Question about imaging / migrating freebsd

[Freddie Cash]

On Fri, Jan 8, 2010 at 8:54 AM, kevin <k at kevinkevin.com> wrote:

> I have a quick question regarding moving freebsd from one server to
> another.
> I have read and am exploring several methods for efficiently migrating one
> freebsd server to newer hardware.
>
> Without getting into too many details, it is preferable to migrate each
> partition/slice in their entirety. I have read methods where utilizing
> dump/restore in single user mode seems to be the way to go, however I would
> like to know if anyone has any recommendations or has a tried & true method
> (dd over ssh?) for accomplishing this kind of a task that may save me any
> headaches, since the servers in question are production systems.
>
> Both systems will be 7.1-PRERELEASE.  And I am unable to physically mount
> the new server's disk in the old server, unfortunately.
>
> Any help / suggestions is greatly appreciated.
>

In the past, we've used cpio piped through SSH to image servers booted from
a Linux LiveCD.

We've also used DAR (the Disk ARchiver) to do the same.

Recently, we've switched to using Rsync over SSH.  On the FreeBSD side, it's
as simple as:
  - boot from Frenzy LiveCD
  - partition/format disk(s)
  - mount filesystems under /root/mnt/ (or wherever)
  - rsync from other server (be sure to use --numeric-ids, --archive, and
--hard-links)
  - install boot blocks
  - reboot

We also use rsync to backup all our Linux and FreeBSD servers to a single
backup server (ZFS+Snapshots was made for this).  And then use that as the
source for imaging new harddrives.

-- 
Freddie Cash
fjwcash at gmail.com