Topic: Migrating users and passwords to an existing SME server

[cc_skavenger]

Trying to find a way to migrate about 150 users and passwords to another SME server that already has about 300 users on it.  Basically moving users over from an old SME server at a remote location to a centralized server.  Was going to try lazy admin tools, but couldn't find a way to move the passwords over.

Any suggestions?

TIA

Marco

[brad]

I am sort of working on this problem, as well as getting user auth from an NT domain.

this is what i have come up with so far.

1) rsync the /home/e-smith/files/* to the new server
2) use lat-dump and lat-restore on the new server
3) copy /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow to the new server
4) restart

im not sure if this is the most elegant way to do this, but it seems to work for me. one of my goals it to make a shell script for the above as well as automatic fail over.

let me know if this works for you, cc_skavenger.  i am sort of using you to test my idea

--Brad D.

[cc_skavenger]

Brad,

Found these instructions on an old post:

http://ccskavenger.lc-usa.net/SME(E-SMITH)/Howtos/Migrate-users.pdf

Seems to work great as long as you don't overwrite the admin user.  What you are suggesting is for a new server, am I correct?  I am trying to move the users from one server to a server that is already in place and has users on it.  If you do the lat-dump and lat-restore, as well as copying the passwd and shadow files, it should be like copying the old server.  I can't do that since I will lose the users on the newer server.

[mbachmann]

May be helpful: http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=21679.0

[cc_skavenger]

FYI Update:

The instructions I provided a link to came from the post that mbachmann listed.  They worked great!  Moved the users today and tested it, no noticable problems.  Thanks to mstenson for his easy fix.

OK, UPDATE to the UPDATE

Follow these instructions only if you have a brand new and clean server!  Don't do this with a server that has users on it already!  This will FUBAR your system!  Had to otally re-do a server with about 400 users, from scratch.

Live and learn, I know I did.