Php 7.4 or 8 - sympl upgrade to Bullseye or hack Buster?

Support
#1

Problem Description

yesterday evening I installed a nextcloud instance onto a vps running buster/sympl and it was a very simple install process. So thank you whoever prepared that documentation at Sympl.

Nextcloud typically reports it wants all sorts of “special” php versions and config settings. including recommending a min of php 7.4. With Buster on 7.3 I am wondering if I just ignore this for now.

I’d prefer to avoid a dist “upgrade” to Bullseye - Sympl if possible for the moment. Given it means a new server and then rsync’ing contents from current to the new server.

1/ Any views to updating php on Sympl Buster to a latest 7.4 or even higher? I see 8.0 is knocking on the door.

2/ I missed if there is any “clue” on what to rsync over - and what not - when migrating sympl installs. Particularly for /etc/passwd / hostname / firewalls / fail2ban / various logs that might be good to keep continuity with

I’m presuming rsync’ng all of /home and /srv and /var/backup /mysql etc

Be interested to see if anybody has documented a migration or is there a script ?

Christian

Any Error Messages

replace this text with messages or log entries

Environment

  • Sympl Version [9.0/10.0]:
  • Sympl Testing Version? [Yes/No]
  • Debian Version [Buster/Stretch]:
  • Hardware Type? [Dedicated/Virtual/Pi]
  • Hosted On? [name of hosting co]
#2

I’ve done it a few times now and it is relatively simple. You can sort of use the migrating from symbiosis docs as a guide to doing an upgrade - Migrating from Symbiosis - Sympl Wiki

There are a few minor hurdles and changes but it has been a while so I cannot remember exactly what. I remember it being very easy though.

#3

I am trying to get off the Nextcloud merry-go-round.

I was happy with Owncloud. I have no idea what possessed me to switch to the inferior Nextcloud.

Nextcloud has all the latest bells and whistles, but you’re endlessly jumping through hoops with it.

Behind you are it requiring server upgrades to stay with supported releases. In front of you are all the bugs each new version brings.

#4

Yes I’ve done many transfers since the earliest days of symbiosis. It’s the “I cannot remember exactly what” which finds me digging into my notes each time. Each transfer doesn’t completely match because people don’t “just” do symbiosis/sympl but add all sorts of treats.

The worst time was installing mailman onto Sympl from Symbiosis. Although it works fine - actually better under Sympl - there are a number of critical permissions and ln -s tasks to do that can trap the unwary. Not to be done after a glass of wine.
C

#5

Was that Mailman 2 or Mailman 3? I had 2 working on symbiosis, but was unsuccessful trying to install 3 on sympl. Then I gave up.

If you have a working set of instructions, I’d be delighted to have a copy!

#6

version 2.1.29 for the local Internet Society chapter ISOC UK
I’ve not tried using v3 anywhere as yet.

The main list is our Policy list Policy Info Page

best C

#7

Sort of relevant…

#8

Did you keep a list of all the things needed to get mailman working? I failed to get it from symbiosis to sympl

#9

Yes I should have a note somewhere in my stack. I haven’t “tidied” it up for publication yet though

#10

If you want some variety over the version of PHP you’re using, you should find the packages from deb.sury.org work fine with Buster/Bullseye etc.