[CentOS] Backup and reinstall a CentOS server

Tue Sep 2 11:33:06 UTC 2008
Marco Fretz <mailinglist at blah.li>

josh donovan wrote:
> I've got a CentOS server that crashes due to a bad hard disk. I have got a spare disk and need to format and reinstall CentOS from the SERVER CD. Backup and reinstall is a major PITA because of some of the customisations that I've done e.g. the DNS Server is set to log queries (the default does not do this). Any tips on :-
> 
> - backing up and reinstalling (is a script available)?

If you want to copy the whole server, use cpio. We use this to convert
phys servers to virtual.

find / | cpio -o -Hnewc | ssh -c blowfish <remote server> "cpio -u -i -m
-d -Hnewc"

or use the -p switch in cpio for pass-through mode. see the cpio info pages.

You might exclude /dev, /sys/, /proc, etc....

> - is the SERVER CD still 4.4?

the one in the web, no. would be difficult to find one... with the cpio
trick you dont need a CD to reinstall. just attach the new HD do the
runnig server...

but, you might want to use cenots 5? my recommendation at all is to do a
fresh cenots 5 install, copy over and merge the configs...

> - Any suggestions on BIND to log queries without SELINUX throwing a fuss?

Is selinux obstructing query log? do you use "rndc querylog" to turn it on?

> 
> 
> Thanks for any help!
> Josh