OK - First off, I am fairly new to Linux in particular and Debian in particular, so calling me a newbie won't hurt my feelings.

I have "inherited" a system of 3 servers, all running Debian Woody. I am trying to create a setup of 3 old PCs in my office to allow me to test results of actions without impacting live servers.

My question is this: What is the easiest way to make my 3 old PCs have the same programs and such as the 3 servers? Is there a way to not have to see every program installed on the server and then install it on the old PC?

Many thanks in advance for any assistance.

(If asking for specific details on anything, please provide instructions as to how to get the information. As I said above, newbie is an understatement.)

whats the old ones? the 3pc's or the 3servers? if i get you right, you would like to include the old ones to your net and test their behavior?

My aim is this:

3 servers running with customer data (that can't afford to be down for any length of time), call this the "prod" (production) environment.

3 "old" PCs in my office set up exactly the same as the 3 servers, that I can screw up without affecting customer data, as a "test" environment. So if I decided to upgrade PHP, I can run it in test to see if it screws anything up before I implement it in the "prod" environment.

The goal is to copy the "prod" (live) environment to the "test" environment.

ok. and the 3 test boxes should have the same environment as the prod ones?

copy the partitons (maybe without data) from the prodserver to a harddisk. make necessary changes (network,.) build a kernel for the old machine (since other hardware).put hd in old machine. boot.

worked for me. (debian woody&sarge)

Ah, sorry. Forgot to mention other small problem. Servers are at a remote location. I can't go there to install any hardware, and the servers can't be offline for more than about 2 minutes before we start getting customer complaints.

have you a fast connection to the prod? then install a minimum/necessery system at the ones you have and copy the rest over. if that can't be done you'll have to set up systems like the other ones. there are tools to set up many systems the same way. but i've never used one of them, so i can't help you here.

I have cable internet and full access to the "prod" machines, so copying files won't be a problem.

What is the minimum I need installed, and what files shouldn't I copy over to avoid messing up the "test" systems drivers?

have you running debian on the other systems and the same version at the old boxes?
install the plain debian on the old box. i think you will have to set up apache or mysql or whateveryouneed and the modules (php,perl,..) the same way as on the other side. be sure to have the same versions, but little difference do not always hurt.
if that's all on the system you have to copy the proddata to the machines.

tar -cf - /thefiles/youwant | ssh prod.machine tar -xf - -C /thefiles/here

"rsync" or "r(s)cp" are other possibilities. now configure and when your sure it's all done reboot.

sl mritch