Re: moving a CVS repository to a newer/faster Linux box

[Mark E. Hamilton]

Riedel, Brian wrote:
> We are in the process of moving a CVS repository off the current Linux
> box to a newer/faster Linux box.  I have been searching your site for
> instructions, and I am looking for instructions for setting up the new
> box (instructions to the sys admins), as well as best practices in
> moving/importing the modules to the new box.  I assume importing is the
> best method. 

Search the archives a little more, you'll find it.

Importing is not the best method if you are simply moving to a 
newer/faster server. You'll lose your history that way.

What I've done in the past is:

1. Manually add 'ALL false' to the CVSROOT/commitinfo file to prevent 
anyone from doing a commit and modifying the repository.
2. Tar up the existing respository.
3. Read/write-protect the repository. This prevents anyone from updating 
from the old repos.
3. Untar the repos it on the new server.
4. Remove the 'ALL false' from the CVSROOT/commitinfo file *on the new 
server*.
5. Have everyone run a script that modifies the Root files in their 
working directory to point to the new server. (There may be a contrib 
script that does this, but it's not to hard to write.)

With all changes of this nature, I'd recommend testing the process few 
times before doing it for real. (Don't do 1 and 3 when you are testing.) 
Ie, create a test working directory of your own, check out files and 
make some changes, copy the repos to the new server, change the Root 
files *just in your working directory* and test updates and commits. 
When you're sure it works, do it for real.

Make sure you have good backups before doing anything.

There are other approaches that others on this list have proposed, 
including having everyone commit before beginning the tar/copy, and 
setting up your DNS so that you never have to change the name of the 
server even if the hardware changes. These are described in the archives 
in the last six months or so.

--
----------------
Mark E. Hamilton
Orion International Technologies, Inc.
Sandia National Laboratory, NM.
505-844-7666