Hi,

I need to change from CentOS 4.8 to Redhat Enterprise 5.
1) What is my best option to upgrade and maintain the additional software that I have installed in /opt & /usr/local?

/dev/sda3 57G 36G 19G 66% /
/dev/sda1 494M 48M 422M 11% /boot
none 32G 0 32G 0% /dev/shm
/dev/md0 135G 21G 108G 17% /mnt/scratch0
/dev/sde1 4.5T 2.0T 2.5T 44% /array

2) Process to reinstall/configure the additional drives during & after the install?
/dev/md0 135G 21G 108G 17% /mnt/scratch0
/dev/sde1 4.5T 2.0T 2.5T 44% /array

Thank you for your time

Sorry, that's not going to be possible in any easy fashion. CentOS is NOT RedHat enterprise, so there's no 'upgrade' option available (at least as far as I know). Even if there is, there are many problems with upgrades...old libraries get left behind, different versions of things clobber each other, etc. The best option for a solid server, is always a clean install. Back up your software, data, and config files, and do a fresh format/install. The good news is, that you probably don't have to format the /dev/sde device, and can just re-mount it afterwards. The tape device is just that...a tape.

And since you're going to RHEL, the best advice anyone here can give you is to CALL THEM. You're paying for support with your RHEL subscription...they can answer all your questions.

Thank you for the information.

Is your /opt and /usr/local on their own partitions, or on /? If there are their own partitions, just don't format them and use them in RHEL.

They're on his "/" partition...he posted the partition tables in his original post.

TB0ne - Is there a list of must have config files that I get and have ready? I have a copy of all files on the system, but would like to make a short list of config files. Also do you know of a script that I can use to make a copy of just those important files?

Thank you

No, that's like asking "how high is up"?? Without knowing what services you're running, where you installed them, and how, there's no way we can know. And since you can install software ANYWHERE, there can never be a script (unless YOU write one just for your own use), that can do what you're wanting.

Best thing I can suggest is to find out what's running on the box. What services (web? mail? FTP?), and then identify what config files they're using. If you've installed everything via package, most of your config files will be under /etc. For example, "/etc/apache2" would be for your web server, and so on. Other non-system software may have files spread out all over the place, so look at them VERY HARD before doing anything. Sometimes, the config file will be in /etc...but actually be a symbolic link to somewhere else. So when you format that "somewhere else", the config file vanishes (depending on how you back it up, of course).

I'm assuming this is for your place of business. If so, do yourself a HUGE favor, and purchase a brand-new hard drive for that system. When upgrade time comes, take out the one that's there, and put it someplace safe. For added goodness, it's not a bad thing to spring an extra $20 or so for a USB drive enclosure for that device, which I'll explain in a minute.

Unplug your /dev/sde device/arry, so all you're left with is ONE disk drive. Do a clean install, then reboot. Make sure all the hardware/network/etc., is working good. Then plug your array back in, and mount it manually. Make sure IT comes up and works. Then, since you've got your original, untouched hard drive, plug in the USB enclosure, and copy off your config files to your new system, and test your services. If EVERYTHING POSSIBLE goes wrong...all you have to do to get back into production is swap the drives back, and turn the system on. No harm done.

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Thank you Tb0ne