FOOD FOR THOUGHT Migrate config data & voice mails to latest PIAF

[meadrocks]

First off I'm a total VOIP newbie. My first task at my new job is to upgrade the 3 PIAF
instances @ the 3 sites of my company to 2.0.6.5 Green. Then figure out backups, HA (if 1 pbx goes down can another takes its place), etc.

At 1 location I have PIAF installed with Astericks 1.6.2.16.2 & FreePBX 2.8.1.

I installed a new server with 2.0.6.5 Green.

I'd like to backup the old server (configuration & voicemails) & restore to the new server. From searching the forums I need to install Incredible Backup that comes with Incredible PXE, but installing Incredible PXE wipes out the existing configuration, which is NOT what I want to do.

Incredible Backup appears to backup PIAF binaries & config files, I don't want to restore the old versions of software, I want to migrate the configs voice mails to the new version of PIAF. Can Incredible Backup do this?

What is the difference between Incredible Backup & the backup option in FreePBX->Admin->Backup&Restore?
Thanks.

 

[atsak]

You can't backup from 2.8.1 and restore to 2.11, so that's not going to work regardless.

The best way to do what you want to do is to use the bulk extensions and bulk DID Freepbx modules. Export from old, import into new, then manually copy the greetings and voicemail messages from their home location (/var/lib something), and manually copy the ring groups, IVR etc.

It's a little time consuming but that will capture everything without breaking your system.

Another thing you can try is imaging the existing server, then upgrading it to Freepbx 2.11, then do a freepbx backup and restore. That would probably work OK as well. If it doesn't, well you've got the image to fall back to.

 

[meadrocks]

Why will upgrading FreePBX to 2.11 be able to correctly backup a Astericks 1.6 system to be restored to a Astericks 11 system?

 

[james]

meadrocks All of your extensions, routes, magic are stored in a database. The configuration files are generated dynamically and FreePBX knows the difference between asterisk versions. The difference that matters is the database that stores all your information. The reason you have to be on the same version for backup and restore is so the tables match up. Between versions fields may be added or deprecated. This is managed during the update process of FreePBX.

 

[atsak]

Yes, what james said. The voicemail and IVR greetings are in different places like Lorne said; google this to figure out where (I have to do this every time I do an upgrade and can never remember which sounds are where).

 

[GameGamer43]

The other option you have is to actually upgrade FreePBX to 2.11.

After performing the upgrade through Module Admin to 2.11, you can create a backup (and add adds, or directories to backup) which is you can use on your new 2.11 system.