Does vhost backup/restore include postfix configs?

Submitted by LonDoh on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 09:22

Hi

yea pretty much as the subject says really: Can somebody confirm that a backup of a virtual host includes postfix configs (main.cf and master.cf) with it?

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Submitted by andreychek on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 09:42

Howdy -- no, changes in the main.cf and master.cf wouldn't be included as part of the Virtualmin backups.

A backup of a Virtual Server would include all the data for that particular Virtual Server, the various accounts, databases, and such associated with it.

The Virtualmin Settings backups contain settings related to Virtualmin -- Server Templates, Account Plans, Backups, Virtualmin config options -- but not daemon configuration.

The idea of the Virtualmin backups is that they can be restored on any system.

Options in config files such as main.cf and master.cf wouldn't necessarily be safe to copy to a new system, as not all options are compatible between software versions.

We'd recommend using an alternate method to backup config files in /etc, and then restoring those with caution on your new system.

Submitted by LonDoh on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 10:04

well I'd agree that it really isnt a good/safe idea to include them.

I posted last week about postfix configs before I backed up /etc et al for this very reason, but I think they are being included in a 'default' backup.
Well In fact I'm sure they are - I just did a re-restore to check and main.cf and master.cf from the old box have been copied over.

Would you do me a favour please and also check that for me your end please. As I say this is in a 'default' everything checked virtualmin backup

thanks

Submitted by LonDoh on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 10:22

as a thought: if postgrey is enabled how do those settings get included?

Submitted by Locutus on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 12:27

Virtualmin Backups include both Postfix and Postgrey configuration in the section "Virtualmin settings to also backup", entry "Mail server settings". So they're not included in the virtual server backup itself, but in that "additional part" when you turn it on.

I can see that the following files/information is backed up: Greylist enabled yes/no, contents of greylist Whitelist files, main.cf, master.cf. I just checked that out in my backup repository cause I wasn't sure myself which files exactly get backed up. :)

Submitted by LonDoh on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 13:11

yep... there they are :-(

I've used virtualmin for a lot of years but I also never realised that.

And let me tell you I put the sad face up there for a reason:

Before I started this migration I asked in another thread about postfix configs. As I said myself... 'RTFM'

I havent really looked at postfix for a few years so I spent all last weekend reading up on the config options. Then the last few days tuning and tweaking a new main.cf and master.cf

I did my edits directly on the new server... edit|test|tedit|test and so on... got it all working nicely...

...can you see where this is going yet?...

So when I've restored the domains I just blew several days effort away...! I am so peeeed off!!

Dont anybody dare lecture me about the stooopidity of not backing up work OK! But as Eric said:

The Virtualmin Settings backups contain settings related to Virtualmin ... Virtualmin config options -- BUT NOT DAEMON CONFIGURATION

And thats what I thought too. So maybe consider putting a big red flag and an opt in checkbox on that for the idiots amongst me.

grrhhhh!

Submitted by JamieCameron on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 15:21

So mail server settings (like main.cf and master.cf) are not included in per-domain backups - however, if on the backup form you check the "Mail server settings" box next to "Virtualmin settings to also backup", global settings like main.cf and master.cf will be included. This is useful for backing up things like your greylisting and SMTP relay configuration ..

Submitted by Locutus on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 15:33

@Jamie: Thank you for repeating/confirming exactly what I wrote one post ago. ;)

Submitted by LonDoh on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 20:14

I am very clear now that when selecting backup options: Where it says "Virtualmin Settings" AND you select "Mail server settings" AND you have postgrey configured

then this also means postfix configs will be silently overwritten with whatever is in the backup.

Personally I wont forget how important this can be when migrating to a new server.

Submitted by Locutus on Thu, 11/22/2012 - 03:02

When doing the restore, you also have the chance to (de)select features to restore. You just have to remember to not restore email settings when you already manually configured Postfix. A clearer warning that its settings will be overwritten might be useful though, I have to agree.