[horde] Backing Up

[John Szkudlapski]

Hi All

Basically the server that our horde installation is sitting on needs to be
wiped and re-installed (to cut a long story short, a sunsolve patch was
applied and its semi-killed the system), restoring from backup has not
helped, and Sun has recommended a total re-install.

The server has nearly 4000 accounts, 95% of them are student accounts, with
the remaining 10% being our staff. 

The server also run's the MYSQL database for horde too.

What I was thinking was.

1) backup/export the MYSQL database
2) backup the horde directory on the server
3) backup the user folders (/export/home/staff) which includes a mail folder
4) backup the mail spool folder (/var/mail)

Wipe the server, re-install the operating system then re-install horde,
replace the database, copy the mail spool folder back and also the user
accounts.

Do you think this could work, basically I don't want any user to lose there
mail within horde (although they will be informed that if they have any
critial mail to make a hard copy in the chance the mail does not re-appear).

I only need to do about 1000 of these accounts, as the rest are accounts
that are due to be wiped at the end of the year (students that are leaving /
training accounts). 

So I may remove the accounts I no longer need first.

I intend to do this in July (when our staff and students are off on summer
break).

Has anyone had to do this before, or if anyone has any comments they would
be gratefully appreciated.

Cheers

------------------------------------
John Paul Szkudlapski
Web Manager
Computer Services - BSFC
t: +44 151 651 3720
f: +44 151 653 4419
m: +44 771 128 6900