accept Vserver and LVM2 ? - Perhaps I could install Ubuntu 10.04LTS on a Vserver guest ?

Thanks for your help.

Sam.

[phoenix]

Argh !? - Does the NE vsersion accept Vserver and LVM2 ? - Perhaps I could install Ubuntu 10.04LTS on a Vserver guest ?

Vserver Is not a supported platform and you may invalidate your support for NE if you install in that environment.

[przyswa]

Vserver Is not a supported platform and you may invalidate your support for NE if you install in that environment.

Ok, there is a difference between supported and compatible because the Zimbra OSE (6.0.7) is already running on Vserver and LVM2 if the NE version is running on Ubuntu Vserver it's ok for me, after I will invalidate the "Advantage" support if it's possible.

I think I will test the installation/migration on our rescue machine before put it in production mode.

So the very important question is there is a good way to backup the OSE base and configuration and restore it on the NE version, our Zmbra server is in production since one year.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Sam.

[LMStone]

So the very important question is there is a good way to backup the OSE base and configuration and restore it on the NE version, our Zmbra server is in production since one year.

Thanks a lot for your help.

Sam.

Hi Sam,

If your existing OSE installation were on a 64-bit platform supported under NE, the "upgrade" to NE from OSE could be done in-place and does not require a server migration. The process comprises downloading the Zimbra License file and the NE installer to the Zimbra server and running the installer, which will ask for the location of the license file.

It appears that the key things accomplish here comprise: building your NE server on a supported platform; doing a kind of disaster recovery to move the mailboxes from your current OSE server to the NE server; and migrating from 32-bit to 64-bit at the same time.

That's a big job -- and one based on experience where I would recommend having Zimbra Support be in a position to backstop you (i.e. put NE only on a supported platform).

Here are a few links to help get you started thinking about a migration plan that would work best for you and your environment:

Migrating from End of Life Platform to Supported Platform - Zimbra :: Wiki
Network Edition: Moving from 32-bit to 64-bit Server - Zimbra :: Wiki
Network Edition Disaster Recovery - Zimbra :: Wiki
Open Source Edition Backup Procedure - Zimbra :: Wiki
Ajcody-Disaster-Recovery-Specific-Notes - Zimbra :: Wiki

You don't say how many users are on the system, but if it's not a lot, another way to accomplish the migration would be to do the migration at the user level instead of at the server level.

IOW, using Outlook for example, you could have users export a PST file with all their data from the OSE server, and then import the PST file into the new mailboxes on the NE server. You could also have users add both servers in Outlook, as separate Accounts, and then just drag 'n drop emails across servers.

Unless you have a large number of mailboxes, (or a small number of very large mailboxes and a slow Internet connection), I personally would be tempted to go the Outlook route.

Two reasons: First is that on the server level you can't do anything "in-place", and to do what is effectively a server disaster recovery AND a 32-to-64bit migration at the same time can be very tricky. Second, the Outlook route effectively eliminates any downtime for the users. After you put the new server in production and new emails start flowing in and out of it, the old server need stay up only long enough for users to grab off of it whatever they need/want.

Hope that helps,
Mark

P.S. If you have already bought your Zimbra license, I see nothing wrong with opening a support ticket with Zimbra now, asking them how they would recommend you accomplish your upgrade.

[przyswa]

Thanks for your advices, I have to test on our rescue server, that's seems not very easy...

Sam.